Orban told a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that thanks to developments in recent years more and more of Hungary's energy supplies have come through Serbia.

"The Russia-Ukraine war closed off the other direction, so Serbia has become a country that provides first-rate security and a guarantee. There is no other country more important to Hungary ... and [its] security than Serbia," Orban said.

He noted that existing investment projects were reviewed at the meeting and new ones have been decided on in crude oil shipping, gas transport, transmission line construction, natural gas trading and storage. He said a joint electricity exchange will be operating from the end of this year.

He confirmed that the Budapest-Belgrade railway project will be completed by 2026, and it was agreed that the Roszke-Horgos border crossing will be made into Europe's "most modern, fastest and most civilised" border crossing, thanks to a large joint investment project.

Hungary, like Serbia, "is on the side of peace", and that commitment has strengthened Serbian-Hungarian friendship, Orban said, adding that Hungary had taken on the burden of conflicts in order to avoid "being dragged into the Russia-Ukraine war"."We stayed away from that: it is not our war; we are on the side of peace and will remain there," he said.

During its presidency of the European Council, Hungary had been able to "provide material help" to Serbia by speeding up its EU integration, Orban said. "Europe must grasp that it is not Serbia that needs Europe, it's the EU that needs Serbia."

The EU is mired in problems, and growth, new momentum, dynamism and energy "can only come from new members", he said. "Serbia is the best candidate for this, and Hungary will continue to do everything in its power to ensure that it becomes an EU member as soon as possible."

"The US elections and the appearance of a party group of patriots and sovereigntists in Europe has brought about a new reality," Orban said. "The future belongs to sovereign, independent nations striving for success, and everyone in Europe must adapt their fate and politics to that," he said.

Hungarians and Serbians have responded to that "new reality" by deepening cooperation, Orban added.

Further, "the two countries will have to cooperate in security more closely as the issue is gaining importance in the new reality," he said. "With Europe suffering from high electricity prices, we need better cooperation on electricity, and if blocs threaten to form in Europe, or Europe responds to the new situation with protectionism, we must strengthen connectivity and we must connect with each other all the more," Orban said.

He thanked Vucic for being the "engine" of high-level Hungarian-Serbian relations in the past decade. Serbia and Hungary "are two ambitious nations that refuse to resign to the fate the 20th century dealt them, and want to be successful, large and rich."

Serbia's success also raises Hungary's value, he said, and "we have an interest in Serbians being as successful, satisfied, balanced and prosperous as Hungarians in the coming seven years."

The Hungarian-Serbian strategic cooperation council on Thursday met for the second time, and representatives of the two countries signed seven agreements after the meeting, on legal aid in civil litigation, cultural cooperation, on a letter of intent on cooperation between their ministries of innovation, on renewing Hungary's plan to provide expertise on EU integration, and on cooperation between the foreign ministries.
 

Orban and Vucic also signed a common declaration regarding the meeting.

Source: 
MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881.

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