Speaking at a joint press conference following Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovič’s visit to Budapest on Friday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán began by thanking his counterpart for his positive stance on the issue of Hungarians living in Slovakia, the many statements made in favor of Slovakia’s Hungarian community so far and, in particular, for translating the government’s program into Hungarian.
“Slovakia is Hungary’s third most important partner in terms of trade,” Prime Minister Orbán said, adding that the Slovak community in Hungary is “enriching” this country as well, with government support for Slovaks growing four-fold since 2010. Announcing EUR 600 million in credit for Slovak investments in Hungary, PM Orbán asked PM Matovič to “send as many investors as possible.”
Regarding the question of new border-crossing stations, PM Orbán revealed that six new stations will be built in the near future, bringing the total number to 40. Among other common infrastructure investments, he mentioned the new bridge in Komárom, the joining of the two countries’ energy systems, and the tripling of gas transfer capacities.
“We want to be successful together with Slovakia,” the PM said.
Bringing up the topic of Trianon, PM Matovič hit a positive tone and said that while we were not the ones that wrote history, the future is in our hands. He added that his government views the Hungarian community in Slovakia as a value because they are important for building economic connections and strengthening cooperation within the Visegrád Group.