Latest news with #Hungarian-Serbian
Budapest Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
Orbán holds talks with Serbian president in Belgrade
The next strategic goal is the construction of a crude pipeline and doubling the electricity transmission capacity between Hungary and Serbia. As part of a work visit to Belgrade on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks with Serbian President Alexandar Vucic. According to MTI , PM Orbán and Vucic discussed the development of Hungarian-Serbian energy cooperation. Serbia has become a key country for Hungary's natural gas supply amid the impact of the sanctions imposed in connection with the war between Russia and Ukraine. Hungary receives a daily 20 million cubic metres of gas via its southern neighbour. The next strategic goal is the construction of a crude pipeline and doubling the electricity transmission capacity between the two countries, they said, noting that preparations for both projects were underway.
Budapest Times
04-04-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
FM: Hungary-Serbia crude pipeline is another brave and sovereign decision
Minister Szijjártó said the capacity of the new pipeline would be around 4.5m tonnes per year, allowing the Pancevo refinery and Serbia to be supplied entirely from Hungary. Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said another 'brave and sovereign decision' could result in the construction of a crude pipeline between Hungary and Serbia. After a meeting with Dubravka Dedovic, Serbia's energy minister, in Belgrade on Wednesday, Minister Szijjártó said the feasibility study for the pipeline had been completed in Hungary and presented to representatives of both governments by Hungarian oil and gas company MOL on Wednesday. He added that the Serbian side had cleared the zoning regulations necessary for the construction. Minister Szijjártó said the pipeline, which will bring crude to Serbia, could finish by 2028. Before that, capacity of the pipeline running from the Ukrainian-Hungarian border to MOL's refinery south of the capital needs to be expanded, while a 190km pipeline must be constructed running to the Serbian border, he added. Minister Szijjártó said the capacity of the new pipeline would be around 4.5m tonnes per year, allowing the Pancevo refinery and Serbia to be supplied entirely from Hungary. He pointed to serious challenges to energy security in Central Europe as a result of the war in Ukraine and said Brussels had not offered any assistance in the matter, rather it had often taken steps that were opposed to the region's energy security interests. 'On this topic, it's clear that we can only rely on ourselves,' he added. He acknowledged the 'enormous role' Hungarian-Serbian energy cooperation plays to ensure both countries' energy security, noting that Hungary gets its gas via Serbia, through the TurkStream pipeline.
Budapest Times
03-04-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
Hungary and Serbia boost military cooperation
Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in Belgrade on Tuesday that Hungary and Serbia have agreed to boost military cooperation and signed an agreement on the 2025 plan. 'It is especially important in today's fast-changing international environment that Serbia and Hungary, two neighbouring countries, conduct frequent high-level consultations to ensure the stability of the region,' Minister Szalay-Bobrovniczky told a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Hungary and Serbia have the strongest bilateral defense and military ties among non-EU or NATO member states, and Hungary is helping to upgrade Serbia's armed forces, he said. Serbia and Hungary's strategic partnership was expanded to include defense and military cooperation in 2023, and cooperation between the ministries and armed forces is strengthening, he said. Under the agreement signed on Tuesday, the two countries will organise 79 joint programmes in 2025, including flotilla training, an international exercise for volunteer reservists and marksmanship training, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. Hungary is committed 'to [maintaining] the stability and peace of the Western Balkans, and Serbia is key to that.' Hungary also sticks to its stance that 'the European Union is not whole without the Western Balkans, including Serbia,' he said. 'A credible and meaningful enlargement policy has been our strategic goal for years, and it was one of the priorities of Hungary's presidency of the Council of the EU in 2024.' Budapest also stands by the Dayton Peace Agreement, he added. Vucic said Serbia's defense ties with Hungary were the strongest among all its neighbours. A comprehensive defense agreement is one of the most important points of the two countries' strategic partnership, he said. In 1999, during the Balkan wars, 'it was thanks to Prime Minister Viktor Orban that NATO could not launch a land attack against what was then Yugoslavia,' Vucic said. 'A full 26 years later, the two parties now have the opportunity to build extremely close strategic ties, to further deepen cooperation, coming closer to a Hungarian-Serbian military alliance.' 'Serbia can learn a lot from Hungary, and there is interest in certain military equipment,' he said. Vucic thanked Hungary for standing by Serbia 'in hard times as well as in good ones,' and said Budapest could always count on Serbia's support. Besides military cooperation, Serbia and Hungary are reliable partners in energy matters, and bilateral trade has been growing steadily year after year, he said.
