Hungary is a model for Serbia, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić on Thursday evening at a gala dinner on the occasion of the Budapest Demographic Summit, touted by Hungary as the preeminent summit designed to tout a pro-family message and raise the European birth rate.
Hungarian President Katalin Novák, the host of the summit, stated that Hungary and Serbia are linked by a strategic partnership.
Novák said that “Aleksandar Vučić has been with us from the very beginning.” She added that the current relations between Hungary and Serbia show how the two countries have been able to overcome historical tragedies and events and “join forces in an exemplary manner.”
While noting that both countries are facing demographic challenges, along with the rest of Europe, she said that the hope is that they will be able to meet their demographic challenges.
The Serbian head of state responded that they have learned a lot from Hungary and thanked the country for its commitment and support.
On the occasion of the two-day meeting in Budapest, the Serbian head of state pointed out that Serbia is facing a very bad demographic situation, but perhaps not as bad as it was a few years ago.
“We have increased financial support for mothers and children, which has brought results in the more backward and poorer regions, but unfortunately we have not managed to make progress in demographic indicators in the big cities,” he said.
Vučić said that further support should be provided to protect families and traditional values. Speeches at the summit on Thursday, including that of Katalin Novák, pointed in this direction, he said. He added that considerable attention should also be paid to the fight against negative trends on social media. Giving an example, he said it was strange that a cat or a dog gets more likes than a small child.
The Serbian head of state said that new ways and new ideas are needed to achieve a breakthrough, which is why he holds the Demographic Summit in Budapest, which is now in its fifth edition, in such high regard.
“I was late in arriving in Budapest because of my program in Brussels, but I met Prime Minister Viktor Orbán right away,” he said.
“Serbian-Hungarian relations are at a historic high in all respects,” he said, adding that “what Hungary is doing is a model for us to follow.”
