Government, British firms discuss strategic cooperation, says Szijjártó

Budapest, March 10 (MTI) – Hungary’s government has so far concluded strategic cooperation agreements with three British companies and started talks with a further two, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday.

The three strategic partners concerned are Tesco, Unilever and GlaxoSmithKline, he said, without naming the two prospective partners.

Fully 800 British firms have operations in Hungary, employing a total workforce of 50,000, Szijjártó told an event organised by the UK Trade and Investment Office in Budapest.

Hungary has always seen the United Kingdom as its ally, Szijjártó said, adding that the European Union has a vital interest in keeping Britain within its fold.

The EU needs the British way of thinking and would become weaker if the United Kingdom quit the bloc, he said.

Szijjártó said Hungary and Britain agreed on the need to increase EU competitiveness and to give a bigger role to national parliaments.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters