Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said in The Hague on Tuesday that Hungarian-Dutch relations have "reached a new dimension" and returned to mutual respect as the Dutch Freedom Party, led by Geert Wilders, received a role in government.
Speaking after meetings with Wilders and the Dutch ministers of economy, Minister Szijjártó said that while political ties between the two countries had been "turbulent" earlier, "they mostly returned to mutual respect, allowing us to concentrate on the material issues of cooperation," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Netherlands is Hungary's eighth most important trading partner, with bilateral trade regularly above 10 billion euros, he said. The 520 Dutch companies active in Hungary are employing some 19,000 people, and are planning new investments, he added.
"Thanks to the Freedom Party's role in government, we are now also in cahoots on issues regarding migration, as we see the solution in protecting the external borders," Minister Szijjártó said. He lamented that Brussels was pursuing "pro-migration" policies, adding that protecting the external borders was the key to "the survival of the Schengen Area".
The Netherlands and Hungary have a vested interest in free trade, too, "because both countries are significant exporters in Europe and globally," Minister Szijjártó said. The Hungarian presidency of the European Council was focusing on furthering the EU's free trade agreements, he added.
Hungary and the Netherlands also agreed to "reject the discrimination of nuclear energy", Minister Szijjártó said. "Nuclear energy must be declared a sustainable energy form. Hungary and the Netherlands have made significant investments in the sector, or plan to make some in the future, so they are going to cooperate closely in that area," he said.
Nuclear energy is key to increasing economic performance while protecting the environment, and producing sustainable, affordable and safe energy, he said.
"The government role of the Freedom Party had brought a new dimension to Hungarian-Dutch relations, and Hungary will greatly profit from it," he said.