Vucevic meets with Szalay-Bobrovniczky

BELGRADE - The level of Serbia-Hungary military cooperation is extremely good, Serbian Deputy PM and Defence Minister Milos Vucevic and Hungarian Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky agreed at a meeting in Belgrade on Friday.

Vucevic thanked the Hungarian armed forces for a "very fair and professional attitude in their performance of tasks as KFOR personnel, as well as for their fair and humane attitude to the Serb community in Kosovo-Metohija."

Vucevic said the meeting had been an open and friendly discussion and another confirmation of an all-time high in Serbia-Hungary relations.

He said they had agreed that defence cooperation could be advanced.

"I believe a new chapter is ahead of us in the defence cooperation between Hungary and Serbia," Vucevic told reporters after the Guard House meeting.

He noted that Serbia-Hungary bilateral ties were at a historical high point thanks to, above all, a "phenomenal" relationship between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.

He said the meeting had addressed the Ukraine war, the political situation in Europe and worldwide, as well as developments in the region.

He said Serbian positions on the Kosovo-Metohija issue had been conveyed to the Hungarian delegation.

"We shared with our northern neighbours our concern over unilateral acts by the Pristina administration. Together, we analysed the situation in the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighbouring countries. We all have an interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Western Balkans - at least I am certain Hungary and Serbia do," Vucevic said.

He said Serbia was grateful for the engagement of Hungarian troops and army officers in Kosovo-Metohija.

Vucevic said Hungary was Serbia's most sincere friend and ally in the European integration process.

Thanking Vucevic for the invitation to visit Belgrade, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said this was his first official trip to the Serbian capital.

He noted that the Western Balkans was strategically significant to Hungary and that, historically, it had devoted great attention to the region.

"We believe Serbia is the key actor in the area. From the political point of view, we strongly support Serbia's EU accession because we believe it would help stability in the region and serve Serbia's interests," the Hungarian minister said.

He said they had also discussed the Ukraine war and that both Hungary and Serbia were advocating the soonest possible peace talks that would lead to an end of the war.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky also said defence industry cooperation had been discussed as well and that Serbia and Hungary needed to continue to build their industrial capacities in the sector to bolster security.