President Of Uzbekistan Visits Hungary

At the center of the talks in Budapest is the expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban discussed last Saturday in Budapest the current situation and prospects for developing a strategic partnership between the two countries. According to Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbek Foreign Minister, “Prime Minister Orban received President Mirziyoyev. A broad range of issues of strategic partnership between the two countries was analyzed. In addition, they outlined ways to expand cooperation between Uzbekistan and Hungary in various areas, from political cooperation, economics, and culture to humanitarian issues.”
This visit to Budapest was the first foreign trip of the President of Uzbekistan after his re-election on July 9 this year. The Hungarian prime minister was one of the first to congratulate Mirziyoyev on his political victory. According to Bertalan Havasi, head of Orban’s press service, a telephone conversation took place between the leaders of the two countries, during which Orban emphasized that Mirziyoyev’s victory is a clear sign that “the Uzbek people are committed to maintaining stability” created in the country by the president and his reforms. “The Hungarian government remains firmly committed to working on the further development of bilateral economic and political relations,” Orban stressed during a telephone conversation.

Uzbekistan and Hungary have a long history of trade and economic cooperation. Hungary is one of the largest trade partners of Uzbekistan in Europe. Mirziyoyev and Orban expressed satisfaction that the Hungarian business is increasing its presence in Uzbekistan, especially in the banking sector, telecommunications, and trade.

On Sunday, August 20, direct flights were opened between Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and Budapest. The recent entry of the Hungarian OTP bank into Uzbekistan’s the financial market was called “a strategic project and an important signal for Hungarian and European business.” The largest Hungarian companies, including Bonafarm, Gedeon Richter, Meditop, and Wizz Air, participate in the implementation of various projects in Uzbekistan.

During the talks in Budapest, it was emphasized that Hungary is helping Uzbekistan to upgrade its economy and that much more can be done in this direction. It was decided to increase the volume of bilateral trade. President Mirziyoyev urged Hungarian investors to take seriously the opportunity to participate in financing infrastructural projects in Uzbekistan.

On the sidelines of the summit, agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed in such areas as tourism, education, science and technology. The signing of the documents, according to a representative of the Uzbek delegation, “reflects the readiness of the two countries to develop a 360-degree strategic partnership and bring bilateral cooperation to a whole new level.”