All Hungarians understand the necessity of comprehensive reforms and for this reason they have avoided large-scale anti-government actions and strikes, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after talks with his Slovenian counterpart Janez Jansa.

The government is making efforts to increase Hungary’s competitiveness as well as to eliminate its public debt, and the population understands that the changes are worth being made, the Prime Minister explained. As Hungary seeks to become a production centre, its industrial policy gives priority to manufacturing at lower costs with greater flexibility, he added.

He also stated that pre-crisis economic and social structures are no longer possible to maintain in Europe, and Hungary has opted for total renewal and reorganisation - without making political compromises.

With regard to the situation of minorities, Viktor Orbán stressed that Hungary is proud of its 13 registered national and ethnic minorities and that the Government gives them every possible support in preserving their culture and language.

The Prime Minister considers Hungarian-Slovenian relations conflict-free and regards the Slovenian economy as a success story. He announced that an agreement concluded some years ago on building a road between two villages inhabited by ethnic Slovenians in Hungary will be implemented in 2013. Furthermore, the two Heads of Government signed a framework agreement on developing road links between the two countries.

The Slovenian Prime Minister also praised bilateral relations and said minorities in the two countries should be able to retain their identity. Janez Jansa called Hungary an important economic partner, and highlighted that intensifying economic relations is a mutual interest. He also noted that, similarly to Hungary, Slovenia also supports the European integration of the West Balkans.

(Prime Minister’s Office, MTI)