There are issues on the table in relations with Slovenia which lay the foundations for strategic, long-term cooperation, and they have now started resolving these issues, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told the public service media on Tuesday in Bled, Slovenia.

The Prime Minister had talks with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa. Rendering an account of his meeting, he highlighted that it would take a few months to develop the final forms of these solutions; however, they expect to be able to forge sincere and good neighbourly relations between Hungary and Slovenia also in the long run.

He stressed that – beyond the assistance provided by Hungary for Slovenia during the coronavirus epidemic – the national communities of the two countries could constitute the “spiritual foundations” for this.

He observed that today the underlying tone of Hungarian-Slovenian relations is much better than at any time before.

Mr Orbán said he and his Slovenian counterpart agreed that while both prime ministers and governing parties form part of the European Christian democrats and this helps governmental work, they will seek to separate interstate relations from party issues, and to build long-term foundations which will remain strong and enduring, regardless of the party family the governing parties and prime ministers of the day belong to.

He took the view that connections – which are “a somewhat neglected area” of Hungarian foreign politics – are the most important. There is no connection yet between the Hungarian and Slovenian high voltage power lines, despite the fact that they already agreed on this earlier. Hungary has completed its part of the deal, and perhaps something will start now, he explained.

He said there is also an abandoned gas pipeline development programme, and if Hungary wants to have access to Italy’s gas pipelines, it can do so via Slovenia. Air connections between the two countries are rudimentary, while the Port of Koper as well as the construction of the railway line leading there are sensitive issues for Hungary, he said, adding that Hungary is happy to take part in this project because while Hungary has already bought a part of the port in Trieste, it is also interested in Koper if this is acceptable for Slovenia.

Regarding national communities, the Prime Minister pointed out that cooperation in this area had been satisfactory also with previous Slovenian governments. They have now agreed on the continuation and extension of these programmes. Hungarians living in Slovenia and Slovenians living in Hungary will live their lives in improved environments equally as regards their school systems, their cultural systems, transport and border crossing possibilities, and they also managed to agree on some points regarding the economic development of the region, he listed.

Mr Orbán said at the time of the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic Hungary was in the position to be able to provide help for its neighbours most in trouble, and at the time Slovenia was in rather great trouble. Therefore, Hungary helped them out. Slovenia is a grateful nation, and did not forget this; today, they held a ceremony to mark the assistance Hungary provided, he said.

He recalled that “while we ourselves were in trouble, we didn’t forget about helping our neighbours if we could.” If the situation were the reverse, Hungary would count on Slovenia, he added.

(The Prime Minister/MTI)