Vucic receives Hungarian Grand Cross of Order of Merit

BUDAPEST - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic received the Hungarian Grand Cross of Order of Merit with a golden star on a collar from Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok in Budapest on Monday.

Vucic said it would be another stone in a beautiful road of cooperation between Serbs and Hungarians and Serbia and Hungary.

"I am very excited, very happy and proud to have received this order today," Vucic said at a ceremony.

"To me, it means much more than any word I can utter. It is a great honour to receive this order - which is very important to me - at this time," he said.

"We have done much for the reconciliation between Serbs and Hungarians: it is never enough, but I am certain the resilience we will need in the future will be greater than both you and I expect - resilience in terms of our relations being based on real interests, as well as on a sincere friendship between our nations," Vucic said.

He noted that Hungary and its leadership were popular not only in Kanjiza, Subotica or Ada, but perhaps even more so in Belgrade, Kragujevac and Nis.

Having Hungarian PM Viktor Orban as a friend has made it all easier, Vucic noted.

"Whenever Serbia or I myself had a difficult time, we always found a friendly hand here in Budapest. At the same time, we extended a hand of friendship and, in spite of the fact we are smaller, not a member of the EU and weaker, it seems to me that we have proved loyalty and faithfulness in friendship in every way in this relationship. I accept this order as an enormous honour, as well as on behalf of all Serbian citizens who today know how to appreciate Hungary and love the Hungarian people and count on a shared future," Vucic noted.

"Thank you, and may the friendship of the Serbs and Hungarians and Serbia and Hungary live forever," Vucic said.

At the ceremony, Sulyok said Vucic had had a historic role in bringing the two nations closer together and a leading role in building and strengthening a strategic partnership between the two countries.