Ecuador stable regional partner, says Hungarian house speaker in Quito

Hungary sees Ecuador as a stable regional partner, László Kövér, the speaker of the Hungarian parliament, said in his address to the ceremonial session of the Ecuadorian parliament, held in honour of the Hungarian delegation visiting the country.

Reopening the Hungarian embassy in Quito in 2015 after a 16-year interval gave a boost to political, economic, scientific and educational cooperation, Kövér’s press office said. The House speaker noted that

Hungary had raised the government grants offered to Ecuadorian students to 75 in 2017.

He added that a flow of tourists, businesspeople, artists, scientists and students between the two countries is beneficial to bilateral ties. The Hungarian foreign minister has therefore sent a letter to the European commissioner in charge, calling for Ecuador to obtain visa exemption in the Schengen area in the near future, Kövér said.

Hungarian companies have a keen interest in Ecuador, he said, citing pharma company Richter and tech firm Graphisoft as examples.

“My visit is to demonstrate that the Hungarian national assembly sees good relations with Latin America as a must,” Kövér said.

The House speaker had talks with his counterpart Elizabeth Enriqueta Cabezas Guerrero, Foreign Minister Jose Valencia and Deputy President Maria Alejandra Vicuna.

Kövér is heading a parliamentary delegation to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

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UPDATE

Kövér later in the day visited a foundation that provides nursery care, music and sport education to children from poor families, as well as supporting disabled communities and the elderly. The house speaker presented the El Sol Brilla para Todos foundation a donation of musical instruments and sports equipment, his press office told MTI. After the visit, Kövér and his Ecuadorian counterpart opened a photo exhibition featuring UNESCO cultural world heritage sites in Hungary and Ecuador.

Source: MTI