The 8th Turkey-Hungary Joint Tourism Commission Meeting was held...

The 8th Turkey-Hungary Joint Tourism Commission Meeting was held...The 8th of the Joint Tourism Commission meetings, organized to develop relations between our country and Hungary in the field of tourism, was held in Antalya. Mustafa Topaloğlu, a member of our Board of Directors who attended the meeting on behalf of our Association, stated that, as TÜROB, we are ready to cooperate with the tourism sector organizations of both countries, and that, considering our historic friendship, we would like to cooperate on activities such as workshops, fairs and famtrips that will increase our mutual tourism potential.

About Hungary

In 2018, our bilateral trade volume with Hungary stood at 2 billion 551 million Dollars (our exports were 1,156 million Dollars and our imports 1,395 million Dollars). This figure corresponds to a decline of 1.7% compared to 2017.

For the 2002-2018 period, direct Turkish investments in Hungary amounted to 58 million Dollars, while Hungary's direct investments in Turkey amounted to 29 million Dollars.

In 2018, the number of Hungarian tourists visiting our country was 123,448, an increase of 55% over the previous year.

Friendly relations between Hungary and Turkey are progressing positively within the framework of historic ties and cultural affinity, NATO alliance, cooperation in international organizations led by the EU and the Council of Europe, and Hungary's support for our EU membership. Bilateral relations have recently gained momentum in every field thanks to increasing reciprocal high-level visits and consultation mechanisms.

During our President's term as Prime Minister, a decision was taken to establish a "High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council" (YDSK) between the two countries during his visit to Hungary in February 2013. During Prime Minister Viktor Orban's official visit to our country in December 2013, the first YDSK Meeting was held at the level of Prime Ministers and with the participation of numerous Ministers from both sides, and our relations were elevated to the level of strategic cooperation. The second meeting of the YDSK was held in Budapest in February 2015 and the third meeting in Ankara in June 2017. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban paid a visit to Turkey on the occasion of the third YDSK.

Hungarian President Janos Ader visited our country in March 2015, and our President visited Hungary in October 2018.

Since taking office, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Szijjarto has visited our country on various occasions: in August 2016 to express support following the coup attempt, in March 2017 on the occasion of the 5th JEC Meeting, in June 2017 for the 3rd YDSK, and most recently within the framework of the Turkey-Hungary Africa Business Forum held in Istanbul on 13 February 2019 and the Budapest Process Ministerial meeting held in Istanbul on 19-20 February 2019. Our Minister, accepting the invitation of Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjarto, paid an official visit to Budapest in February 2016; during his visit to Hungary in October 2018, he accompanied President Erdoğan.

Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Köver visited our country on 7-12 May 2013. The then Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Binali Yıldırım, paid an official visit to Hungary in December 2018.

Hungary's observer membership in the Turkic Council was supported by us. Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Köver attended the Parliamentary Assembly of the Turkic Council held in İzmir in November 2018.

Within the framework of the Visegrad Four (V4) term presidency it assumed in July 2017, Hungary made efforts to establish dialogue and increase relations between our country and the V4 countries, as it did during its 2013-2014 term presidency.

The Hungarian Government, which pursues an economically and commercially focused foreign policy, regards Turkey as one of the central countries of its "Opening to the East" policy. Within this framework, it opened a "Trade House" in Istanbul in December 2013. In 2015, the Hungarian Eximbank opened an office in Istanbul. There are currently Trade Houses in various cities of Turkey.

In 2013, the target of increasing the bilateral trade volume with Hungary to 5 billion Dollars was adopted. Accordingly, our bilateral trade volume, which was 1.8 billion Dollars in 2013, rose to 2.55 billion Dollars in 2018 (our exports 1.156 billion Dollars, our imports 1.395 billion Dollars).

Direct investments from Hungary to Turkey in the 2002-2018 period amounted to 29 million Dollars; direct investments from Turkey to Hungary in the same period reached 58 million Dollars.

In 2018, our country was visited by 123,448 Hungarian tourists, an increase of 55% over the previous year.

Cultural relations constitute an important dimension of our relations with Hungary. There is a Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center (YETKM) in Budapest and a Hungarian Cultural Center in Istanbul. In addition, there are Turkology and Hungarology chairs in both countries.

Within the framework of our shared historical past, we have important cultural heritage projects with Hungary. Work is being carried out by TİKA for the restoration of many monuments (mosques, baths, tombs) in cities such as Budapest, Pécs, Szigetvar and Eger. The Gül Baba Tomb, whose restoration has been completed, was opened during our President's visit in October 2018.

The remains of the martyrs of the 15th Corps, which took part in the battles fought on the Galicia Front during the First World War, are at a place in Budapest called the Galicia Martyrs' Cemetery.

Approximately 2,600 of our citizens live in Hungary.

Hungary has a Consulate General in Istanbul and Honorary Consulates in Antalya, İzmir, Adana, Kütahya, Kayseri, Tekirdağ and Kocaeli.