Budapest has become one of the world’s sporting capitals, according to Hungary’s foreign minister.
Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that “after a summer like this there can be no question that Budapest is one of the world’s sports capitals.”
Minister Szijjártó made the remarks in light of recent sporting events that have taken place in Hungary, including the World Judo Championships, the FINA World Aquatic Championships, Redbull Air Race, F1 Grand Prix and many other highlights.
The minister also said that following a meeting between Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was in Budapest to attend the World Judo Championships, many other world leaders have descended upon the capital.
“There can also be no question that a country’s prime minister should receive world and sports leaders who visit Budapest to attend major international sports events. This is the case with Vladimir Putin, it will be the case on Tuesday with the Mongolian prime minister, and with the presidents of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” he said.
He suggested that President Putin had invited the Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to attend next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia, an invitation that PM Orbán had accepted.