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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Mutual support, cooperation between Serbia, Hungary in various projects

Belgrade/Budapest, 1 July 2015

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said today in Budapest that the relations between Serbia and Hungary are the best that the two countries had in the recent history and added that the preservation of the stability is a priority interest of Serbia and announced that the two countries will work together to solve the problem of an increased number of migrants.

Aleksandar Vucic and Viktor Orban

At a joint press conference with Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orban, held after the joint session of the governments of the two countries, Vucic said that Serbia is facing a major problem due to the number of migrants and that announcement that Hungary wants to erect a wall on the border is not pleasant news for Serbia.

He stated that he and Orban spoke openly about the immigrant crisis, and added that it is clear that Hungary does not want to raise a wall because of Serbia but because it wants to protect its interests and national territory, and added that the two countries have a friendly relationship.

We will find a solution in the joint action, Vucic said, adding that the two countries will jointly operate also at the border with Macedonia.

Vucic said that the two countries are already working together in the field, as the first Hungarian-Serbian police patrols started yesterday at the Macedonian border and 615 people were prevented from entering the Serbian territory.

A massive migration of peoples is under way, from two directions into central and eastern Europe, and that is not easy to stop, Vucic said.

Vucic said that Serbia has begun registering migrants who want to continue towards Western Europe.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that according to some predictions, a large number of people coming to Europe is expected and that a common mechanism at the EU level must be found.

Vucic said that Serbia will in the coming period comply with European legislation and will continue to cooperate with Hungary, Austria and Germany, adding that Serbia and Hungary do not want to spoil the good relations that they have built.

In good times it is easy to have good relations, but in difficult times it is good to have friends in the neighbourhood, said Vucic and thanked Orban on fair relations.

Vucic said that the Belgrade-Budapest railroad is vital for Serbia noting that we are ready to start this project already before the end of the year, so that in three or three and a half years we could be travelling this route twice faster than now.

He announced a meeting of Serbian and Hungarian expert teams and the ministers of transport and infrastructure, together with the Chinese side, on 16-17 July.

The Prime Minister said that the Belgrade-Budapest railroad will be a link for Serbia with central and western Europe.

He pointed out that he and Orban spoke about the Hungarian investments in Serbia and Serbian investments in Hungary.

We want to see Hungarian companies not only in Vojvodina but in the whole of Serbia, he said noting that Hungarian companies are interested in the privatisation of 35 companies in Serbia.

Vucic said that they also discussed joint infrastructure projects, energy, economic investments and the immigrant crisis.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the government of Hungary as it supports that the pipeline "Turkish Stream" passes through Serbia.

He added that the two countries agree that preservation of stability is crucial and that that two countries should mutually support each other and cooperate in various projects.

A successful, wealthy and developed Hungary is a prerequisite for the same Serbia. The problems of the past should be left in the past and we need to look at what the two countries can do together in the future, he concluded.

According to Orban, raising the wall does not mean closing the border with Serbia, but it will be done to prevent illegal crossings.

This step does is not directed towards the Serbian people, because we will set new legal border crossings and expand them, he said.

These measures are not directed against Serbia because Hungary is interested in peace, said the Prime Minister of Hungary, adding that this is a temporary measure and reiterated that its objective is preserving borders.

Orban concluded that Serbia and Hungary are aware that it will take at least next ten years to address common issues, such as the European Union, energy resources, relationship to the Russian Federation and migration.