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The Hungarian Prime Minister recalled that last year 5.6 billion cubic metres, while this year 7 billion cubic metres of natural gas had arrived in Hungary via Bulgaria, while Hungary’s total consumption amounted to 9 billion cubic metres.
At present, we are likewise unable to procure the nuclear fuel necessary for the operation of our nuclear power plant without Bulgaria, he added, highlighting that the nuclear power plant, too, is essential for Hungary’s energy security.
Rumen Radev pledged that Sofia would continue to remain a reliable partner in this field, and would provide for diversification and the security of transport and conveyance arrangements.
Mr Orbán congratulated the Bulgarian President on the results leading to Bulgaria’s full accession to the Schengen Area, while Mr Radev thanked the Hungarian EU presidency for its efforts enabling accession which he described as a strategic result.
The Hungarian Prime Minister said Schengen membership will induce changes of great significance, and not only in free movement. It also means that Bulgaria will be fully “freed” from a secondary status; from now on, it will be able to enjoy the same advantages as other Member States, he pointed out.
He added that they had managed to achieve the Schengen accession despite the fact that there had been much resistance in the European Union. Some countries blocked the accession of Bulgaria and Romania for a long time, but they managed to remove these obstacles now, after 13 years.
At the meeting, the parties also spoke about the fact that Bulgaria would join the green energy corridor initiative which was launched by Hungary, Mr Orbán said.
At the meeting in Sofia, both parties praised the results achieved in bilateral cooperation. Mr Orbán recalled that in Bulgaria the political situation was much more changeable than in Hungary, but Mr Radev had always been “a fixed point”, had always played a stabilising role in bilateral relations and had continuously supported Hungary.
The Prime Minister spoke about the intention to intensify cooperation in the defence industry as well as in defence, stressing that both parties had a vested interest in this.
He said there is now vibrant cooperation between the two countries, and so it is well worth intensifying joint efforts also in the field of the economy. The government will make every effort to ensure that Hungarian investors in the largest possible numbers invest in Bulgaria, while we also look forward to receiving members of the Bulgarian business community in Hungary. “We would also like to take part in strategic developments. […] We would be happy if Hungarian companies were received in the energy sector in Bulgaria as strategic partners,” he said.
Mr Radev said they will develop bilateral relations on the foundations of mutual trust and friendship. He recalled that in the past year alone he had been to Hungary three times. He indicated that in the near future they would sign important memoranda regarding infrastructure connections, transport, the use of ports in Bulgaria, the defence industry, security policy and tourism.
The Bulgarian President expressed his gratitude for the care provided for the Bulgarian community in Hungary as well as for the governmental assistance provided with the construction of the Bulgarian centre of culture and education.
He congratulated Mr Orbán “on the sober assessment of geopolitical processes and challenges” as well as on “the courage manifested with a view to defending his position.” At the same time, he also congratulated Hungary on its successful rotating EU presidency.
He also stressed that they agreed that today Europe’s priority was to restore peace, with diplomacy playing the leading role. Without peace, we cannot talk about security and sustainable development, he added.
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