Budapest Times
18-02-2025
- Business
- Budapest Times
Orbán: Serbia is the key to the Balkans' stability
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić held a joint press conference in Budapest following President Vučić's receipt of the Hungarian Order of Merit's Grand Cross with a necklace and a gold star. The award recognizes his efforts in strengthening Hungarian-Serbian relations; advancing strategic cooperation in energy, security, and the economy; and his role in fostering historical reconciliation between the two nations. Prime Minister Orbán emphasized that Hungarian-Serbian cooperation has reached an unprecedented level, built on shared challenges and mutual interests. He praised President Vučić for understanding the strategic importance of this partnership and actively working to deepen ties. Discussing energy security, PM Orbán highlighted Serbia's vital role in Hungary's energy supply. Last year, a record 7.5 billion cubic meters of gas arrived in Hungary via Serbia, an increase of 2 billion from the previous year. The leaders also reviewed progress on a 300-kilometer oil pipeline, which will enhance the energy security of both countries. Prime Minister Orbán underscored that neither Hungarian nor Serbian energy independence can be ensured without close cooperation, making this partnership indispensable. Economic ties between the two countries continue to grow, with bilateral trade reaching new heights. PM Orbán pointed to Serbia's 9 percent real wage growth and 4 percent economic expansion, positioning it as one of Europe's most successful economies. He noted Serbia's ability to balance trade beyond the European Union, with 40 percent of its foreign commerce occurring outside the bloc, serving as a model for economic resilience. These achievements, he added, are particularly significant given the external pressures both nations have faced in recent years. Turning to regional stability, Prime Minister Orbán reiterated that Serbia's strength is essential for the security of the Balkans. He praised President Vučić's leadership in resisting external destabilization efforts and maintaining national sovereignty. Without Serbia's full participation, he argued, any attempt to secure lasting stability in the Balkans is bound to fail. President Vučić expressed gratitude for the Hungarian honor, calling it a testament to the deep friendship between the Serbian and Hungarian people. He credited PM Orbán with laying the foundations of this partnership and emphasized that the relationship extends beyond politics. Trust between the two nations, he said, is reflected not only in diplomatic cooperation but also in economic and infrastructure projects. The Serbian president also acknowledged the Hungarian community in Serbia as a key link in bilateral relations. Looking ahead, President Vučić highlighted the importance of the high-speed railway between Belgrade and Budapest, which will significantly cut travel time and enhance economic connectivity. He also reaffirmed Serbia's commitment to joint energy projects, noting Hungary's crucial support during critical periods, particularly in securing gas storage during the harshest winters. As regional cooperation deepens, both leaders expressed their commitment to further strengthening economic and security ties. Prime Minister Orbán pointed to a shifting international climate that favors their partnership, creating new opportunities for even closer coordination in the coming years. With strategic projects underway and political alignment firmly in place, Hungary and Serbia continue to set an example of stability and cooperation in Central Europe.
Budapest Times
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Budapest Times
President Sulyok: Our borders are protected by well-prepared police and border guards
The president said that those protecting the border had exactly the right equipment necessary to carry out their professional duties. President Tamás Sulyok said Hungarians can sleep safely knowing that 'our borders are protected by well-prepared' police and border guards. After visiting the Hungarian-Romanian and Hungarian-Serbian borders, President Sulyok said exercising control over people entering Hungarian territory plays a part in protecting 'our constitutional order'. He praised the 'dedicated work' of law enforcement working day in, day out'. The president added that those protecting the border had exactly the right equipment necessary to carry out their professional duties. Local police chiefs briefed the president on changes made at the Nagylak border police station after Romania's accession to the Schengen area. Cooperation with their Romanian counterparts, they told him, was 'exemplary'. At Roszke, around 300 personnel are involved in protecting the 61 km Serbian-Hungarian border section assisted by Austrian and Turkish police, while equipment used includes thermal cameras with a range of 8-10 km, and 200 cameras are installed along the border fence, supported by drone units. In addition, there are boat patrols along the River Tisza. The president was told that human smugglers had tried to dig tunnels, climb ladders and taken illegal migrants across the River Tisza. Others tried to cut through the border fence. Also, there were constant attacks on border guards, a local police chief said. President Sulyok was also briefed on 'good relations' with the Serbian authorities and plans to introduce one-stop checks that already exist at smaller crossings, which means there would be no need to build new crossings but use existing infrastructure more efficiently.
