BUDAPEST, October 16, (WEBNOVINY) — At the Slovak-Hungarian economic forum in Budapest on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the Slovak economy is less endangered by the ongoing crisis than the economy of his country. He sees the main reason in that Slovakia, unlike western countries, made fewer mistakes after the crisis started and did not take on as much debt by providing stimuli that only „tickled“ the economy of the country and had a minimal impact on its functioning.
Orban sees the fact that Slovakia achieves better economic results than Hungary as a challenge. However, he added that it is better to learn a lesson from a more successful neighbor than from a poor and lazy one. Orban thinks that it is a good inspiration for Hungary.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico still sees space for further economic development of both countries in deepening mutual cooperation, for example in trade, support for the business environment, building of infrastructure and the energy sector. Fico underscored that for Slovakia and Hungary, the north-south interconnection of transit gas pipelines is important, so that the countries are not hostages in potential disputes between Russia and Ukraine.
Fico proposed a joint meeting of Cabinets of both counties to his Hungarian counterpart as they have been already tested in building relations with the Czech Republic. For both countries this would represent a chance to debate further pending issues, Fico thinks.
SITA