One of the most important tasks of Hungary’s EU presidency next year will be to facilitate Romania’s accession to Schengen, if it does not happen by then, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjártó said on Wednesday in Bucharest after talks with UDMR President Hunor Kelemen, MTI reports .

According to the press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Budapest, after the meeting with Kelemen Hunor, the head of Hungarian diplomacy emphasized that the government in Budapest attaches strategic importance to the cooperation between the two countries, reports the Hungarian agency MTI, citing Agerpres. .

“The most important base and resource of this strategic cooperation is the Hungarian community living in Transylvania, in Sequim,” said Peter Sijarto.

The Hungarian politician emphasized that the Hungarian government considers this community as a resource and a bridge in bilateral relations. “Therefore, it is absolutely natural that when we talk about cooperation with Romania, the opinions and proposals of the UDMR are always important to us,” said the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary.

It is in Hungary’s national interest that Romania joins the Schengen area as soon as possible, said Peter Sijarto. There are several reasons for this, such as the fact that Romania is Hungary’s second largest export market today, and economic and commercial cooperation may become even closer with Schengen accession, explained the government official from Budapest.

“Opening the border would help the Hungarian community in Romania to maintain ties with Hungary”

“The accession of Romania to Schengen would make it possible for the border not to divide us, but to connect us,” Sijarto stressed, noting that the possible automatic opening of ten new crossing points between the two countries would help the Hungarian community in Romania to maintain ties with Hungary.

“If Romania’s integration into the Schengen area does not happen sooner, one of the main goals of Hungary’s EU presidency will be to facilitate this process, and Hungary will continue to hold the closest possible consultations with the UDMR in this regard,” he added Szijarto.

Hungary will take over the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2024.

Peter Sijarto also expressed hope that UDMR will succeed in the four elections that will be held next year in Romania. “The strong representation of the UDMR in Bucharest is always useful for the development of Romanian-Hungarian relations,” Szijarto said.