Péter Magyar said he is pleased that Hungarian-Polish relations can return to their rightful place. The prime minister stressed this on Tuesday after paying a courtesy visit to Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Archbishop of Kraków, at Wawel.
He described it as an honour that his first foreign trip could be to Poland, noting that he had revived an old tradition. He said it was his personal decision to begin the visit in Kraków and continue it in Warsaw.
“I am proud that, thanks to the mandate of the Hungarian people, as leader of the new Hungarian government I can further strengthen the thousand-year friendship and alliance between Hungary and Poland,” he said.
Péter Magyar expressed his pleasure at being able to begin his visit beside the statue of the late Pope John Paul II, remarking that perhaps no phrase had been quoted more often than the former pope’s motto: “Be not afraid!”
He stressed that six cabinet ministers are accompanying him on the trip, including Zoltán Tarr, minister responsible for culture and social relations, Anita Orbán, foreign minister, and Dávid Vitézy, minister of transport and investment, who also participated in the Kraków programme.
He noted that during the visit he would meet Poland’s president and prime minister, the speakers of both houses of parliament, and former president Lech Wałęsa.
Responding to a question, the prime minister said all conditions are in place for Polish-Hungarian relations to be as strong as possible. Hungary would like to revive and strengthen Visegrád cooperation, which should be built upon a living and strong Polish-Hungarian relationship.
Asked about former Polish justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro and his former deputy Marcin Romanowski — both suspected of corruption and granted asylum in Hungary — the prime minister said the government had learned from media reports that the two politicians are in the United States and there is no sign they left Europe directly from Hungary.
He said Zbigniew Ziobro and his spouse likely departed Europe from another country within the Schengen area, adding that to his knowledge they left Hungary just a few hours before his inauguration as prime minister.
He added that he had also reaffirmed to the Archbishop of Kraków how personally important Polish-Hungarian friendship and the two countries’ shared history are to him. He said he and Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś had discussed what should be done to ensure young people also feel connected to this common history.
The politician said his delegation had arrived for a familiarisation visit, but they also aim to lay the foundations for cooperation in concrete areas. As examples, he mentioned infrastructure, culture, and agriculture. He added that the defence ministers of the two countries would also hold talks, with defence industry cooperation being an important area.
Regarding possible recalls of ambassadors following the Warsaw-based Hungarian ambassador, Péter Magyar said such changes are entirely normal after a change of government. Political appointees or ambassadors who have done little to strengthen ties between Hungary and the host country are likely to be recalled.
“We will do the same,” he stated.
Those who have strengthened bilateral relations will remain in their posts, he added.
Asked by MTI what the most urgent issues are to restore bilateral ties to their previous level, he said that in his view, all that is needed is a return to normality. The two countries need to speak with one another and seek common ground and similarities — something he said is not difficult when discussing Polish-Hungarian relations. History, geography, and the Visegrád Group all predispose the two countries toward close cooperation, he noted.
He recalled vividly the early 2010s when the Visegrád Group was at its peak and said that is the level they intend to return to.
Péter Magyar also said he wants the Visegrád Group to expand to include other countries, mentioning Austria as one example.
“We have much more in common than what divides us. This is the beginning of the revival of an old friendship, and the best times for Polish-Hungarian relations are still ahead,” he said.
Péter Magyar, who began a two-day visit to Poland on Tuesday, paid a courtesy visit to Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś, Archbishop of Kraków, after arriving in the city and also visited Wawel Cathedral.
He later placed a bouquet of white roses at the statue of Pope John Paul II opposite the cathedral entrance and laid wreaths at the tombs of Saint Jadwiga, Queen of Poland and daughter of King Louis I of Hungary and Poland, and Stephen Báthory, King of Poland and Prince of Transylvania.
Following the press conference, Péter Magyar met members of the Hungarian community living in Kraków’s Old Town.
Later in the afternoon, the prime minister is scheduled to travel by train to Warsaw, where he is expected to meet Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki, as well as pay courtesy visits to Włodzimierz Czarzasty, Speaker of the Sejm, and Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska, Speaker of the Senate.
On Wednesday, Péter Magyar will continue to Gdańsk, where he will meet Lech Wałęsa, the first president of the Third Polish Republic, and deliver a speech alongside Donald Tusk at a public event.
Artificial intelligence was used for the translation of parts of the original Hungarian text.