Hungary considers it very important that the European Union should increasingly promote the policy of free trade and the upcoming Irish presidency of the EU is likely to support this trend, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday after meeting Irish counterpart Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
The European economy can only become successful if it is increasingly open and seeks free trade with other significant economic players, Prime Minister Orbán said.
He said freedom and the fight for freedom belong "very close together" in the thinking of both Hungarians and the Irish. He added that some of the key points in Ireland's programme for its EU presidency are very important to Hungary.
Prime Minister Kenny said Ireland would welcome Hungary sharing its experiences in fulfilling the EU's rotating presidency. Even though this will not be the first time that Ireland fulfils this role, Hungarian experiences would certainly prove to be useful, he added. He expressed his gratitude to Hungary for keeping its embassy open during the events in Libya last year, helping many EU citizens, including Irish.
The Irish Prime Minister expressed hope that talks on the next EU budget framework for 2014-2020 can be concluded this year, leaving room for other important issues during the Irish presidency. Talking about cohesion funds, he stated that Ireland had very good experiences with support from these funds. He also noted the significance of the common agricultural policy (CAP), stating that it is important for job creation and economic development. He said food production is increasingly important globally and the EU has great opportunities, so Ireland does not want to see a reduction in spending on agriculture.
The Taoiseach said he had discussed with Prime Minister Orbán the issue of EU expansion and added that he would like to see progress during the Irish presidency in the accession process of every country that aspires for EU membership. He noted that some 15,000 Hungarians work in Ireland and contribute to the country's economic performance.
You can play the press conference video in original language here.
(Prime Minister’s Office)
