"We do this because we must look after not only those that have fled the war but we also want to help those that stayed in Transcarpathia and even on the other side of the Carpathians," PM Orbán said.Continue reading
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the friendship between Hungarians and Serbs has never been as close as now, speaking at the inauguration of the Belgrade-Novi Sad rail line on Saturday.
“Whatever difficulties may come, we will preserve the Serbian-Hungarian friendship, we will preserve the peace,” Orbán said after arriving by train in Novi Sad with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
“We will implement all our great plans together with your president, despite the difficult circumstances,” the Hungarian Prime Minister added.
He said that the war in Ukraine has “come at the worst possible time”, presenting “a serious challenge, because we have developed so well, we have started with such great momentum and we still have so many good plans ahead of us”.
He added that the war is felt “by everyone here in our hearts and minds”.
Orbán said the world has become uncertain, and Serbs and Hungarians must rethink a number of things. “I hope that President Vucic and I will play a role in this rethink” after the upcoming elections, he added.
Orbán said the rail line – part of an upgrade of the Belgrade-Budapest line – would “make life easier for Serbs and Hungarians” and pledged that the entire stretch would be operational by 2025.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic thanked Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for Hungary’s support in Brussels at the same event in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Vucic said “our Hungarian friends” have “raised a voice” in defence of Serbia in Brussels, while others remain silent.
“In this difficult crisis, we have agreed on one thing: that whatever it may be that Serbia is lacking, Hungary will be the first to offer it, while whatever Hungary is lacking, it can count on Serbia to be the first to meet that need,” he said.
“That’s how to build a friendship,” he added.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Belgrade-Novi Sad rail line, on which trains will run at 200 km/hour, Vucic said the line is a “symbol of Serbia’s development”.
He noted that the line was the result of an international effort, involving not only Serbs, but Chinese, Russians, Germans and the Swiss.
Featured photo by Benko Vivien Cher/PM’s Press Office/MTI
