National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue on January 20 hosted a reception for First Officer of the Hungarian National Assembly Márta Mátrai. (Photo: VNA) Hue expressed his belief that Mátrai’s visit is a goodstart to deepen cooperative ties between the two NAs and countries.
The top legislator affirmed that the Vietnamese Stateand people always keep in mind Hungary’s valuable support for Vietnam’s paststruggle for national liberation and reunification, as well as its presentcause of national construction and development.
Thousands of Vietnamese officials and engineers have receivedtraining in Hungary, and many of them are holding positions in the Stateapparatus and agencies, he said.
Mátrai noted with pleasure the maintenance of high-levelmeetings, both online and in-person, between the two countries’ legislativeleaders despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
She expressed a hope that the two sides will continueorganising meetings between parliament committees and friendship parliamentarians’ groups afterthe pandemic is brought under control to exchange information and experience inparliamentary activities. She also looked forward to the organisation of the third seminar on a selected topic to bringinto full play cooperation mechanisms, thus helping to raise the operationalquality and efficiency of each legislature.
Apart from the diplomatic ties, Hungary attachesimportance to economic links with Vietnam, Mátrai said, adding that Vietnam isan important partner of Hungary and the Central European nation wants to pushahead with projects and agreements signed during Prime Minister Viktor Orban's visit to Vietnam in 2017.
She noted that Hungary has given Vietnam a preferentialcredit package worth 500 million EUR to implement development support projects, and the two countries have also partnered in health care and culture.
She expressed her delight at the construction of theCan Tho oncology hospital with funding from the Hungarian Government’s ODAloans, which is expected to be operational this year.
The official said she hopes that the Hungariancultural centre in Hanoi will soon be augurated so that Hungary can share itsachievements in science, culture and arts with Vietnamese people.
NA Chairman Hue lauded the achievements Hungary has recorded over thepast years, especially in the pandemic combat, the maintenance of activities, includinglegislative activities, and socio-economic development, which he said elevates thecountry’s prestige and image in the region and the world atlarge.
He praised Hungary’s role in the signingand ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), and noted that Hungaryhas been the first country in the European Union (EU) to approve the EU-VietnamInvestment Protection Agreement (EVIPA).
The Vietnamese NA will work to accelerate and supervisethe disbursement of the credit package provided by Hungary, Hue said, suggesting the twolegislatures reach more comprehensive cooperation agreements to contribute toadvancing cooperation between Vietnam and Hungary in a pragmatic and effectivemanner.
The same day, the First Officer of the Hungarian NAmet with Vo Van Thuong, Politburo member and permanent member of the PartyCentral Committee’s Secretariat.
Thuong noted a hope that the Vietnam-Hungarycomprehensive partnership as well as the relations between the Communist Partyof Vietnam and the Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance Party will prosper acrossspheres in the time ahead.
Mátrai, for her part, stressed that Hungary attachesimportance to its relations with Vietnam, and regards Vietnam as a leadingimportant partner in Southeast Asia.
The two sides briefed each other on the situation oftheir respective parties and countries, and exchanged experience in Partybuilding, the pandemic combat, economic recovery and national development.
They also compared notes on measures to fosterrelations between the parties and the two countries in the coming time. /.
VNA
