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« Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi pledges his country will support Germany as Hungary takes over the rotating EU presidency in January. (Samuel Kubani/AFP/Getty Images) |
As Hungary prepares to take over the presidency of Europe, Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martonyi vowed that his nation would use its new influence to support Germany.
“A strong and successful Germany is vital for the strength of Europe,” Martonyi told the press, after meeting with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle in Berlin on November 4, according to Hungarian newswire service mti. As EU president, “we will support all that is important for Germany,” he said.
The role of president of the European Council rotates among EU nations, with each nation taking the helm for six months. Currently Belgium holds the presidency. Hungary will take it for the first half of 2011, and then Poland will take it for the second half.
Hungary also wants to use its stint in the presidency to push for a “Danube Strategy.” EUbusiness reports that such a strategy “aims at modernizing road, rail and river infrastructure, attracting more tourists, creating a regional energy market and reinforcing security, all while protecting the environment.”
The Danube begins in Germany, and this kind of strategy will integrate all of the Danube nations more closely. It will make them more dependent on the industrial, export-oriented power upstream.
Germany’s economic power already makes it the de facto leader of Europe. Starting in 2011 it will also have the EU presidency rooting for it. Germany will only continue to expand its power in Europe in 2011
