Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok underscored the importance of maintaining and deepening dialogue between Hungary and Poland, after meeting his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda in Stary Sacz on Friday. - Polish-Hungarian friendship has lasted for at least a thousand years and has very deep roots in Hungarian society - noted the President of Hungary. This is the first foreign visit of the new Hungarian president, who took office less than three weeks ago. President Andrzej Duda thanked him for choosing Stary Sacz as the destination of his first visit.
President Andrzej Duda and President of Hungary Tamas Sulyok (second from the left) with their spouses: Agata Kornhauser-Duda (first from the right) and Zsuzsanna Nagy (first from the left) during the welcome ceremony in the Courtyard of the Culture and Art Center in Stary Sącz, March 22, 2024. Photo by PAP/Grzegorz Momot
In a display of camaraderie echoing through the cobblestone streets of Stary Sącz, the vibrant colors of Hungarian and Polish flags danced in the wind, heralding the momentous occasion of Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day. Amidst this lively backdrop, Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok embarked on a journey of diplomacy, traversing borders to Poland.
- Stary Sacz is a very special place, where Polish-Hungarian historical ties are so strong that you can safely say that they are visible almost everywhere - noted President Andrzej Duda at a joint press conference of the presidents of Poland and Hungary.
Thousand-year friendship
- Polish-Hungarian friendship has existed for at least a thousand years and has very deep roots in Hungarian society. I learned about it already in primary school and I read about it with great joy because I have Polish ancestors - recalled Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok, at the same time expressing regret that he had not learned Polish.
It wasn't an exaggeration: according to historians, the two nations have been in active contact from the mid-1000s to the present day. During the fights against the Turks, the Christian Polish state helped the warring Kingdom of Hungary in many ways. Also during the 1848-49 Hungarian revolution, Józef Bem, a Polish general and a national hero of Poland and Hungary, helped the Hungarians in their struggle to regain their freedom. Later, during the 1848-49 Hungarian revolution, Józef Bem, a Polish general and a national hero of both Poland and Hungary, assisted the Hungarians in their struggle to regain freedom. In turn, in 1920, the Hungarians provided Poland with crucial military assistance, providing the ammunition necessary to defeat the Bolsheviks. Poland was also the first country to express solidarity with the Hungarian people fighting against the Soviets during the 1956 revolution.
On Friday in Stary Sacz, Presidents Andrzej Duda and Tamás Sulyok also talked about, among others, the enlargement of the European Union, increasing military spending in NATO countries, farmers' problems, Polish-Hungarian cooperation within the United Nations, and cooperation within Three Seas Initiatives.
On the occasion of the Day of Hungarian-Polish friendship, János Latorcai, the vice-president of the Hungarian Parliament, the vice-president of the Polish-Hungarian friendship group of the parliament, received a prestigious gift from the Hungarian-Polish friendship group in the Polish Parliament (Sejm). Marek Kuchciński, the president of the group, on the occasion of 30 years of service as a representative handed him a decorative sword.
"A man's greatness comes from what he does for others. To Vice President János Latorcai on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of his representative service." - the inscription on the sword says. Photo by MS
Polish-Hungarian Friendship Day has been celebrated for 17 years. On March 12, 2007, the Hungarian Parliament established the Lengyel-Magyar Baratsag Napja on March 23. Four days later, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland adopted a similar resolution.
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