Vucic praises Hungary as Serbia's "true friend"

Vucic praises Hungary as Serbia's "true friend"

"We will be building the best possible relations with Hungary in the future. Thank you Viktor for supporting Serbia in difficult moments," Vucic said, addressing his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban with whom he toured a factory in Serbia's northern town of Subotica, near the border with Hungary.

According to Vucic, Hungary has supported Serbia "not only during the floods, with companies, on the road to EU" and is "neither blackmailing nor limiting us with anything and Serbia respects and values that. We know how to keep in mind true friends."

He made the comments while visiting the plant of the Hungarian Masterplast company in Subotica.

Vucic also said that he felt "great as the host in Subotica when he heard the Serbian and Hungarian national anthems, seeing everyone proud of their nation, and was happy to know that we have no issues, open or hidden, between us."

"I think the Hungarians can feel that sincerely. I respect the Hungarians and you will always enjoy the same rights as the Serbs and all other citizens of Serbia. I am proud of the Serbs as well, as they understand what kind of policy we are pursuing that will put Serbia on the pedestal of successful countries," said Vucic.

According to him, "Serbia's growth is constantly increasing" - something made possible "through greater investment and export, not through more spending."

Vucic said there is a lot of poverty, "but things are getting better" adding that he "thinks our friends from Hungary are considering new investments in Serbia."

Asked about his cabinet's decision to support the candidature of Vuk Jeremic for UN secretary-general, he "did not explain what arguments it was based on," Tanjug reported.

"You won't get me angry, I cannot give you an answer. You've seen the result," he said when asked by a reporter why the government decided to back Jeremic after hesitating for a long time.

"We deliberated and this is how we decided," said Vucic.

"Brave move"

Serbian and Hungarian Prime Ministers Aleksandar Vucic and Viktor Orban on Wednesday toured a new plant of the Hungarian Masterplast company in Subotica.

Orban noted that the investment will help the prosperity of Serbia, Hungary, as well as Europe, as it will create jobs for 200 residents of Vojvodina, Serbia's northern province.

The Hungarian investor's new plant, which will produce fiberglass mesh, is worth EUR 8.4 million, to which the Serbian government has contributed 23 percent - or EUR 2 million - as an incentive.

Vucic and Orban were accompanied by company executives, Serbian Minister of Economy Zeljko Sertic, ambassadors of the two countries and many guests.

The opening of the new Masterplast plant in Subotica is a brave move, Orban said.

"I wanted to attend it because the act also has a symbolic meaning: that we, Hungarians and Serbs, have a joint endeavor that takes much courage - together with Vucic, we want a Europe in which there is a successful Serbia and a successful Hungary, and that can only be achieved if we are partners,"Orban said.

Orban said that, as prime minister of Hungary, he is pleased to see support for ethnic Hungarian entrepreneurs in Vojvodina.