PM Orban: Hungary’s interest lies in an orderly, developed Serbia

The cooperation between Budapest and Belgrade is a good example for the world, Hungary’s prime minister said.

Orbán Viktor magyar miniszterelnök (b) Alekszandar Vucsics szerb elnökkel találkozik a vajdasági Palicson 2023. június 20-án (Fotó: Facebook/Orbán Viktor) Forrás: Facebook/Orbán Viktor

Hungary has an interest in an orderly and developed Serbia, Prime Minister Viktor Orban stressed in Palic on Tuesday, where the Hungary-Serbia Strategic Cooperation Council was established. At a press briefing following the event, Mr Orban said that as soon as Hungary and Serbia realized that they could not remain the prisoners of history, relations between the two countries began to develop.

Today, the whole world is talking about who is not cooperating with whom, and why. Decoupling, derisking; these are the words used in international politics. By pointing out that we don’t need to say who we don’t want to cooperate with, but that instead we should try and cooperate with as many countries as possible, we are setting a good example to the world, 

– he underlined.

"What I’ve experienced over the past long years is that there are things in common in the two countries’ DNA. As I see it, freedom, sovereignty and independence are in the DNA of the Serbs, and this is also true of the Hungarians." Mr Orban stressed, adding that when Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is talking about Hungarians giving respect to the Serbs, it is because of this common DNA. PM Orban emphasized that this was the 32nd time that he had met President Vucic.

Friendship and alliance in politics can only be achieved through hard work,

– he said. When Hungary and Serbia reached a decision not to remain the prisoners of history, but to shape it instead, the cooperation that is still working today began, Mr Orban added.

Hungary’s premier also pointed out that they have managed to link some important issues at the meeting of the Hungary-Serbia Strategic Cooperation Council on Tuesday. "Serbia is not a member of NATO, Hungary is. Serbia is not a member of the European Union, Hungary is. Serbia is an Orthodox Christian country, Hungary is a Roman Christian country. Serbia is in the Balkans, Hungary is in Central Europe. These differences do not make cooperation more difficult. Instead, they add value," Mr Orban said, adding that connecting these two different countries within the context of strategic cooperation would free up enormous energies, from which both the Serbs and Hungarians could benefit.

At the meeting in Palic, the Hungarian and Serbian sides signed twelve cooperation agreements, including a document on the establishment of the Hungary-Serbia Strategic Cooperation Council, and agreements on foreign cooperation, border protection, border traffic control, the construction of an oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia, European integration, the exchange and protection of classified data, infrastructure, agriculture, defense and customs cooperation. An agreement was also signed between Serbia's state-owned gas provider and Hungary’s MVM on the establishment of a joint company called Serbhungas Novi Sad Ltd.

Cover photo: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban (l) meets Serb President Aleksandar Vucic in Palic, Vojvodina, on 20 June 2023 (Source: Facebook/Viktor Orban)