At the official welcome event, Hungarian Deputy Minister Levente Magyar underscored the growing strategic importance of Hungary’s relationship with the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), noting that this development closely follows the recent OTS summit hosted in Hungary.

He highlighted that Hungary’s cooperation with Turkic countries goes beyond shared cultural and historical ties, reflecting their increasing political, economic, and geopolitical relevance on the global stage.

This is a region spanning millions of square kilometres, home to hundreds of millions, with growing military strength and vast economic potential,” he said, adding that “such advantages naturally attract the interest of the world’s major powers.”

Magyar also emphasised the role of natural resources in strengthening Hungary’s partnerships across the region. “Let us not forget that many of these states are rich in key raw materials—resources that benefit Hungary and other European nations alike,” he noted.

Kazakhstan, in particular, was described as a key strategic partner. “We’ve long had strong bilateral relations with Kazakhstan,” he said, highlighting the government’s efforts to create direct air links with all its most important international partners.

“Direct flights are not merely a matter of convenience—they promote tourism, academic exchange, and business cooperation.” He noted that approximately 250 Kazakh students currently study in Hungary each year under a scholarship programme, a number likely to rise with the opening of the new route.

Hungary already maintains direct air connections with Azerbaijan and several cities in Türkiye, and plans are in motion to establish a route to Uzbekistan.

“With this flight to Shymkent, we now have a direct link to Kazakhstan. We hope to soon expand connections to other major cities there,” Magyar said. He also referenced Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s recent discussions with the Kyrgyz president about launching a direct flight between Hungary and Kyrgyzstan.
 

“With this, we are approaching a milestone: direct air connections with all five member or cooperating states of the Organisation of Turkic States,” he noted.

“We are grateful to SCAT Airlines for choosing Budapest as their first Central European destination. This reflects the mutual respect and strategic vision shared between Hungary and the Turkic world.”

Magyar expressed hope that the current twice-weekly service will soon increase to five flights per week.

“This new route is a meaningful step toward even deeper cooperation and connectivity between Kazakhstan and Hungary,” he concluded.

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