April 2009

New Government in Hungary - President Obama Congratulates Prime Minister Bajnai

The Hungarian Parliament elected Gordon Bajnai as Hungary's new Prime Minister on April 14, 2009. Mr. Bajnai subsequently nominated his Ministers and a new cabinet was formed last week. Click here to read the new Prime Minister's bio
 

The President of the United States, Barack Obama sent a letter to Prime Minister Bajnai congratulating him on his election. Click on the picture below to read the President's letter to the Prime Minister.
 

Hungary's new Minister for Foreign Affairs is Péter Balázs, the country's first European Commissioner and a professor at Central European University. At his first international press conference, Péter Balázs characterized the government’s crisis­-management programme as clear, professional, substantive and easily communicated abroad. Diplomacy must gain trust abroad with the help of focused campaigns in order to win support for this program.
 

These campaigns will target the United States, the European Union, Russia, China and the seven countries bordering Hungary. The minister added, we have tasks in the latter countries which others cannot carry out in our stead, especially in view of the Hungarian national minority living there. A further opportunity of successful campaigning will arrive when Hungary takes up the annual presidency of the Visegrád Four grouping from July 1, working with our natural partners who are “made for each other”.

The Western Balkans is a key area for Hungary: we have to treat these relatively small countries as a region rather than individually with regard to our priorities such as easing visa requirements and expediting transport projects. The European Union’s Eastern Neighbourhood Policy embracing Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia is important since none of these states can be denied membership in the long term.

Russia’s latest expansion endeavours are not yet entirely transparent; they must be analysed and assessed. We have to note however that Hungary’s economy will not necessarily suffer as a result of Russia fortifying its positions.

In the European Union our continuous interest negotiation efforts will be complemented by the challenge we face with the Presidency in 2011. Preparations are progressing well but will require unanimous backing from the political parties, a goal served by regular parliamentary consultations. The Presidency will be well prepared for if, besides building the careful representation of our own interests, we plan contingencies for unexpected events. As evidence we could take the Russian-Georgian war and the global financial crisis which swept aside the carefully constructed strategy of the French Presidency in the second half of 2008.