Gulyas: Cooperation with German government ‘of prime importance’

Gergely Gulyas said that “despite its difficulties”, Germany was the strongest country in the European Union. Cooperation was vitally important also from the point of view of Hungary’s relations in the EU, he added.

Hungary strives to cooperate with the German government on the most important issues affecting the EU and “to reach an agreement wherever we can”, Gulyas said.

He added that since the change of government in Germany in 2021, he had held three meetings with the head of the chancellery.

Besides official talks, Gulyas held a speech at the commemoration of the 1956 uprising at the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin.

The event was attended by politicians and diplomats, including the ambassador of Israel Ron Prosor. Commenting on the recent attack by the Palestinian extremist Islamist organisation Hamas, he said Hungary maintained solidarity with the citizens of Israel affected by the “horrific terrorist attack” and supported Israel’s right to self defence. By exercising this right, “security guarantees” must be established to make sure that “such barbaric act can never happen again”, he said.

Commenting on Russia’s attack against Ukraine, he said Hungary condemned Russian aggression and belived that Ukraine’s territorial integrity was untouchable but at the same time “we are convinced that a ceasefire and peace talks represent the best chances for Ukraine”.

Commenting on 1956, he said Hungary was the only member state in the EU where the prime minister was not only talking about the importance of freedom and democracy but had taken action already at the time of the Communist dictatorship towards fulfilling the demands of the 1956 revolution.

As a NATO and EU member, Hungary is a “faithful ally” that accepts and carries out the common decisions, but the “nation of 1956” resolutely represents its own opinions in decisionmaking processes and will make every effort to make its opinions accepted, he said.

Hungary has a vested interest in a strong Europe built on strong member states, he said. Unity only depends on the states of the continent and it also rests on Hungarian-German cooperation if Europe can be kept strong in a fast-changing world, he added.