A delegation of parliamentarians and leaders of the Hungarian cooperative banking system led by Potapi Anpad Janos paid a five-day visit to Vietnam at the invitation of the Vietnam Association of Small-and Medium-Sized Enterprises. A VOV reporter interviewed Mr Janos.

VOV: What is the purpose of your visit to Vietnam?

Parliamentarian Janos: The main purpose of the visit is to exchange experiences between Hungary’s Cooperative Bank and the Vietnam People’s Credit Fund.

In addition to a world famous training centre for nuclear power, Hungary has its biggest nuclear power plant in Paks, which has been operating for nearly 30 years. Hungary is willing to cooperate with Vietnam to train human resources for its future nuclear power plants.

We want to promote cooperation not only with state-owned organizations, but also between social organizations such as the Hungarian Solidarity Committee and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee.

I want to express my sincere thanks to the Fund for Hungary –Vietnam relations, presided over by Phan Bich Thien, which has helped promote cooperation between the two countries.

During our stay in Vietnam, we met with Minister of Justice Ha Hung Cuong; President of the VFF Central Committee, Huynh Dam; and Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, Tran Minh Tuan; and attended a seminar on creating a People’s Credit Fund as a model banking system to serve small-and medium-sized enterprises.

These are initial steps, but I think the two countries will continue to strengthen cooperation in fields of mutual interest.

VOV: Vietnam and Hungary celebrated the 60^th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2010. What do you think of cooperative relations between the two countries?

Parliamentarian Janos: Hungary and Vietnam have fine ties of friendship and cooperation; however, thus far they have not developed as well as hoped

There are more than 3,000 Vietnamese people now living in Hungary and many Hungarian businesses are investing in Vietnam.

I hope that, with active support from both States and peoples, the cooperative relationship between Hungary and Vietnam will develop strongly in the future.

VOV: What is your evaluation of the contributions Vietnamese people in Hungary have made to strengthening bilateral ties?

Parliamentarian Janos: Most Vietnamese people in Hungary are doing business; they are integrating well and have become part of Hungarian society. Several are also taking an active role in boosting bilateral ties between the two countries.

The couple Thuroczy Laszlo and Phan Bich Thien have attained a certain position in Hungarian society and made significant contributions.

I am the governor of Tolna province and we are very proud of the hotel owned by Thuroczy Laszlo and Phan Bich Thien, which won the titles of Hungary’s Most Beautiful Hotel in 2010 and Hotel of the Year in 2011.

VOV: Thank you very much