German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has said Germany and Hungary have “an enormous amount of catching up to do” as he visits Budapest, the first German foreign minister to travel there in almost seven years, according to DW.
Before leaving, Wadephul said the two countries were opening “a new chapter together”. He said political change in Hungary created an opportunity to rebuild relations quickly on the basis of mutual trust and reliability.
The minister said Hungary’s new government had introduced important reforms over a short period. He described a return to the rule of law and implementation of European Union requirements as positive developments for both Europe and the Hungarian people.
The visit comes amid wider pressure on Germany’s economy and labour market. IG Metall has called demonstrations at more than 200 locations for September 21 to protest job cuts and other demands in the automotive industry. Union leader Christiane Benner said employees were bearing most of the sector’s crisis and warned against proposals to increase working hours from 35 to 40 without higher pay.
DW also reported that Germany’s economy was slowing at the beginning of the third quarter. The Economy Ministry said high energy costs had contributed to a considerable decline in domestic consumption, while economic growth in energy-intensive industries appeared to be losing momentum.
Other issues highlighted in the roundup included a planned fourth signals-intelligence ship for the German Navy, subject to parliamentary approval, and a fall in homeownership. A Pestel Institute study cited by the Augsburger Allgemeine put the homeownership rate at 43.5%, its lowest level in 20 years, with high construction costs and interest rates among the factors identified.