Hungary handing over EU Presidency to Poland

PM Tusk with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban; photo - PAP

The two heads of government met at Tusk’s office at 12.00 CET.

On the final day of Budapest’s presidency of the Council of the European, yesterday, Hungary concluded EU accession negotiations with Croatia, which began six years ago.

Prime Minister Tusk said that Hungary had looked after the presidency “after six months hard work at a difficult time, free of error".

Hungary's Foreign Minister János Martonyi said in Brussels that 30 June 2011 was a day of “historic significance, not only for Croatia, but also for the European Union.”

The accession treaty is expected to be signed at the end of this year, under Poland’s EU presidency. (pg)