Mihaly BAYER: “Hungary supports the signing of the Association Agreement more than ever”
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Hungary to Ukraine Mihaly Bayer recently visited Uzhhorod, where he delivered a lecture on energy conservation to students of the Uzhhorod National University. Also, he delivered another one (on Ukraine’s European integration) at the Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute in Berehove. Also Bayer held work meetings with diplomats and consuls in Uzhhorod and Berehove, and talked to deans of local universities. The Day has been to one of those meetings. By the way, Uzhhorod was chosen for a reason for informal discussions about formal matters. Relations between Hungary and Ukraine have been limited to those between Ukraine and Transcarpathia for many years. Bayer assured that the situation is changing with every year.
Mihaly BAYER: “Fundamental changes have taken place in relations between Ukraine and the European Union over the past 3.5 years. There were times when these relation lacked specific meaningfulness. It looked as if we were rummaging through each other’s pockets, which were not absolutely empty, but still contained little.
“However, lately our leaders have been paying more attention to cooperation with Ukraine than a few years ago. Hungary supports the signing of the Association Agreement now more than ever. I am not sure whether the Agreement is signed in November, but the chances are high.
“Let me point out that while the visa regime has not yet been canceled for Ukraine, our country has been actively issuing visas to Ukrainian citizens. Last year, Ukrainians received 140,000 of Schengen visas. It is 43 percent of all visas Hungarian Consulate Service issued all over the world. I expect that this year the number will rise to 155,000 or even 160,000. I consider this to be a great example of our nations getting closer together.”
Volodymyr PRYKHODKO, head of international economic relations department, Uzhhorod National University: “We try to resist the identification of relations between Hungary and Ukraine as those that are 99 percent related to Transcarpathia. I felt that a great number of new aspects appeared when I was studying the economic statistical data for the previous year. Is the impression that Hungary developed some sort of drive for economic cooperation with Ukraine true?
M.B.: “I try to travel all across the country and do not limit myself to Transcarpathia only, because I am the ambassador of Hungary to the whole country. Last year we showed an exhibition of Victor Vasarely’s paintings in Kyiv, Odesa, Simferopol, Kharkiv, and Lviv. Our embassy intends to hold the Days of Hungarian Culture in Ukraine. I want to assure that they will take place not only in Transcarpathia. Business delegations constantly visit various regions of the country.
“This year we expect the turnover between our two countries to exceed 4 billion dollars. We also have a new sphere of relations because Hungary buys 40 percent of Ukrainian electricity. Another interesting strategic form of cooperation appeared: the reverse transfer of gas from Hungary to Ukraine. All these issues are among the objectives of our strategic partnership.
“Ukraine is an important partner for us. There were times when Ukraine’s GDP grew by 6 percent. And I think this is not the maximum point. If everything was alright in your economy and financial sectors, if you had a bit less corruption and a better investment climate, 5 to 6 percent growth would have been easy to achieve. It is important, because it is only 1 or 2 percent in Europe. Ukrainian economy might receive such a boost not from the domestic market, but from Ukraine’s European partners. However, I must admit that we do not view Ukrainian goods as competitive yet.”
Fedir VASHCHUK, dean, Uzhhorod National University: “There is a problem in the sphere of scientific cooperation: if, for example, our university wanted to hire a Nobel Prize winner from Europe, we would not be able to do that, because we would have had to ask for proof of his diploma. What is your opinion on this and a number of other educational problems?”
M.B.: “I am indeed quite dissatisfied with the humanitarian work, because scientific and research relations develop rather slowly. I think that in order to revive scientific cooperation between our countries, first of all we must settle the matter of mutual recognition of diplomas.
“I learned about a case when diplomas of three teachers, post-grad students from the Budapest University who majored in linguistics, were not recognized in Ukraine. They were told that since their area of research had not been developed in Ukraine, they should translate their theses first. I told this story to Mr. Tabachnyk, the minister of education and science, in his office and said that in Hungary nobody would dare to give similar treatment to a post-grad student from the Shevchenko National University. That is why I think that the general picture will change drastically if we are able to recognize each other’s diplomas swiftly. A corresponding protocol must be signed. We are waiting for Mr. Tabachnyk in Budapest, but he seems to be in no hurry to get there.”
