Hungary will open a commercial and consular office in Sydney to boost its economic interests and “strengthen the cohesion” of Australia’s Hungarian community, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on his official visit to Australia on Thursday. On Friday, Hungary’s top diplomat arrived in Wellington to open a new Hungarian Embassy in New Zealand.
The Hungarian foreign minister told news agency MTI on Thursday that he had held talks with Australian trade and investment organisations, members of the European Australian Business Council and representatives of the local Hungarian community in Sydney. Australia’s growing interest in central European investment may help augment Hungary’s economic growth, he said, adding that Australian investors are mainly eyeing business opportunities in mining, water management and car industry logistics. Szijjártó and his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop agreed that Australia and the Visegrad Four, an alliance of Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland, would hold a “V4+Australia” summit meeting in Budapest during Hungary’s V4 presidency next autumn.
New Hungarian Embassy in Wellington, New Zealand
Hungarian Foriegn Minister Péter Szijjártó and New Zealand’s Justice Minister Chris Finlayson have opened Hungary’s new Embassy in Wellington on Friday (photo: kormany.hu / MTI)
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjarto officially opened a Hungarian embassy in Wellington on Friday. He told MTI over the phone that the embassy will help strengthen ties with the Hungarian diaspora, enhance Hungary’s presence in the Pacific region, promote trade and cultural cooperation and effectively enforce economic policy objectives. Hungary is the eighth European Union country to open an embassy in New Zealand, he said. He noted potential cooperation with New Zealand in car manufacturing and water management, and in thermal water related infrastructure projects.
Szijjárto said that Hungary’s Eximbank has opened a 720 million dollar credit line to help Hungarian companies enter the New Zealand market. Hungary’s exports to that country increased by 12 percent last year from 2015 to exceed 50 million dollars, Szijjárto said, noting cars, office equipment and IT products being the main items. Szijjártó said he held talks with New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully and Justice Minister Chris Finlayson.During the day he unveiled a plaque commemorating the 60th anniversary of the 1956 revolution and opened a Hungary-New Zealand business forum.
via hungarymatters.hu and MTI