Péter Magyar held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Thursday, marking one of the incoming Hungarian leader’s first high-profile international meetings ahead of officially taking office.
According to statements shared by Magyar on Facebook and reported by MTI, the talks were described as “successful and forward-looking”.
Magyar also revealed that he invited Meloni to visit Hungary in the near future.
Shared positions on migration and EU enlargement
Following the meeting, Magyar said Hungary and Italy share similar views on several important European issues.
These include tougher action against illegal migration, support for the European Union accession of Western Balkan countries, and strengthening the competitiveness of EU member states.
The talks suggest that, despite the political transition in Hungary following the election defeat of Viktor Orbán, the incoming government may continue to align with Italy on several conservative and economic policy issues.
Meloni, leader of the right-wing Brothers of Italy party, was previously considered one of Orbán’s closest European allies.
Trieste Hungarian port project discussed
One of the key economic topics discussed during the Rome meeting was the long-delayed Hungarian port project in Trieste.
Magyar said the two sides agreed to support the successful work of both Italian and Hungarian investors and to accelerate completion of the Hungarian port development in the northern Italian city.
The Trieste project has strategic importance for Hungary because it could provide the landlocked country with direct maritime logistics access through the Adriatic Sea, potentially improving trade routes and export capacity.
For Hungarian businesses, exporters and logistics companies, the port could eventually reduce transportation costs and strengthen access to Mediterranean and global shipping markets.
Future foreign minister also travelled to Rome
Anita Orbán, who is expected to become Hungary’s next foreign minister, also travelled to Rome for the negotiations.
In a Facebook post, Orbán wrote that she was joining the future prime minister’s discussions with Meloni. According to the newspaper, she travelled to the Italian capital aboard a Wizz Air flight.
Her participation signals that the incoming Hungarian government is already actively shaping its future foreign policy direction before formally taking office.
Film festival visit provided backdrop to diplomatic meeting
Magyar had previously announced he would travel to Italy to attend the international Riviera film festival, founded in 2016, where the documentary Tavaszi szél (Spring Wind) about the Tisza Party was also screened.
The diplomatic meeting with Meloni took place alongside the festival visit.
Earlier this month, Meloni publicly congratulated Magyar on his election victory via social media, describing the relationship between Hungary and Italy as a “deep friendship” while also thanking Orbán for years of cooperation between the two countries.
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What the meeting could mean for Hungary
The talks may reassure investors and EU partners that Hungary under Péter Magyar intends to maintain strong ties with key European governments while pursuing a more pragmatic relationship with Brussels.
For people living in Hungary, the discussions around competitiveness, investment cooperation and the Trieste port project could have long-term economic implications, particularly if they lead to increased trade opportunities, infrastructure development and foreign investment.
At the same time, the meeting also indicates that Hungary’s stance on migration and certain conservative policy areas may remain closer to Italy’s position than to some Western European governments, despite the country’s recent political changes.
UPDATE: Meloni posted a video, Magyar posted a photo
Meloni posted a video on Facebook, which shows her and Magyar meeting, while the Hungarian PM-to-be posted a short post with a photo: “A nice gesture from today’s meeting in Rome: At the end of the meeting, the Italian Prime Minister mentioned her 9-year-old daughter, to which I simply replied that my youngest son had accompanied me to Rome. As soon as we stepped out of the meeting, they had already called Miki over.”
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