Hungary considers it important that Croatia should set up an LNG (liquid natural gas) terminal, he said, adding that establishing new border crossing points and modernising railway links between the two countries are further priorities. Kovac told the press that cooperation between the two countries will strengthen the European Union’s foreign policy, too. He qualified ethnic minorities as important links between the two countries.

The dispute between of Hungarian petrol company MOL and Croatian petrol company INA has still to be settled, Kovac said. The issue of MOL’s shares in INA, which the Croatian government intends to buy back, have lately cast a shadow on bilateral ties.

Zsolt Semjén, Hungary’s deputy prime minister, said earlier this month that MOL is prepared to sell its stake in INA if Croatia makes an offer for the repurchase and the two sides can strike a deal. Kovac also welcomed infrastructure and energy projects between the countries and called for “concrete projects to succeed in the face of heavy competition”.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Máthé Zoltán