In cooperation with our Embassy and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Budapest the Central European Service for Cross-Border Initiatives (CESCI) organised the third Szentgotthárd Forum, which took place on the 22nd and 23rd of May 2017.
The main aim of the event, held annually according to the provisions of the Szentgotthárd Initiative, is the strengthening of cross-border cooperation. The central theme of this year’s forum was digital technology and its application in Slovenian and Hungarian public administration, automotive industry, farming, food industry, tourism and silver economy. A special panel was dedicated to the challenges of bilingual education and the use of possible digital solutions. The event was attended by representatives of Hungarian and Slovenian municipalities, companies, educational institutions and civil organisations. The Forum was opened by Mr László Kövér, the President of the National Assembly of Hungary, who used this opportunity to also visit the Slovenian national minority in Porabje. After Mr Kövér's opening speech the guests were greeted by the Slovenian Ambassador in Budapest Ms Ksenija Škrilec and the Hungarian Ambassador in Ljubljana Ms Edit Szilágyiné Bátorfi. Mr Boris Koprivnikar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, responsible for digital government and Mr László Palkovics, Minister of State for Higher Education at the Ministry of Human Resources of Hungary also attended the event. They took part in the plenary session held on the second day of the Forum. The Slovenian Minister gave a presentation of the Slovenian Government's digital program, while the Hungarian Minister of State spoke of the test track for self-driving vehicles, which is being built in Zalaegerszeg, and of potential Hungarian-Slovenian joint projects.
