The European Union is ready to cooperate with Hungary to find a compromise on issues that remain unresolved after the suspension of negotiations on new tranches of aid, said EU Commissioner Michel Barnier.
The most important type of solidarity concerns the respect for our obligations that we have chosen together. This applies equally here, as well as in Paris, Berlin, and elsewhere, he said at a press conference held by the EU Commissioner for the Internal European Market. We will continue our cooperation with Hungary, from which we expect a constructive spirit to find strict and effective compromises for unresolved issues, Barnier said, adding that he will meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday.
After the meeting with the EU Commissioner, Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracsics expressed hope that the positions of the International Monetary Fund and Hungary will ultimately align. It is our responsibility to restore trust in Hungary. The government has committed to achieving a budget deficit of 3.8 percent of GDP this year, Navracsics reminded. Due to the suspension of negotiations with the EU and the IMF, the disbursement of new tranches from a total of 20 billion euros worth of aid program for Hungary, agreed upon in 2008, has been blocked. (www.hrt.hr)
