Hungary's President: Peace Policy, National Sovereignty Important Connection Points Between Switzerland and Hungary

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok received Viola Amherd, President of the Swiss Confederation, on Friday. The parties stated that the deepening of relations is progressing dynamically and steadily, and emphasized that the two countries see each other as important political and economic partners. The two heads of state agreed that it is extremely important to create peace and stability.

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok receives President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd on April 19, 2024 (Photo: Miklos Teknos)

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok received Viola Amherd, President of the Swiss Confederation. At their joint press conference, Tamas Sulyok emphasized that national sovereignty is an equally important and cardinal issue for both Switzerland and Hungary.

President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd and Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok (Photo: Miklos Teknos)

That is why we agreed that we see each other as important political and economic partners, and we are each other's allies in many European issues. Our common goal is to preserve friendly relations and further strengthen good relations,

Hungary's president pointed out.

What comes to our mind when we think of Switzerland, in addition to its high mountains, machinery of unique quality, chocolate, its well-functioning military and its wealth, asked Tamas Sulyok.

Much more than that, in my opinion, as Switzerland is a country surrounded by the European Union, but has always remained a neutral state, from which we can learn a lot. We look forward with great anticipation and hope to Switzerland's first non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council,

Hungary's president said.

Sulyok said he and Amherd agreed on the priority of four topics: creating sustainable peace, the protection of civilians, increasing the effectiveness of the UN Security Council, and addressing climate security.

President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd and Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok (Photo: Miklos Teknos)

I believe that we can wholeheartedly support these ideas at all times,

Hungary's head of state stressed.

Speaking about the relations between the two countries, Tamas Sulyok said that in strengthening relations, the Hungarians living in Switzerland are seen as an important connecting link, also enriching the majority society by actively cultivating their own identity.

Our economic relations are on the rise, both in terms of trade and investment,

Hungary's president said.

In recent years, Swiss companies have become one of the most active investment groups in Hungary, and Swiss companies operating in our country are constantly expanding their activities. Inter-institutional cooperation between the two countries is outstanding in education, especially in the field of research and innovation. Both Hungary and Switzerland attach priority to research, development and innovation, as well as to technical training and education,

Tamas Sulyok said, adding that the Switzerland-based European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, established its data center at the Wigner Research Centre for Physics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

An important point of connection with Switzerland is peace policy. I was shocked to learn about the attack on Israel this weekend. We are concerned about the situation in the Middle East, which carries the risk of escalation. I agree with Switzerland's president that ending the Russia-Ukraine war is equally important for all actors in global politics. Switzerland, as a neutral country, is organizing a two-day high-level international peace conference in mid-June to find a way to end the war in Ukraine. I wish successful negotiations in this effort,

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok emphasized in his speech.

President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd highlighted the importance of dialogue, consensus and cohesion, especially in today's unstable situation. She pointed out that 2024 is an important year not only for Hungary, but also for Switzerland and European politics. She said that transformation is underway and that in mid-March the relations between Switzerland and the European Union entered a new phase of possibilities.

Switzerland intends to stabilize and further develop relations as needed, Viola Amherd said.

She noted that Switzerland is by far one of the European Union's largest trading partners and the third largest investor in the European Union. One and a half million citizens from the EU live and work in the country, and four hundred thousand EU citizens cross the border every day, she explained. As she put it, this partnership is a matter close to their heart.

In the current situation it is all the more important to find solutions to the existing issues, the Swiss head of state said. She noted that this is particularly important now at the time of Russia's war against Ukraine and ahead of the conference on peace in Ukraine, which will be organized in Switzerland in June.

The summit aims to launch and develop the first steps towards a thorough peace process. All participating states should be given the opportunity to contribute to the conference with their vision for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We look forward to Hungary joining this important discussion,

Viola Amherd said, adding that they want to start the process so that in a second step another conference can be held somewhere else in the world, not necessarily in Switzerland, so that the discussions can create an opportunity for moving on.

We will also start this process, which is important for Switzerland,

she said. 

Touching on the migration pact adopted recently, she said that the proportion of foreigners in Switzerland is very high, and this means that they are also affected by migration. In Switzerland, it is important to be able to integrate the foreign population well, so that there are no segregated areas in the country.

It is important to be able to provide as much assistance as possible locally, so that people have a perspective in their own country, helping them stay in their homeland. Of course, it is our turn to work very closely with the European Union and our global neighbors on this migration issue

said Viola Amherd, the President of the Swiss Confederation.

In response to Magyar Nemzet's question about his view on Hungary's twenty-year-old membership in the European Union, Tamas Sulyok said that Hungary, as an independent country, joined the European community of its free will, the Europe where Hungary has actually existed for more than a thousand years.

I believe that we have proven this several times throughout our history. Today we still belong to Europe and Hungary can always belong to Europe. The question is what kind of Europe we want as an independent and autonomous state. And this depends not only on Hungary, but also on the other European states, but Hungary always stands up for the protection of its identity,

Hungary's president underlined.

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok receives President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd on April 19, 2024 (Photo: Miklos Teknos)