Hungarian President János Ader bestowed the Order of Merit with Grand Cross on the former President of the European Parliament for his commitment to Hungary, his outstanding achievements in enhancing German-Hungarian relations and his support for Hungary during its EU Presidency in 2011.

Viktor Orbán declared at the ceremony held in the Parliament that Hungarians are grateful to Poettering, who had immensely helped Hungary return to the community of nations in Europe to which it had always belonged during its thousand-year history.

The Prime Minister called Poettering, the Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, an outstanding politician adding that during his entire career he had served the building of a common and united Europe that is a community of nations.

Hans-Gert Poettering emphasized that the family, the homeland and Europe must complement each and must be present together in everyone.
The ceremony was attended by among others the Archbishop of Budapest-Esztergom Cardinal Péter Erdő, Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog as well as several Ministers of State and representatives of Fidesz-KDNP from the European Parliament.

(Prime Minister's Office)