Foreign minister: Hungary, Croatia ties ‘excellent but could improve further’

The ties between Hungary and Coatia are excellent but could improve even further, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday, after talks with his Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlic-Radman, in Budapest.

Szijjártó said bilateral ties have been mutually beneficial but “could yield even more advantages”.

Hungary and Croatia agree on the nature of the major challenges facing the European Union, Szijjártó said, and both see it as important to keep cohesion funding at current levels.

Both countries see the EU’s enlargement in the Western Balkans and stopping illegal migration as of primary importance, he said.

Regarding the issues that “could be improved between the countries,” Szijjárt said Hungary is working for a comprehensive agreement with Croatia on the diversification of gas supply resources through the liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal currently under construction in Croatia.

Szijjártó said Hungary maintains its proposal to connect the gas pipe networks of the two countries and an offer to buy a minority share in the terminal.

Croatia is the prime target of Hungarian investment, Szijjártó noted.

Hungarian gas and oil company Mol has recently announced a 540 million euro investment at a refinery in Rijeka, and Hungary’s OTP bank owns the fourth most shares on the Croatian market, he said.