The foreign minister has accompanied a shipment of 100,000 surgical masks and 5,000 protective medical gowns donated to Moldova.
According to MTI, Péter Szijjártó paid a visit to Chişinău with the shipment. Moldova asked for help in the fight against the epidemic from the European Union, and, separately from Hungary. Help was requested via two channels: on a bilateral basis and under the arrangements of NATO.
Minister Szijjártó noted that Hungary has received many millions of items of protective gear from China and has also developed its own mask production capacity, so it was in a position to offer some of the kit to Moldova. The prime ministers of the two countries recently signed a strategic partnership agreement, he noted, adding that Hungary “takes strategic partnership and friendship seriously”.
The minister said Hungary is a dedicated supporter of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership. It is important that the EU should have allies in the East, and Budapest believes that Eastern Partnership countries should also receive enough support from the EU. This help is especially needed urgently because, according to information from Moldova, a large part of those infected work in healthcare, he added.
“As the representative of a Christian Democratic government, I would like to express our great respect for the local Social Democratic government’s activities enforcing national interests,” he said. “We also believe that Hungary comes first, and we respect countries that give priority to their national interests,” he added.
Minister Szijjártó said Hungary calls on the European Commission to resist employing political discrimination against Moldova, and it should transfer the remaining EUR 70 million of EUR 100 million of financial aid it has allocated to the country without delay. He added that the commission should transfer 100 million euros for the fight against the novel coronavirus epidemic.
A call center set up for advice on the coronavirus can be reached on +36-80-277-455 and +36-80-277-456 or by email koronavirus@bm.gov.hu