The buses are the first shipment of 14 used vehicles, to be delivered to Ukrainian cities where the war destroyed the public transport fleet, Levente Magyar said. One will serve in Transcarpathia, in western Ukraine, he added.

Hungary is willing and able to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, he said. During the visit, Magyar said he would also aim to review current issues regarding Ukrainian-Hungarian ties, which he said had been “disturbed by regulatory issues regarding the Hungarian minority here which we couldn’t agree on.”

He said he hoped for “good will and understanding” from Ukrainian partners to find a “reassuring, if not comprehensive, solution”.

Magyar will also visit Hungarian-funded infrastructure developments in Bucha and Borodyanka, two localities near Kyiv, occupied and destroyed by the Russian army early in the war. “Despite the appearances some wish to maintain, Hungary has an active part in aiding Ukraine,” he said.

Magyar also met ethnic Hungarian leaders in Beherove (Beregszász) earlier in the day, and said he had hopes that the “issues around the use of the mother tongue, an extremely sensitive one for the local Hungarian minority, could be brought to a resting point.”

Veszprém is a European Capital of Culture in 2023

The aim of the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture project is to make Veszprém, together with the region, a new cultural hub of Europe.  

The European Capital of Culture title is an opportunity for the region to join forces to showcase its centuries-old traditions, cultural diversity, gastronomy and natural assets to Europe and the domestic public.