According to the Minister of Agriculture, cross-border agriculture is needed

(Photo: Pixabay)

The minister highlighted: the parts of the nation beyond the border can count on the support of the mother country, and the Hungarians living within the country’s borders can build on the Hungarians of Transylvania, the Highlands, the South, Transcarpathia, Dráva Szég, and Muravidék, which preserve and nurture our culture, traditions, and language as the pledges of survival. This is the common interest of all of us here, in the “wild and romantic landscape of the rugged Carpathians with pine forests,” he said. István Nagy emphasized: to remain, to stay in place, you need the greatest strength, and one of the tools of this “noble struggle” is the Carpathian Basin Solidarity Forum, the largest agricultural event in the Carpathian Basin. Its purpose is for us to meet each other, for representatives of the agricultural profession to build and expand their relationships, to think about our possibilities together in community, and last but not least: to evaluate the past year, he said.

István Nagy said that for him the meeting is one of the gifts of Advent

“It is a splendid proof that love, care for each other, solidarity not only heals the wounds of the events of 18 years ago, the betrayal of the left, but also creates life and opportunity. It shows that we can count on each other,” he said. Describing the year, the minister said: “difficult times behind us, difficult times ahead”. The historic drought, the current Russian-Ukrainian war conflict and the resulting sanctions, which led to an explosive rise in energy prices and raw materials, are seriously using our resources, both here and across the border – he pointed out, adding: we have this in common, we have this in common our destiny. István Nagy emphasized: we stood up and stand up for ourselves, our Hungarianness, and Hungarian families with faith, consistency, and loyalty, even if this often does not win the approval of some. As a first step, the government strengthened the ideal and reality of a unified Hungarian nation in terms of moral and public law with the new basic law, the extension of citizenship and the right to vote. Then, step by step, it was filled with content: thanks to the ever-improving performance of the Hungarian economy, we were able to spend more and more on the financial support of Hungarians across the border, including mainly agricultural enterprises, he said.

Bid opportunities have been provided and are being provided, and economies can be strengthened through subsidies

The Carpathian Basin Village Farmer Program was launched in 2018, the significance and potential of which are being recognized and used by more and more people. As a result of the work of the village farmers, foreign farmers can become part of the foreign and domestic trade circulation of the mother country. Experiences show that for the sake of efficiency and effectiveness – similar to the exemplary Southern Region and Upper Region – concentrated management is also necessary for Transylvania and Subcarpathia, which is also a solution to avoid parallel territorial coverage, said István Nagy. He said that their goal and firm expectation is that the program serves as best as possible the survival and promotion of Hungarian farmers abroad. The minister said that one of their latest programs is the Schams Ferenc Plan, launched this year, with the help of which the Hungarian wine regions across the border can once again regain their former glory.

“Anyone who understands economic connections even a little and is willing to take off their blinders can see that the economic success of Hungary and the Carpathian Basin also means results for the neighboring states and improves competitiveness,” said István Nagy, pointing out that the economic development subsidies can help the region become a new point of alignment in Europe.

MTI