Hungary-Germany relations focused on cooperation

Although Hungary and Germany differ on their views on migration, the two countries’ governments should concentrate on issues on which there is potential for cooperation, the government spokesman said on Sunday.

Zoltán Kovács spoke to public Kossuth Radio about Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s meeting this past week in Berlin.

Hungary’s border fence — by protecting the country’s people — also protects Europe, Kovács said. This creates the conditions for Hungary to fulfil its commitments to border protection while also adhering to European law, he added.

Asked about the potential establishment of a central European NATO command headquarters with German help, Kovács said Europe should set up effective military formations based on cooperation with a view to increasing its defence capabilities.

A central European NATO command headquarters would involve Hungarian, Slovak, Croatian and Slovenian units, he said, adding that “it would seem logical under such a framework” to join the German command HQ.

On the topic of Hungary and Germany’s agreement to cooperate in the area of innovation and technology, the government spokesman said the working group the two countries will set up will focus on the car industry and other sectors. Kovács said that most of the 6,000 German companies doing business in Hungary operate in high value-added industries.

Hungary’s interest lies in its small and medium-sized firms cooperating with their partners both at home and in Germany in a way that allows them to make use of their innovation and technological know-how, he said.

Featured image: MTI

Source: MTI