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Hungary to help Slovakia in testing Sputnik V
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Hungary will help Slovakia with the laboratory testing of the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after meeting Igor Matovic, Slovakia’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, in Budapest on Friday.
“Slovakia has asked us and we are pleased to help them with the testing of the vaccine,” Szijjártó said, noting that Hungary had the knowledge and capacity in its internationally accredited laboratory for the procedure.
Hungary has an interest in its neighbours’ successful defence against the pandemic, he said, arguing that it also allowed Hungary’s defence efforts to be successful.
Highlighting the close ties between the two countries, Szijjártó said it would be impossible and wrong for them to “close themselves off from each other”.
The minister hailed Hungary and Slovakia’s “exemplary” cooperation in fighting the pandemic, and noted that last spring Slovakia had helped repatriate 93 Hungarians, while Hungary had helped 56 Slovaks get home.
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He also praised bilateral cooperation in the operation of border crossings, ensuring the unimpeded movement of goods and aiding commuters.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said that a total of 197 Hungarian health-care professionals had helped out with mass coronavirus testing in Slovakia. He praised Matovic’s efforts in constantly pushing for bilateral cooperation in the pandemic response on Slovakia’s part.