“Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz will be receiving Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Vienna on 30 January”, the Austrian Chancellery confirmed to the APA news agency on Tuesday.
According to plan, during his one-day visit the Hungarian Prime Minister will also be meeting with Freedom Party Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache.
According to the APA news agency, the agenda of the meeting between Viktor Orbán and People’s Party politician Sebastian Kurz includes several “sensitive” issues, including the legal action that Austria is planning to take with relation to the Paks II project, and planned Austrian legislative amendments relating to family benefits. With relation to the latter, the Hungarian politician is concerned by the fact that if the changes come into force Hungarian citizens who work in Austria and have requested the payment of benefits there, but whose children live in Hungary, could face a major reduction in income.
There is much greater agreement between the Austrian and Hungarian parties with relation to migration, the Austrian news agency writes, pointing out that both heads of government are believers in strict immigration policy and the in increased protection of external borders.
In addition, the parties are also expected to discuss the Austria’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which it is set to assume in July 2018. EU financial frameworks and Brexit are also expected to be topics of discussion, according to APA.
No press conference will be held according to current information.
Previously, the Prime Minister’s Press Chief confirmed to Hungarian news agency MTI that Mr. Orbán’s visit to Vienna was under preparation and could take place on 30 January. Bertalan Havasi said that according to plan the Prime Minister would be holding separate talks with both the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, in addition to several other Austrian public figures.
(Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister/MTI)