A Busy Year for the Ambassador

One of the main reasons why I wished to be appointed for a second term as Ambassador of Switzerland to Hungary and why I enjoy my second term so much is certainly the fact that as a Swiss Ambassador to Hungary – and as ambassador of any country in Hungary, I am quite sure – you have no risk of becoming bored, ever. Indeed, looking back on the last 12 months, I contemplate very significant and sometimes totally unexpected developments, both in Hungarian politics and in the bilateral relations between Switzerland and Hungary.

As far as political developments are concerned, it is with sadness that I have learned one year ago of the resignation of President Katalin Novák. Back in 2014, she had been a Vice President of the newly created ‘Groupe des Amis de la Francophonie’ in Budapest, in which I was also active as a Vice President. She had honored the Swiss Embassy as she had joined with her three children the ‘Swiss Golf Day’ in 2013. At the beginning of my second mission in 2020, she had welcomed me in a very friendly manner when I paid a courtesy call to her in her capacity as Family Minister. It was also a great honor for me to be invited in December 2023 to join a round table she had organized as President of Hungary to discuss the support for the Hungarian institutions devoted to the promotion of the French language and multilingualism in the country. I felt privileged to witness her ascension and saddened by her abrupt resignation. Indirectly related to this development, the unexpected rise of a new political party and a new opposition leader, Péter Magyar, also contributed to the need to review certain believes I held to be solid, such as the inability of opposition figures in Hungary to mobilize media attention.

Swiss visits to Hungary
With the launching of a new phase of negotiations between Switzerland and the European Union in March 2024 and the exercise by Hungary of the presidency of the Council of the EU in the second semester of the year, an intense high-level political consultation process between our two countries unfolded, and I had the honor of joining the President of the Swiss Confederation Viola Amherd and her delegation on the occasion of her two visits to Hungary in 2024: in June, when she met with President Sulyok, Prime Minister Orbán and speaker Kövér and in November, when she attended the Summit of the European Political Community, where she was welcomed by Prime Minister Orbán. It might have been the first time in the history of our bilateral relations that a Swiss President visited Hungary twice in the same year. The Vice President of the Swiss Confederation (now President for 2025) and Federal Councilor in charge of finances Karin Keller-Sutter and the Federal Councilor in charge of Foreign Affairs Ignazio Cassis also visited Budapest to seek the support of the Hungarian Government in the ongoing negotiations with Brussels. Such support was promised and was also effectively granted, as my colleagues in Brussels were able to report. It is under the auspices of the Hungarian presidency that the negotiations between Switzerland and the EU found their successful material completion, pending the sovereign decision of the Swiss people to accept the outcome of these best efforts of both partners who managed to overcome many difficulties.

Swiss developments all over Hungary
A new perspective has been provided in the successful relations between Switzerland and the EU, with beneficial effects for the bilateral relations between Switzerland and Hungary. A priority of Switzerland’s strategy for communication abroad is to show how Switzerland is a trustful partner, building on innovation in order to contribute to prosperity and social and economic cohesion in Europe. In the last 12 months, I had many opportunities to emphasize this, on the occasion of the announcement of new Swiss investments or of positive developments in the Swiss Hungarian Cooperation Program under the Second Swiss Contribution. On December18, I was invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the announcement by Minister Szijjártó of the expansion of the production facilities of Swiss Company Feintool in Tokod. On January 17, I joined Minister Szijjártó and Stadler Rail CEO Peter Spuhler as they unveiled the first double-deck railway coach produced in the factory in Szolnok, where Stadler Rail plans to increase its production capacities by 20%. Significant milestones were achieved in the implementation of the Second Swiss Contribution, and gave me the opportunity to join the stakeholders on several occasions: on November 8, for the opening event of the ‘Geothermal Energy Resources for District Heating’ program in Tiszaújváros, on November 26 in Vác for the opening event of the ‘Vocational Education and Training Hungary’ program, on 4 December in Budapest for the Support Measure Agreement on the project entitled ‘Improving life-saving skills’ with the National Ambulance Service, and on January 9, for the opening event ‘Utilization of Geothermal Energy’ in Bogács. Such events are precious occasions to interact with the beneficiaries of our projects at grassroot level and to verify that we have a real impact on the ground.

Swiss Days in Kecskemét
A highlight in the illustration of the fruitful partnership between Switzerland and Hungary was constituted by the Swiss Days in Kecskemét and Helvécia in September 2024. The launch of the Swiss Days on the occasion of the opening of the new academic year, the holding of the Swiss-Hungarian Business Forum together with Swisscham Hungary and the organization of the Swiss Picnic at Neumann János University in Kecskemét allowed the Embassy and our partners to reach a large public in a city with a strong Swiss economic presence embodied by companies such as Fornetti, Phoenix Mecano, CabTec, Köppel Manufacturing as well as Hilti from Liechtenstein, which were all kind sponsors for our events. As part of the kick-off of the Swiss Days, I attended the harvest festivities of Helvécia on September 6, where we celebrated 25 years of partnership with the Swiss village Sirnach. The village of Helvécia and the story of its founder, Swiss teacher and winemaker Heinrich Eduard Weber, who came to Hungary from Switzerland seeking a better future in the 19th century illustrate the long and balanced relations between the two countries and their people. It embodies Europe as a community of destiny!

An issue to be resolved
In view of these positive developments, it is a pity that in spite of several interventions at the highest level, the unjustified taxes against Swiss cement producer Holcim have not been lifted yet, resulting in a lose-lose situation, as significant investments projects are being kept on hold. Having four more months until the end of my mission in Hungary, I remain confident that a solution can be found until then.