OREANDA-NEWS “For the first time in years, the international political situation is such that it is having a favourable effect on the development of Hungarian-Russian relations”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said following a meeting with Russian Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova.

“In recent years we have received continuous criticism from the western world for maintaining pragmatic relations with Russia, but today, these are the kind of relations that the western world is also aspiring to”, the Minister explained.

“The topics of discussion at Thursday’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin will include energy, education and heavy industry, in addition to several pharmaceutical industry and agricultural investment projects”, Ms. Szijjártó told the press.

“Hungarian steel producer Dunaferr will also be on the agenda, with relation to which the Russian party is open to realising another significant investment this year. With regard to the pharmaceutical industry, Richter and Egis have both been awarded licences to export to and in part manufacture in Russia”, he said, adding: “Richter is the second largest player on the Russian prescription pharmacy market; the Russian Government is striving to achieve close cooperation within the pharmaceutical industry and Richter could become the flagship of this cooperation”.

“The parties are providing 200 scholarship places each to enable students to attend universities in each other’s countries, and these places will be fully filled by September”, the Foreign Minister said.

Mr. Szijjártó also mentioned that several agricultural projects have recently been realised in Russia based on Hungarian technology, and the Government would like this trend to continue with relation to water management.