Pal Barna Zsigmond, Hungary's Parliamentary State Secretary (Photo: Embassy of Hungary in Vietnam)

Bao Tram: What do you comment on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit and bilateral relations between Vietnam and Hungary?

Mr. Zsigmond: I think that it's an historic visit. We already have a very good relationship with Vietnam, and we are very interested in raising the level of cooperation in all fields, ranging from political to cultural and economic areas. I think we have a lot of things in common. It comes down to how Vietnam and Hungary regard the big challenges of our modern world. I think the high-level meeting between the two prime ministers is of historical importance.

Bao Tram: Vietnam and Hungary have done well in legislative and judicial cooperation. How is Hungary helping Vietnam fine-tune institutions and train human resources in these spheres?

Mr. Zsigmond: I'm pleased to see that there is a particularly active relationship between our judicial sectors and legislatures. In the past few months, the Hungarian Minister of Justice, Prosecutor General, and Deputy President of the Curia all visited Vietnam. We are committed to regular exchanges of judicial delegations and the continuation of active dialogue between these sectors. We look forward to more high-ranking visits in both capitals as we approach the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in the year 2025.

Bao Tram: When Hungary takes over the EU rotating presidency in the second half of this year, will Vietnam be high on your agenda?

Mr. Zsigmond: Yes, certainly. When Hungary takes over the EU presidency, it should act as an honest broker. It's not acting in its own name. It's acting on behalf of the European Union. We are assuming the presidency with two other countries, as a trio, for one and a half years. Each country will take a turn for 6 months. We are part of a one-and-a-half-year presidency with Spain and Belgium. We have elaborated a common program with those two countries, but certainly Hungary has its own priorities. Our main priority is to rebuild the competitiveness of the EU, and this relates very closely to Vietnam, because, as I see it, the future of Europe is that we have to rebuild our competitiveness, and this is only possible if we build close relationships with countries which are very open to economic partnership with the EU. As much as we can, we will support these interests. For example, Hungary is committed to free trade and it supports a dialogue between the European Commission and Vietnam to discuss and make progress in all European Union-related matters. And we are well aware of and appreciate Vietnam's cooperative attitude and its recent efforts to implement all the recommendations of the European Commission. We were the first country to ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement, and we are trying hard to persuade our partners to ratify it as quickly as possible.

Bao Tram: Vietnam is very concerned about and has worked hard to meet the EC’s recommendations on combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. What can Hungary, as EU Chair, do to get the yellow card imposed on Vietnamese seafood lifted?

Mr. Zsigmond: Well, as I told you, we support the dialogue between the Commission and Vietnam, and we will have elections in the European Union. We hope that we will have a new Commission, a Commission which will be more open to solving this problem. Like Hungary, the new Commission will appreciate Vietnam's cooperative attitude and its recent efforts to fully implement the recommendations. We will urge the new Commission to re-examine the status of Vietnam and lift the yellow card.

Bao Tram: What will Hungary-Vietnam relations be like in the future?

Mr. Zsigmond: The high-level meeting between the two prime ministers is of historical importance. Our relationship can be further developed by building on existing cooperation and on the strategic partnership that we have already. The potential in educational, parliamentary, financial, and judicial cooperation is clearly outstanding. The potential in these areas could be exploited through the involvement of other relevant institutional actors and additional areas of expertise. In addition, further opportunities for cooperation in research, science and technology, and academia could be identified, either through new expert mobility programs or joint training courses. Economic and trade relations are another area where new opportunities and perspectives for deepening and enhancing bilateral cooperation are constantly opening up, in particular with regard to Hungarian agricultural products. The language of sports is a bridge between different peoples and cultures. We, therefore, welcome Vietnam’s interest in enhancing our cooperation in different areas.

Bao Tram: That was Pal Barna Zsigmond, Parliamentary State Secretary and Deputy Minister of European Union Affairs of Hungary on the two countries’ cooperation . Thank you, Mr. Zsigmond, for granting VOV this interview.

Mr. Zsigmond: Thank you very much for your interest. I was more than happy to give you the interview.