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Prime Minister Janez Janša and his ministerial team meet his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán

  • Former Prime Minister Janez Janša (2020 - 2022)
Prime Minister Janša and his ministerial delegation met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his ministerial team in Celje today.

In the morning part of the visit, the two prime ministers and their delegations attended the opening of the 53rd International Trade Fair, with Hungary participating as a partner state. Slovenia sees this as a confirmation that Hungary seeks to further economic cooperation between the countries. Both prime ministers gave opening addresses, emphasising close cooperation between the countries, which the Hungarian prime minister described as historically the best it has ever been. In their addresses, both prime ministers briefly discussed the coronavirus crisis and its impact on the economy.

After the formal opening, the Slovenian and Hungarian prime ministers met for bilateral talks, examining the areas of cooperation between the countries and the possibilities for its expansion. Separate bilateral talks were also held between other attending ministers.

A joint government meeting in a form of a working lunch was also aimed at reviewing intensive bilateral cooperation in areas of business, infrastructure, defence, home affairs, culture, science and national minorities. Slovenia and Hungary foster friendly and diversified relations. An important contribution to this comes from regular dialogue between the representatives of both countries. This dialogue is also intensive at the highest government levels.

The meeting of Slovenian and Hungarian prime ministers was attended by Zdravko Počivalšek (Minister for Economic Development and Technology), Matej Tonin (Minister for Defence), Jernej Vrtovec (Minister for Infrastructure), Aleš Hojs (Minister for the Interior), Simona Kustec (Minister for Education, Science and Sport), Ignacija Fridl Jarc (State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture), Stanislav Raščan (State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Dejan Valentinčič (State Secretary at the Government Office for Slovenians Abroad), and Stane Baluh (Director of the Government Office for National Minorities).

The Hungarian delegation included Prime Minister Orban, and Zsolt Semjén (Deputy Prime Minister and minister without portfolio), Sándor Pintér (Minister for the Interior), Tibor Benkő (Minister for Defence), Péter Szijjártó (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade) as well as Miklós Kásler (Minister for Human Resources).

Following a working lunch and joint government meeting, Slovenia and Hungary adopted a statement and signed a batch of documents, further strengthening the future cooperation between the countries, namely:

  1. Letter of Intent regarding the collective fund for the Prekmurje and Raba regions, signed by Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia Janez Janša and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
  2. Partnership contract (a contract on the transfer of technology for the establishment of the production and assembly of the VIRUS SW 121A EXPLORER aircraft in Hungary, and the contract on the rights to sell the said aircraft), signed by the Pipistrel and Genevation Aircraft companies.
  3. Memorandum of Understanding in the field of development cooperation (as a response to humanitarian crises and persecution of religious minorities around the world), signed by State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mr Stanislav Raščan and Hungarian State Secretary for the Aid of Persecuted Christians and the Hungary Helps Programme Tristan Azbej.
  4. Memorandum of Understanding for the development of crafts, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs between the two chambers, signed by President of the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia Branko Meh and Head of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce László Parragh.

After signing the memoranda, the Slovenian and Hungarian prime ministers entered their signatures into Celje's guests of honour book, which is the oldest guestbook in Slovenia, with the first entry dating back to the end of 19th century, when Emperor Franz Joseph visited Celje.

To conclude the meeting, Minister of Economic Development and Technology Zdravko Počivalšek and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto attended a press conference, while Prime Minister Janez Janša and his Hungarian colleague Viktor Orbán visited the Hungarian and Slovenian stands and discussed the products offered there with individual sellers.