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Hungary and Slovakia are ready to enter the best chapter of cooperation between the two countries in the coming years, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Bratislava on Tuesday after talks with Slovak Prime Minister Rober Fico.
The Foreign Minister noted at a press conference that the elections in Slovakia had led to the formation of a “patriotic government in the neighboring country, committed to the national interest and pursuing a sovereign policy.” He believes that the two governments share a common approach on the most important issues for the future of Europe: both want peace in Ukraine, do not see the solution in arms transfers, and want to stop the flow of illegal migration.
Péter Szijjártó said that
one of the main topics of discussion in the coming period will be to strengthen cooperation against migration and to coordinate national measures.
He also pointed out that Hungary and Slovakia share the same opinion on the EU’s migration pact. “Both governments attach equal importance to the preservation and respect of national cultural heritage and fundamental values, and we would like to see common sense in the debate on the future of the European Union,” he stressed.
The Hungarian politician added that the fact that both Budapest and Bratislava are approaching the issue of energy supply from a common-sense and non-ideological perspective is an important link. “Both countries use nuclear energy, and we are not willing to let go of that. We do not accept double standards and negative discrimination against nuclear energy, as it is an important basis for the energy supply and security of both countries,” he declared.
In response to journalists’ questions, the foreign minister said that the government was developing relations with almost all neighboring countries, knowing that the two sides do not agree on everything, and this was also the case for Slovakia. “I do not see it as a merit of foreign policy per se to open difficult questions, because anyone can open any question, it does not require any serious qualifications.
The question is whether it is possible to close issues that have been opened in a way that does not come at the expense of the national community concerned,”
he said.
Earlier in the day, Szijjártó also met with Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár, Economy Minister Denisa Saková, and Regional Development Minister Richard Raši, among others.
On meeting Regional Development Minister Richard Raši, he wrote in a social media post: “We agreed to continue cross-border infrastructure development given that the cross-border bridges and roads built in recent years have been of great help to communities along the border.”
He added that another bridge on the Ipoly River will be inaugurated later this year, this time between Őrhalom and Vrbovka (Ipolyvarbó).
Via MTI, Featured image: Facebook/Szijjártó Péter