An energy cooperation agreement was concluded at the meeting of Hungarian-Macedonian Economic Joint Commission in Budapest.
Following the negotiations, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó told Hungarian news agency MTI that the main fields of cooperation between the two countries were the energy industry, transport, agriculture and tourism. He said that the two parties had decided on meaningful cooperation regarding the Hungarian participation in the renewal, operation and maintenance of the Macedonian energy system, adding that the main efforts of Hungarian foreign economic policy concerning the policy of opening towards the East are to strengthen investments in the Western Balkan. He added that trade relations between the two countries are developing dynamically, reaching 120 million euros last year and that small and medium-sized companies have an increasing role in this process.
The State Secretary emphasized that the Hungarian electric corporation MVM will have the opportunity to participate in the Macedonian electricity system and the company will compete for tenders relating to Macedonian energy system management and maintenance.
During the press conference, Mr. Szijjártó and Macedonian Minister of Economy Valon Saraqini signed the minutes of the Commission's session, in addition to which Deputy State Secretary Viktória Horváth and Chief Advisor in the Macedonian Ministry of Economy Biljana Dodevska Stojanovska signed an agreement relating to tourism.
State Secretary Szijjártó said that the two countries would also cooperate in traffic issues while asking the Serbian authorities to accelerate the building of traffic corridor nr. 10 in South Serbia, adding that the authorities would cooperate in the opening of the airspace above Kosovo.
The State Secretary pointed out that important infrastructural investments will be implemented within the framework of the Skopje 2014 program. In order to enable Hungarian companies to apply for infrastructure development tenders, the Hungarian Eximbank has begun negotiations with its Macedonian partner about the opening of a credit line of 5-10 million euros.
Macedonian Minister of Economy Valon Saraqini expressed his hope that economic ties between the companies of the two countries will become more intensive, adding that Hungarian businesses may participate in the implementation of Macedonian investments, and the number of tourists travelling between the two countries will increase significantly.
The Macedonian Minister of Economy stated that there may also be opportunities within the field of education, as the Minister is confident that Hungarian and Macedonian enterprises will be able to appear together on the markets of third countries.
According to the Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency, in 2011 Hungarian exports to Macedonia increased 2.4 percent to 105.5 million euros and Hungarian import increased 8.6 percent to 6.8 million euro. Furthermore, in the first 11 months of 2012 Hungarian exports increased by 12 percent to 111.8 million euros, while imports increased by 30 percent to 8.2 million euros.
(Prime Minister's Office)
