dr. Csaba Balogh, Minister of State for Public Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Hungary together with the Secretary-General of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs in Croatia, the Mayor of Zagreb, Mr Bandic and Sabor’s Deputy-Speaker, Zeljko Reiner laid down the corner stone of the future Hungarian Embassy in Zagreb, on the 25th of October. Loreta Bertoša-Kušen, Secretary General considered that moment to symbolise a new pillar of Hungaro-Croatian diplomatic relations. At the ceremony, the Hungarian Minister of State also opened, to the wider diplomatic audience, the newly renovated Ambassadorial residence at Tuskanac. Minister of State Balogh underlined the historical importance of this particular prestige-value real estate, which is a remarkable piece of architectural monument of the Croatian Capital. The Baranya Villa itself constructed as one of the masterpieces of the Hungarian-born, later Croatian established architect Aladár Baranyai and also symbolises the common past of Croatia and Hungary.
During his official Zagreb program, Csaba Balogh held bilateral talks with his Croatian partner, Loreta Bertoša-Kušen, Secretary-General of the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs. The parties were mutually satisfied with the discussions on administrative affairs, which has been included for the first time in many years on the traditional agenda of consultations between Budapest and Zagreb. Both sides concluded that diplomatic missions of Croatia in Hungary and Hungarian missions in Croatia are well able to cope with challenges they are facing. They were also pleased to note the actual intensity of bilateral cooperation, which encompasses high-level meetings, diplomatic consultations and joint intergovernmental work.
