Hungary, Slovakia open new border crossing

Living along borders is always a “special living situation”, whose quality depends on whether that border is one that connects or divides, Szijjarto said at the opening of the 38th border crossing, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Hungary shares its longest border section with Slovakia, the minister said, adding that trade turnover across the 654km border section came to a record 17 billion euros last year.

That is why it is the “strategic homework” of both governments to ensure that there are as many crossing points as possible along the border, he said.

Whereas in 2010 Hungary and Slovakia had just 22 border crossing points, they now have 38, and the opening of two more bridges over the River Ipoly will bring that number to 40 by year-end, the minister said.

The new border crossing, which cost 1.3 billion forints (EUR 3.3m) to build, will shorten a 21km, half-hour detour to just a few kilometres and a few minutes, he said.

Szijjarto said the new border crossing demonstrated the two countries’ good cross-border relations and Hungary’s efficient utilisation of European Union funds.

Budapest and Bratislava both attach strategic importance to the development of bilateral ties, the minister said.

Though there were times in the past when bilateral relations were plagued by expressions of hate, cooperation between Hungary and Slovakia has by now become “a real success story”, he added.