Hungary's Magyar Says Shared History Outweighs Tensions with Slovakia at Central European Summit

Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar declared that despite ongoing disagreements between Hungary and Slovakia, the two countries' shared historical ties remain too significant to be overshadowed by current disputes. Magyar made the remarks at a summit held in Gödöllő, a town near Budapest in Hungary. Magyar, who leads the Tisza party — the main opposition force challenging Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's long-ruling Fidesz government — emphasized that Hungary's core interest lies in fostering coordinated action among Central European nations. He specifically highlighted the need for joint efforts on strategic investments, the development of north-south infrastructure corridors, and strengthening the overall competitiveness of the Central European region. The summit underscores ongoing efforts to build regional cooperation in Central Europe at a time when relations between Budapest and Bratislava have been strained, partly due to differing positions on the war in Ukraine and Hungary's controversial foreign policy stance within the European Union.