Katalin Novák, Minister of Family Affairs, said Hungary will share its experiences in child protection with the Republika Srpska and help support youth in the region to encourage them to have children.
Following talks with the president of the Republika Srpska, an entity with independent legislative power within the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister Novák said Hungary would help develop a transparent, reliable and stable family policy in the region. Population decline is a key issue for Europe, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina alike, Novák said. Hungary’s child protection policy has attracted attention because it improved demographic trends during a period of high economic performance by focusing on families, Novák said. “Hungary will be happy to share its experiences with the Republika Srpska, and to learn from them,” Novák said.
President Zeljka Cvijanovic of the Republika Srpska said they were working to renew family support measures with a view to boosting the readiness to found families in the region. She thanked Hungary for its help during the coronavirus pandemic. Cvijanovic noted Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó’s proposal at talks earlier to set up a foundation to boost the economy and investments. Those steps will also improve the will to raise children, she added. The Republika Srpska is ready to take over good practices from Hungary, and will remain a reliable partner in the future, she said.
Photo credit: MTI