Political Relations

Friendly relations between Türkiye and Hungary, which are strengthened by historical and cultural ties, have gained momentum in every field with the increasing mutual high-level visits and consultations. Our close cooperation and coordination within the framework of international and regional organizations, in particular NATO, EU, the Council of Europe and the Organization of Turkic States, as well as Hungary's support for our EU membership process, contribute to the enhancement of our relations.

With the establishment of High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) in 2013, Türkiye-Hungary relations were elevated to the level of strategic partnership. In 2023, it was agreed to elevate bilateral relations to Enhanced Strategic Partnership level. The HLSCC meetings, the first of which was held in December 2013, take place every two years. The fifth and last meeting was held in Ankara on 11 November 2021.

The last official visits at the presidential level were made to Türkiye by President Katalin Novak in March 2023 and to Hungary by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in November 2019. The Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly paid an official visit to Hungary on 28-29 September 2022.

Hungary's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Peter Szijjarto visited Türkiye on 27 February 2023 and on 3 May 2023. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid an official visit to Hungary on 28 July 2023.

Economic Relations

Source : Turkish Statistical Institute (million Dollar)

Main export items: Motor vehicles, machinery and devices, textile yarns and fabrics, metal goods from iron, steel

Main import items: Machinery and devices, plastic and articles made of plastic, motor vehicles, organic chemicals and its parts

Our joint target for bilateral trade volume with Hungary is 6 billion dollars. Bilateral trade volume reached 3.446 billion dollars in 2022.

Direct investments from Hungary to Türkiye during 2002-2023 May amounted to 29 million Dollars. Turkish direct investments in Hungary in the same period were 112 million Dollars.

Turkish contracting companies have undertaken 55 projects worth 1,5 billion dollars in Hungary. 5 projects in technical consultancy services worth 1.75 billion dollars were undertaken. Around 500 Turkish companies are active in Hungary.

The 8th meeting of the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) mechanism was held in Budapest on 16 January 2023. The Türkiye-Hungary Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) was established with the joint declaration signed on 19 April 2022.

Hungarian citizens have been able to visit Türkiye with an ID card since November 10, 2022. In 2022, over 165 thousand Hungarian tourists visited Türkiye.

Cultural, Educational and Consular Relations

Cooperation on culture and education is a significant dimension of our bilateral relations with Hungary. Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Centre (YETKM) in Budapest and Hungarian Cultural Centre Liszt Institute in Istanbul contribute to improvement of this cooperation. There are Turcology and Hungarology Departments in both countries.

2024 will be celebrated as the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year with the theme of "Hundred Years of Friendship and Cooperation" on the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the entry into force of the Turkish-Hungarian Friendship Agreement of 1923.

Thanks to our common history, Hungary hosts many Ottoman era monuments. The work on restoration projects are continuing with the contribution of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA). Upon completion of its restoration, the Gül Baba Tomb was officially inaugurated during President Erdoğan’s visit to Hungary in October 2018.

The martyrs of the 15th Army corps who fought during the First World War at the Galician front lie in the Turkish Martyrs’ Cemetery in Budapest.

There are approximately 5,700 Turkish citizens residing in Hungary.