Minister Gulyás calls for improving Hungary-Germany political ties

Economic relations between Hungary and Germany are excellent, but while political ties are “functional”, they could be improved, Gergely Gulyás, the Hungarian prime minister’s chief of staff, said in Berlin on Wednesday.

Speaking in a roundtable held at the Hungarian embassy to mark the 30th anniversary of the Hungarian-German friendship agreement, Gulyás said the new German government had brought about “a new situation in which the minimum goal should be to retain a mutual readiness for dialogue on both sides despite differences in their positions”.

He noted that that readiness had “always been in place” during former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s tenure.

At the event, Gulyás handed over the Hungarian Order of Merit, Middle Cross with Star to former Bundestag President Rita Suessmuth, on behalf of President János Áder.

Suessmuth has been recognised for her efforts to further develop ties between the Hungarian parliament and Germany’s Bundestag.

In the discussion both Suessmuth and Gulyás called for strengthening ties between the two countries, as well as tolerance for diversity under the European Union’s motto of “unity in diversity”.

Concerning the situation in Ukraine, Gulyás said

“we must jointly condemn the attack against Ukraine’s territorial integrity”.

He said Russia’s violation of international law was “doubtless” and called for a “joint Eurepean Union response to Russia’s aggression”.

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Read alsoMinister marks 30th anniversary of Hungarian-German friendship agreement