 The President of the Republic of Slovenia, Dr Danilo Türk, and his wife, Barbara Miklič Türk, arrived on an official visit to the Republic of Hungary, where they were received by the President of the Republic of Hungary, Dr Pál Schmitt and his wife, Katalin Makray Schmittné. After an official reception with military honours, Dr Türk signed the visitors’ book of the Sándor Palace. The two presidential couples then had a brief meeting, followed by plenary talks between the delegations of Slovenia and of Hungary, led by the respective presidents. |
 President Schmitt said that he was extremely pleased to welcome President Türk only two months after his working visit to Ljubljana. He emphasised that Slovenia is an important and resolute partner of Hungary. Dr Schmitt also expressed his congratulations to Dr Türk for the honorary doctorate that he would receive from the University of Szeged the following day. This honour, he stressed, reflected the many areas of co-operation between the two countries, which extend to the fields of culture and science. |
 President Türk thanked his host for his warm welcome and hospitality in Budapest. He stressed the excellent relations between Slovenia and Hungary, and agreed with President Schmitt that this extends to all areas. He also highlighted the volume of trade, with last year’s trade in goods between the two countries totalling more than one billion euros, in spite of the global crisis, and trade in goods recovering from a slight fall in the previous year. In his view, one mark of the favourable atmosphere between the two countries is the recent conferring of the Slovenian national order on Maria Poszonec, a leading figure among the Hungarian national minority in Slovenia. |
 Solidarity is, in his words, a strong sign of the good relations between Slovenia and Hungary. Slovenia received with sorrow the news of the ecological accident in the town of Ajka on 4 October this year. President Türk added that the people of Slovenia feel great solidarity with those affected by the catastrophe and also expressed the readiness of Slovenia to provide help in any way considered necessary.
In their discussions, the two presidents tackled the issue of the status of national minorities in the two countries. President Türk underlined the positive developments in obtaining European funds for projects proposed by organisations representing national minorities. He advocated an increased number of joint projects in the future, which in his view would bring vibrancy and development to both sides of the border, enhancing, at the same time, the position of the two minority groups. |
 The European Union, he said, is for the two countries not merely a common economic area, but an instrument for enhancement of human rights and comprehensive improvement and social advancement of all walks of life. The two presidents further discussed enlargement of the European Union, cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries and issues concerning the Roma people.
President Schmitt presented the Hungarian preparations for holding the EU presidency in the first half of 2011, and the conclusions of the recent meeting of the Visegrad Group, which in his words considers Slovenia an important partner and an honorary member. |
 President Türk then met the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Hungary, László Kövér, and signed the visitors’ book of the Hungarian Parliament. President Türk and Mr Kövér discussed in particular the role of the assembly during the EU presidency, the planned constitutional reform and the representation of the Slovenian national minority within the assembly. |
 President Türk then visited Heroes’ Square and laid a wreath at the Monument of National Heroes. |
 President Türk later met with the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, who informed him about the preparations of Hungary for the EU presidency. They also addressed issues concerning revision of the Lisbon Treaty, measures required to face the financial and economic crisis, the status of the two national minorities and cooperation in the fields of energy and construction of traffic infrastructure.
In the afternoon, Dr Türk met representatives of the Slovenian national community in Porabje and Slovenians living in Budapest.
In the evening, Dr Türk and Mrs Türk attended a gala dinner held in their honour and hosted by the Dr Schmitt and his wife. |