In a letter, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has congratulated President Aleksandar Vucic on the historic success of the Serbian Progressive Party in Serbia s parliamentary, provincial and local government elections, the Hungarian premier s press chief told Hungary s state news agency (MTI) on Monday.

„Under your brave leadership, Serbia has shown in recent years that it is not simply able to cope with the challenges ahead, but is also ready to become the winner of the upcoming decade, along with the other countries of Central Europe. I am convinced that your successful governance has laid all the foundations for Serbia to become a full member of the European Union by the end of the four-year parliamentary term,” Viktor Orban said.

Hungary s prime minister assured Mr Vucic that the Hungarian government continues to be committed to developing bilateral relationships and deepening strategic partnership. In this spirit, the Hungarian government is ready to organise the 6th governmental summit between the two countries after the formation of the new Serbian cabinet.

In a letter addressed to Istvan Pasztor, chairman of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians party, the Hungarian premier also commended on the election success of Serbia s ethnic Hungarian community.

Mr Orban stressed that he was very pleased to see Serbia s ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina demonstrate yet again, during Sunday s parliamentary elections, that they believe in the power of cooperation and they are not afraid to take their fate into their own hands. If the optimistic predictions prove to be true, there will be twice as many Hungarian MPs in the Serbian parliament, he added. The Hungarian Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians has become the third strongest party at the provincial level, and several localities that are key to Hungarians may also be headed by Hungarian mayors.

Viktor Orban said there was little doubt that this result was also a message to the whole nation, and the fact that it s rooted in the hard and persistent work of recent years further increases its value.