The importance of inter-regional cooperation was something that Gergely Prőhle, representing the Ministry of Human Capacities, emphasised on the 25th anniversary of the dismantling of the Iron Curtain. Austria's president, Heinz Fischer, and Franz Vranitzky, former Chancellor of Austria, also attended the commemoration.

Attending an event late on Wednesday in Eisenstadt, the Deputy State Secretary for International and European Affairs, said that freedom consists in small, practical things and depends on how common paths are built and what kind of joint cultural events are organised, as well as the exchange programmes that take place. Hungary is delighted that Austrian-Hungarian relations work so well, he added.

In reply to a question concerning the recent speech made by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, in connection with liberalism, Mr Prőhle said that in order to judge the speech properly it was necessary to know thoroughly what Prime Minister Orbán had said. He adheres to the line of analysts who speak about the competitiveness of welfare states and social benefit systems, he added. Referring to concerns expressed internationally about developments in Hungary, he said that as far as a freedom-loving people such as the Hungarians is concerned, there was no question of the country taking over any kind of state system to its east.

(Ministry of Human Capacities)