Hungarian Foreign Minister Tibor Navracsics announced on July 17 that Hungary would close its embassy in Tallinn in order to use tax-payer money more efficiently. He said the embassy would be merged with the one in Helsinki and that the Hungarian institute in Tallinn can carry out cultural diplomacy tasks.

The civil groups represented in the statement said they were shocked to learn about the Hungarian government’s decision and Estonia’s response.

They said it was an insult to Estonia and an “ill-considered” decision, the statement said.

The Hungarian government’s earlier pledge of enhancing Hungarian- Estonian linguistic and cultural cooperation can only soothe but not remedy the damage caused by the embassy closures, it said.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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