Novak in Bucharest: B9 declaration ‘clearly reflects position expressed in my inaugural speech’
“We have a successful B9 meeting behind us,” Novak said in an English-language post on Facebook.
Making reference to the statement she made at her inauguration, the president said: “We strongly condemn Russia’s unjustified aggression against Ukraine which has ruined Europe’s peace, causing enormous human suffering and destruction.”
“We mourn the tragic human sacrifices. We have reaffirmed our commitment to the sovereignty and the democratic processes of Ukraine. This also means that fully guaranteeing the rights of the Hungarian minority in Subcarpathia is the obligation of the Ukrainian state at all times,” Novak said.
She said that because of the war in Ukraine the security of food supplies “may be endangered in those areas where living conditions are still difficult”. “So we can expect a further increase in migration,” she said.
Novak noted a swift progress made in the development of Hungary’s armed forces.
“By 2024, we will clear an old backlog and the defense budget will reach 2 percent of the GDP,” the Hungarian president said. “We will live up to our commitments and we will not stop: the security of our country, our region and our allies come first.”