Top-level Romanian-Hungarian talks

Visiting Hungarian president Katalin Novak says her country supports Romanias accession to the Schengen area.

Daniela Budu, 08.09.2022, 14:00

After
a private visit to Romania that triggered the protest of the
authorities in Bucharest, Hungary’s president Katalin Novak on
Wednesday made an official trip, the first at this level in the last
12 years. She met president Klaus Iohannis, prime minister Nicolae
Ciucă, the speakers of Parliament and the leaders of the Democratic
Union of Ethnic Hungarians in Romania. Talks focused on Romania’s
accession to the Schengen area, the situation of the ethnic
Hungarians in Romania, the assistance to Ukrainian refugees, energy
and the energy dependence.

Klaus
Iohannis said the Romanian authorities are fully open to working with
the neighbouring state and reiterated the need for dialogue in
resolving matters of bilateral interest and for avoiding unilateral
approaches that cannot lead to sustainable solutions. He pointed out
that it is essential for projects of interest to be carried out in
Romania only based on an agreement, to not be discriminatory based on
ethnic grounds and to comply with the Romanian, European and
international legislation. Iohannis also said that Romania respects
the rights of all its ethnic minorities, which are represented in
Parliament. Klaus Iohannis:

It
is in our common interest for the rights of the Hungarian ethnic
minority to be fully respected; for the latter to be able to live its
culture, use its mother tongue, etc. Speaking of which, we agreed
together that the Romanian language should also be used. On the other
hand, it is a well-known fact there are politicians, both here and in
Hungary, who want to assert themselves by exacerbating inter-ethnic
tensions.

Hungary’s
president Katalin Novak emphasised that Romania and Hungary both
want to reduce existing tensions, not to enhance them. She said the
two neighbouring states may not agree on everything, but the most
important thing is to be able to talk and listen to each other. With
respect to international affairs, she gave assurances that her
country supports Romania’s accession to the Schengen passport-free
area. Katalin Novak:

We
also spoke about Romania’s Schengen membership. Hungary supports
Romania’s accession to the Schengen area and Romania can count on
Hungary’s support in this regard.

The
Hungarian president also said that the task of Romania and Hungary is
to increase the influence of the European Union and that the two
countries are willing to work together in order to achieve this. (CM)