Ignazden's first guest at the presidential institution is Viktor Orban, and I believe that a much better year awaits us both for relations between Bulgaria and Hungary, as well as for our peoples and Europe, the President said after his meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary

A priority for Europe today is the restoration of peace with the leading role of diplomacy – a peace without which it is unthinkable to talk about security and sustainable socio-economic development of the European Union. This was stated by Head of State Rumen Radev after his meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban in Sofia. Orban is visiting Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Head of State. After the meeting, the two made joint statements to the media.

Achieving sustainable peace in Europe should be the focus of the efforts of European leaders, along with the topics of increasing the competitiveness of the EU and the well-being of European citizens, as well as effectively countering illegal migration and strengthening traditional family and Christian values, Rumen Radev pointed out.

The Head of State congratulated Viktor Orban on the successful rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union and expressed his gratitude for his key role in accepting Bulgaria and Romania as full members of the Schengen area. This is a strategic achievement of enormous benefit not only for the two countries, but also for the EU, Radev said.

Viktor Orban recalled, for his part, that during President Radev's visit to Hungary in May this year, common priorities were identified before the start of that country's EU presidency, and the main one was precisely Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area. The Hungarian Prime Minister highlighted the excellent communication with the Bulgarian head of state, who, in his words, is an important factor for stability in bilateral relations and has provided systematic support for the development of economic ties between the two countries.

The head of state recalled the sober assessment of the Hungarian Prime Minister of the geopolitical processes and risks facing Europe, as well as his clear vision for the development of the region and the Old Continent. During the periods in which I represented Bulgaria in the European Council, we established fruitful cooperation with the Hungarian Prime Minister on a number of important topics for the European Union and our countries - from energy and migration to the war in Ukraine, the President added.

Rumen Radev highlighted the historical and cultural ties between Bulgaria and Hungary, which today continue to develop their relations on the basis of mutual trust and friendship. With Viktor Orban, we are united in our determination for our two countries to continue to develop and strengthen fruitful cooperation in the interest of the two peoples, the region and Europe, the head of state emphasised.

The President highlighted investment, finance, industrial production, information technologies, security and tourism as prospective areas for the development of bilateral cooperation. Radev also stressed that Bulgaria will continue to be a reliable partner in the field of energy and will work for the diversification and security of supplies of energy resources for our partners and allies in Central and Eastern Europe. Bulgaria has always been a key country for our security, Orban said and added that this year alone, seven out of a total of nine billion cubic meters of gas intended for the Hungarian economy have passed through our country.

In the coming weeks, we are about to sign important memorandums to expand cooperation in the fields of transport and connectivity, the use of the ports of Varna and Burgas, the defence industry and security, as well as in the field of tourism, President Radev said. The head of state also noted the geostrategic position of the two countries and called for an even more active partnership between businesses on both sides for a subsequent increase in economic exchange.

The President expressed his gratitude to Hungary for its consistent support for the Bulgarian community in the country, recalling that this year he visited Budapest on the occasion of the opening of the new Bulgarian cultural and educational centre.