Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told those gathered at the 7th Turkic Council summit in Baku that Hungary can offer the Turkic Council a bridgehead to Europe and the European Union.
According to MTI, the Prime Minister said Hungary was fighting to get the enlargement and neighborhood policy portfolio in the new European Commission.
“Our chances are not bad, but it’s a tough battle,” he said. “If we succeed … then there will be close cooperation with Azerbaijan within the Eastern Partnership and [EU] membership negotiations with Turkey”. “We will be pleased to be at your service,” he added.
PM Orbán noted that Hungary’s Eximbank has opened a credit line with Turkic Council member states, adding that 195 million euros was available for Hungarian-Turkish cooperation and 80 million euros each for Hungary’s Kazakh, Uzbek and Azeri business ties. Those with Kyrgyzstan will have a pot of 27 million euros available.
The Prime Minister also noted that trade between Hungary and the member states of the Turkic Council had doubled to 4 billion US dollars under his watch.
PM Orbán noted the recent establishment of a European representation of the Turkic Council in Budapest. Hungary also provides more than 700 state scholarships to young people from the countries of the Turkic Council, he added.