French, Hungarian governments ready to get to know each other’s positions

The new French government and Hungary’s government have mutual intent to get to know each other’s positions and start a dialogue, government spokesman Zoltán Kovács said after talks with French President Emmanuel Macron’s advisors on Monday.

The spokesman paid a one-day visit to Paris to establish official links with the new administration and the French press. The visit has been prepared for two months and last week’s meeting between the Visegrad Group leaders and Macron at a European Union summit made it especially timely, he said.

“If there is mutual respect, then there is a serious chance for dialogue, for which there is a demand as expressed by all,” he said.

“This is a new development after the accusations, threats and blackmail of recent years,” he added.

Kovács noted that before the EU summit, Macron made some “impolite” remarks in an interview published by eight European papers, which triggered the proper response from the Visegrad Four. Hungary started from the position that “the basis for dialogue is mutual respect and an understanding that in certain issues we have different opinions, our institutions operate differently, but we respect these differences and still seek consensus and the opportunities for cooperation,” he said.