Hungary and Ukraine submit border crossing infrastructure plans to Brussels

Levente Magyar said the plan includes a cross-border motorway connection, a new crossing for lorries and related road developments.

Levente Magyar, a state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Hungary and Ukraine will submit a plan for EUR 1bn in joint upgrades of frontier and road infrastructure to Brussels.

Speaking at a border crossing on Monday, Magyar said the plan includes a cross-border motorway connection, a new crossing for lorries and related road developments.

He added that the Beregsurany-Astei border crossing would undergo a two-year renovation and expansion, while a crossing between Nagyhodos and Velyka Palad would open soon, bringing the number of crossings between Hungary and Ukraine to six.

Magyar acknowledged the divergent views on some matters of the governments of Hungary and Ukraine but said both agreed that expanding border-crossing capacity was necessary to boost trade and advance Ukraine’s integration with the European economy.

He said direct passenger train service between Budapest and Kyiv would start soon.

Viktor Mykyta, the deputy head of the Office of the President, said border crossings needed to be expanded as both Ukraine and Hungary were on transit routes.