Today, no country is more important to Hungary’s security—whether in terms of energy or otherwise—than Serbia, stated Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban after his meeting with President Aleksandar Vučić in Budapest.
Orban emphasized that a shared vision for the future is one of the foundations of their cooperation.
“If you have a good neighbor, the value of your property increases. A successful Serbia strengthens Hungary and increases our value, so it’s in our interest for Serbs to be as content and prosperous as we are,” Orban said, adding:
“This isn’t new; we’ve known this already. What is new is the evolving global situation. Here, we call it a new reality. The U.S. presidential election has created a new reality, and sovereignty and patriotism advocates have emerged in Europe. A new situation is taking shape in Europe, where previously suppressed forces are rising to success. These are sovereign nations aiming for success. Every European country should adapt its policies to this new reality, which made today’s meeting particularly challenging.”
According to Orban, Hungary wishes to deepen its relations with Serbia even further.
“We also want to develop them in areas that haven’t been the focus so far. If security gains importance in this new reality, then we should cooperate on that front,” Orban stated, emphasizing that Hungary’s energy security has increasingly been ensured through Serbia in recent years.
“For this reason, Serbia has become the country that guarantees our security. Today, there is no country more important to Hungarian security, whether in terms of energy or otherwise, than Serbia.”
The President of Serbia and the Hungarian Prime Minister signed a Joint Political Declaration between the two countries in Budapest, along with six additional cooperation agreements.
Following the Strategic Cooperation Council session, Hungarian and Serbian delegations signed agreements in the fields of justice, culture, science, European integration, and diplomacy.
Justice Minister Maja Popović and Hungarian Justice Minister Bence Tuzson signed an Agreement on Legal Assistance in Civil Matters between Serbia and Hungary.
Minister of Culture Nikola Selaković and Hungarian Minister of Culture and Innovation Balázs Hankó signed a Cultural Cooperation Program between the two ministries, covering the period from 2024 to 2027.
A Memorandum of Understanding between Serbia’s Ministry of Science, Technological Development, and Innovation and Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation was signed by Serbian Minister Jelena Begović and Hungarian Minister Balázs Hankó.
Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó signed an Extension of the Work Plan for Hungarian Experts in the Field of European Integration.
Foreign Minister Marko Đurić and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Ministries and a Memorandum of Understanding on Development Cooperation.
Photo: Predsedništvo Srbije / Dimitrije Goll