Gulyas: Hungary-Germany cooperation must be strengthened

Gergely Gulyás told an event organised by the Nezopont Institute and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) announcing the results of a poll dubbed Hungary-Germany 2023 barometer that there had been times in the past when Hungary-Germany relations were better. At the same time, the current results should be appreciated in the light of “how many people work for how long and how strong” on trying to deteriorate the two countries’ ties, he said.

Gulyas said the disputes resulting from different political views must not be allowed to expand to the economy.

“We do not belong to the European Union member states that want to live from the Germans’ money but Hungary offers a good investment opportunity for Germans to make money and profits, while the know-how, added value and technology also benefit the Hungarian economy,” he said.

He said the greatest danger was if “cooperation gets lost in an area where the two countries basically think along the same lines”. Germany and Hungary both have an interest in a strong European Union and reject the new EU common debt, Gulyas said, adding that both countries considered competitiveness important.

Citing a survey by the German chamber of commerce in Hungary, Gulyas noted that bilateral trade accounted for more than 25 percent of Hungary’s foreign trade, adding that 80 percent of German investors were considering further investments in Hungary.

He however expressed concern over the low proportion of reports, only 23 percent, that show Hungary in a positive light in the German media.