Selakovic: Time has come to deepen Serbia-Hungary cultural cooperation

BUDAPEST - After a decade of excellent Serbia-Hungary relations, the time has come to deepen cultural ties and cooperation between the two countries, because cultural cooperation guarantees the longevity of friendly relations between Serbia and Hungary, Serbian Culture Minister Nikola Selakovic said during a visit to Budapest on Monday.

"Hungary is an old neighbour of ours. Serbs and Hungarians have been living with each other and alongside each other for almost 12 centuries, but we do not know each other well. After a decade marked by a new spirit in Hungary-Serbia relations - built directly by PM Viktor Orban and President Aleksandar Vucic, with serious support and encouragement from the late Mr Istvan Pastor - the time has come to deal, as much as we can, with deepening our ties and cooperation in the field of culture," Selakovic told Tanjug.

He said his meeting with Hungarian counterpart Balazs Hanko had been an opportunity to review what had been done to date and what was planned for the future.

"We are both especially proud that the Serbian-Hungarian/Hungarian-Serbian cultural season is in 2025 and 2026. It is something that is the result of our meetings and our close, good cooperation, and something that will be the first event of its kind to involve the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia," he said.

He noted that Hungarian cinema had been featured at Serbia's recent National Film and Television Festival.

"That way, we de facto launched the cultural season," Selakovic added.

He said the Hungarian side had announced numerous events that would be held across Serbia, "not only in Belgrade or Novi Sad."

"We will have activities that will also be underway in Vranje, Nis and Leskovac," Selakovic said, adding that the activities of the Serbian side were slated to begin on Serbia's Statehood Day, in mid-February next year.