Speaking in Berlin on Monday about the European Union’s next multi-annual financial framework, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that it is certain that an agreement that is good for everyone will be found, but this will take time.
The Prime Minister held a joint press conference together with the German chancellor.
Mr. Orbán said that the next EU budget would be one of the subjects in his talks with Angela Merkel.
Although the Hungarian and German viewpoints are different, he said, several European leaders have experience in working on EU budgets, and they will certainly find opportunities for agreement.
He stressed that their talks would be about bilateral questions, but that these also have a European dimension.
Angela Merkel is insisting on European competitiveness and industrial policy being discussed at the EU summit in March. The Prime Minister observed that the summit will be an important one, as the key question today is how Europe can regain its competitiveness.
Mr. Orbán recalled that at their meeting in July 2018, the Chancellor proposed a “positive agenda” that included cooperation on innovation, digitalisation, the arms industry and R&D.
The results of this are now being reviewed, he said.
Mr. Orbán added that in recent years Hungarian-German trade has risen to new heights, and may have reached a record of more than €55 billion in 2019.
Another topic for discussion mentioned by the Prime Minister was EU enlargement. He said that “Hungary is a spokesman for enlargement”.
The key country for integration of the entire Western Balkans region is Serbia, he noted, and negotiations with that country need to be accelerated, as its inclusion will be a guarantee of stability in the region.
(Cabinet Office Of The Prime Minister/MTI)
