Djuric and Szijjártó open the Hungarian Consular office within the Serbian Consulate in Thessaloniki

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Marko Djuric and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary Péter Szijjártó today opened the Hungarian Consular Office, established under the system of co-location of diplomatic and consular missions within the General Consulate of the Republic of Serbia in Thessaloniki.

The ceremony began with the playing of the national anthems of Serbia, Hungary, and Greece, after which Ministers Djuric and Szijjártó jointly cut the ribbon and unveiled the plaque of the Hungarian Consular Office.

The head of Serbian diplomacy emphasized that, at a time when relations in the world are becoming increasingly uncertain, trust has become one of the “rarest currencies” in international relations, and that in such circumstances partners and friends whom one can trust and rely upon are more important than ever.

“I often say that the greatest expression of friendship is not found in words or protocols, but in deeds. And perhaps one of the most striking deeds is the decision to share the same roof. Today, Serbia and Hungary are doing exactly that,” Djuric stressed.

He underlined that the opening of a shared diplomatic space in Thessaloniki sends a clear message that reconciliation can grow into trust, trust into partnership, and partnership into real, tangible unity.

“Joint diplomatic and consular missions are not only a rational and efficient solution—they are a powerful symbol of mutual reliance. They demonstrate to third countries that we see one another as partners with whom we can plan, act, and face uncertainty together,” Djuric said.

He added that the Serbian–Hungarian strategic partnership is “alive and dynamic,” and is reflected not only in declarations, but in daily cooperation, political coordination, and a shared understanding that the national interests of the two countries are best protected when they work together, rather than alongside one another.

Djuric also announced that, in addition to already established joint missions, further co-locations could be opened in the near future in countries such as Tanzania and Vietnam.

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Péter Szijjártó noted that Hungarian tourists in Greece—whose numbers continue to grow—will greatly benefit from having access to consular services in Thessaloniki, pointing out that more than 600,000 Hungarian citizens visited Greece last year.

“There is also a growing number of mixed marriages, and an increasing number of Hungarians working in international companies in Greece. This has created the need for enhanced consular support for Hungarian citizens,” Szijjártó explained.

According to him, this is the fifth co-location of diplomatic and consular missions between the two countries, following the opening of joint premises in Chile, the Congo, Zambia, and Malta.

He emphasized that the joint functioning of diplomatic missions between the two countries represents a very clear demonstration and confirmation of the highest possible level of mutual trust between the two states.

“There is no stronger sign by which such a high degree of mutual trust can be demonstrated and reflected than the joint operation of diplomatic missions. Since this form of cooperation requires the highest possible level of mutual trust, it is very rare. In our case, this type of cooperation exists exclusively with our neighbor, Serbia,” Szijjártó said.

He added that a high-speed railway between Belgrade and Budapest will be opened in the coming weeks, recalling that negotiations are underway between MOL and NIS regarding the purchase of the Russian ownership stake in the company. This, he said, will enable coordinated management of the oil markets of three Central European countries—Serbia, Hungary, and Slovakia.

“This will almost entirely mitigate the disadvantages arising from the fact that these countries are landlocked, and such a transaction will ensure a level of supply security that has not existed until now, as well as price stability we have not previously experienced,” Szijjártó stated.

The two ministers also held a bilateral meeting.

The opening of the Hungarian Consular Office within the Serbian Consulate in Thessaloniki was attended by Serbia’s Ambassador to Greece Nikola Nedeljkovic, the Consul General in Thessaloniki Jelena Vujic Obradovic, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dušan Kozarev, as well as numerous Serbian and Hungarian diplomats.