Crisis management must not be allowed to endanger the achievements of European integration, Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi said in Berlin November 9, 2012.

Hungary has a "vested interest in a strong Eurozone" but will only support its transformation if its members are allowed to take their own path and the zone as a whole remains open to applicants wishing to join it, Minister Martonyi told the 22nd annual assembly of the Hungarian–German Forum. "Hungary is not giving up its goal of belonging to the core even if this can only be attained in the medium or the long term," he said.

At a joint press conference, the Minister and his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle said that Germany and Hungary would work hard to have the EU's 2014-2020 budget passed by the end of the year.

Both countries are fighting for a "strong, stable, and active" Europe, and this will be their guiding principle during the finalization of the next seven-year budget, Westerwelle said. The 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework must stimulate growth through the creation of new jobs that help increase revenues for the state, allowing the consolidation of the budget, he said, adding that EU funds must be used more efficiently.

In the context of German–Hungarian friendship, the German Minister said Hungary is a "strong and highly esteemed" partner.

Minister Martonyi said Germany, as a friend, could "help tackle Hungary's special problem" deriving from the planned cut in cohesion funds in the next budgetary period. He said that bilateral relations were excellent, noting the 5 billion euros German businesses have invested in Hungary over the past two years alone.

Answering a question about Hungary's pending negotiations with the IMF and the EU, Minister Martonyi said the government was firm in wanting to conclude an agreement, adding that he was optimistic that it could be reached by the end of the year.

(MTI, MFA)