Rustam Minnikhanov meets Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbon

On April 8, at the Hungarian parliament, during his visit to Budapest, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov has a meeting with Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Minnikhanov noted that Russia and Hungary has closely cooperated in various fields for many years. He thanked Orban for the invitation to visit Budapest and for arranging the working trip.

According to him, the leadership of the Russian Federation and  Hungarian government  pay much attention providing favourable conditions for interregional cooperation. Minnikhanov stated that the current economic and political situation has an impact on the bilateral ties, mostly affecting investment, tourism and other economy branches.

“The trade relations have recently showed a negative pace,” Rustam Minnikhanov said. “We expect to bring the situation around and make our contribution to resolving this task, including based on the outcomes of our meetings with Hungarian counterparts during this visit.”

Rustam Minnikhanov continued that the Hungary – Tatarstan business forum held earlier in the day, with its participants being Hungarian firms interested in doing business in Russia.

“We hope our businessmen  will find out new areas for cooperation and will launch new joint projects,” he said.

Rustam Minnikhanov said that he is convinced that contacts between Tatarstan and Hungary have recently increased. He reminded that in December 2014 he had made a working visit to Budapest, after which, in February 2015, Hungary’s Agriculture Minister Sandor Fazekas and, in April 2015, Hungary Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto had visited Kazan.

Speaking of prospects for cooperation between Hungary and Tatarstan as one of the Russian regions, Minnikhanov mentioned petrochemistry, mechanical engineering, auto component manufacturing, medicine, pharmaceutics and agriculture as the most promising.

Minnikhanov thanked for the attention given to Tatarstan, and the interest in increasing bilateral relations.

Accompanied by Viktor Orban, Minnikhanov made a tour of the parliament building and viewed the Holy Crown in the parliament’s Dome Hall.

Later on, a business lunch on behalf of the Hungary Prime Minister on the occasion of Tatarstan President’s visit to Budapest took place.