Kásler told public media that the agreement will boost cooperation in events like the St. Petersburg festival in November and the Budapest Spring Festival, where Russian ballet and music will be guests of honour.

The agreement also concerns film and several genres of music and dance, he said. Common archaeological projects are also on the agenda, he said. “Hungarians’ origin history is connected to southern Russia.

Such research projects would be of great value to the peoples currently living there, too,” he said. After the signing in Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, an operetta gala was held to honour renowned Hungarian composer Imre Kálmán.

Photo: kormany.hu / Bartos Gyula