Hungary "gates to Europe" for Kazakhstan
11:52, 24 February 2009
ASTANA. February 24. KAZINFORM. /Karina Worku/ Kazakhstan?s State Program ?Road to Europe? has received a wide range of positive responses from the Hungarian community. During events dedicated to the presentation of the main goals and ideas of the program, which were held at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Hungary, numerous politicians, representatives of mass media and business circles of Hungary highly praised Kazakh Government?s solid approach and clear establishment of mid-term objectives.
According to the chairman of the inter-parliamentary group ?Kazakhstan-Hungary?, Mikhai Varga, the program ?Road to Europe? encompasses a number of aspects that bear a lot of promise, ranging from agriculture to various manufacturing sectors. He underlined that Kazakhstan?s achievements were very positively regarded by the international community as well and the authority granted to the country to chair the OSCE in 2010 serves as proof of that.
During the presentation of the program, which took place in the southern city of Hungary, Eger, special interest of Hungarian business representatives was drawn to the program?s objectives of expanding the bilateral Kazakhstan-Hungarian business relations.
?Out of the 17 years of Kazakhstan?s independence I had the opportunity to witness 11,? - said deputy chairman of the region, Jasz-Nagykun Szolnok Sandor Kovacs, - ?I began to learn about the country while still being a student. Kazakhstan?s success is the direct result of prudential balance of interests in the political and economic spheres. It is a great example of how people of over 130 nationalities can live and work together in harmony. The country?s achievements were made possible mainly due to its strong leadership. Now the Hungarians that visit Kazakhstan realize that it is our turn to learn something from them.?
First Hungarian astronaut, Bertalan Farkas, called Kazakhstan his second homeland, as his first flight into space was from the Baikonur space station. He said that he is proud of Kazakhstan?s achievements and regards Astana as one of the greatest capitals where one can truly feel the life and spirit of its people.
Various representatives of the Hungarian side expressed proposals related to Kazakhstan?s bilateral cooperation and strategic plans with the European Union. Since one of the key objectives of the ?Road to Europe? program is expansion of cooperation in the sphere of education and implementation of European experience in preparation and improvement of qualifications of Kazakhstan?s professionals, this issues was drawn to the attention of deputy chairman of the Parliament?s Committee on foreign policy, Andras Keleman. He characterized the Presidential ?Bolashak? program as a forward-looking policy and expressed a proposal to consider possible cooperation of Kazakhstan and Hungary within the program?s framework.
Business representatives has often expressed proposals regarding establishment of a regular air flight to Kazakhstan which would significantly increase the number of tourists and assist business partnerships.
Hungary has its own special interests in Central Asia. Kazakhstan is viewed as one of the most stable trade and economic partners in the region. Therefore, in acknowledgement of its status as the closest ally of Kazakhstan in the region, Hungary expressed its readiness to serve as the country?s ?gates to Europe?.