Austrian Chancellor: Hungary key geostrategic partner

Hungary is one of Austria’s key geostrategic partners when it comes to security, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said after talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Vienna on Thursday.

The chancellor talked of a “deep, historical” friendship between Austria and Hungary.

Nehammer said Austria has taken in 80,000 Ukrainian war refugees, adding that his country was also affected by “irregular migration” waves. So far this year, some 31,000 asylum applications have been submitted to the Austrian authorities, mainly by Afghan, Syrian, Iranian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian migrants, he added.

These are the challenges Austria must face in addition to the energy crisis, inflation and the pandemic, which requires cooperation and friendship, Nehammer said, emphasising the importance of Serbia.

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He said that at the recommendation of the Hungarian prime minister, Austria, Hungary and Serbia will hold a joint conference on “irregular migration”. Austrian and Hungarian police officers patrol the common border together already, and more than 50 Austrian officers support Hungarian border protection efforts on the Serbian border, Nehammer said.

Noting the 1,400 Austrian companies working in Hungary, he said the country’s exports to Hungary have grown by 24 percent to 6.1 billion euros. “Austria sees standing by the friendship of the two countries and our successful economic relations as a priority,” he said. Meanwhile, he said Austria sharply rejected all attempts to relativise racism and anti-Semitism. “Austria, in view of its history, has a particular responsibility in the issue,” he said.