Ekaterina Zaharieva Holds Talks with Counterpart Peter Szijjarto in Budapest, Marks Day of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship
19 October 2020 News
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed with her Hungarian counterpart – the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto a broad range of questions from the bilateral and European agenda, including energy, migration and the European integration of the Western Balkans.
Ekaterina Zaharieva was on official visit to Budapest on the occasion of the Day of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship and the Centenary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
One of the key topics during the visit was the energy security of Central and Eastern Europe. „The energy projects of the Government of Bulgaria aim at diversification of sources and routes. Balkan Stream is a Bulgarian project which is implemented according to the European rules. Together with the interconnector with Greece, they will allow to supply with gas from around the world Bulgarian households and households from the entire region, Hungarian included,“ said our Foreign Minister.
For Hungary the construction of Balkan Gas Hub and Balkan Stream is important, including the interconnector with Greece and Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal,’ Minister Szijjarto said. „We want diversification, and Bulgaria will provide this via its territory.“
All energy projects in our country are implemented strictly in accordance with European rules and they have no delay at all,’ the Bulgarian Chief Diplomat pointed out.
Ekaterina Zaharieva highlighted the importance of providing „green corridor“ for Bulgarian citizens and businesses at the beginning of the first wave of COVID-19, when European land borders were suddenly closed. We need to work together to avoid a second lockdown, as our economies will not be able to pull through, added Minister Zaharieva, and Minister Szijjarto agreed.
„Bulgaria has always considered Hungary a long-standing friend not just because of geographic proximity but also because of our shared values and attitudes, as members of the European family and NATO,“ Minister Zaharieva pointed out. „Today the Bulgarian minority is among the officially recognised minorities in Hungary, and I would like to sincerely thank the Hungarian state for the caring and warm attitude Bulgarians here have always enjoyed.“
„The Bulgarian community in Hungary has a huge contribution to our society; it is also represented in Parliament. I am happy that today we celebrate the Day of Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship. The Government supports your community on a regular basis, financially too,“ said Minister Szijjarto. He noted that he was very glad with the fact that DSK Bank, member of OTP Group, was among the largest banks in Bulgaria and that the Hungarian low-cost airline broadened its base in Sofia and steps up operations ex Bulgaria despite the COVID-19 crisis. Hungary also made available a credit line of EUR 140 mln for joint business projects.
The two ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the area of international cooperation for development between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
Later Ekaterina Zaharieva conferred Golden Honorary Badge of the MFA on prominent Bulgarians living in Hungary and with contribution to promoting the relations between the two countries. The recipients of the distinction were Mr. Dimitar Tanev, Chair of the Bulgarian Society in Hungary, Mr. Simeon Varga, Member of Hungarian Parliament and advocate of the Bulgarian minority, Mr. Dancho Musev, Chair of the Bulgarian Republican Self-government in Hungary, Mrs. Svetla Kyosseva, long-standing principal of the Bulgarian Language School in Budapest, and Mr. Mihail Kocic, Head of and Teaching Professor with the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature at the Szeged University.
The Bulgarian Foreign Minister launched an open-air exhibition featuring the letters of the Bulgarian alphabet as benches. The exhibition already toured Paris, Rabat and Berlin. „I hope the exhibition helps Hungarian public get to know Bulgaria, its culture and history more,“ Zaharieva said.
More photos
