Hungary’s observer status in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is widely regarded as one of the most distinctive achievements of the outgoing Orbán government’s Eastern Opening policy launched after 2010. During a panel discussion organized by the Danube Institute on Tuesday, 28 April, experts discussed the strategic, economic, and geopolitical advantages that both Hungary and the Turkic states have derived from the partnership.
The discussion, moderated by Ibrahim Mammadov, Head of the Turkic-Western Engagement Initiative (TWEI) at the Danube Institute, featured Zoltán Egeresi, Research Fellow at the institute specializing in the region, alongside Dániel Farkas and Norbert Szári, both Senior Research Fellows at the Danube Institute.
Egeresi described Hungary’s close relationship with the Turkic states as an ‘important achievement’ of Hungarian foreign policy, stressing that it should be preserved in the future as a ‘useful framework’ for cooperation. According to him, the partnership has opened up opportunities in areas such as energy cooperation, trade, and finance, while also strengthening Hungary’s geopolitical flexibility.
At the same time, he emphasized that the OTS is far from a homogeneous bloc, as its member states face ‘very different geopolitical concerns’ and economic challenges. He highlighted Azerbaijan as a particularly important ‘bridge country’ between Europe and Central Asia, while also pointing to the demographic boom currently taking place across Central Asia, which he said creates long-term economic potential.
Egeresi argued that Hungary’s Eastern Opening strategy, launched after 2010, elevated Budapest’s engagement with non-EU countries to a new level and helped build trust among Turkic partners towards Hungarian diplomats, businesses, and companies. He noted that this trust has made economic penetration easier for Hungarian firms in regions where Western European companies often struggle to establish themselves.
According to Zoltán Egeresi, trust built between Hungary and Turkic states helped Hungarian companies enter Central Asian markets easier than their Western partners. PHOTO: Tamás Gyurkovits/Hungarian Conservative
Dániel Farkas identified three core pillars behind the success of Hungary’s Turkic engagement: international solidarity, the creation of a new foreign trade model for small and medium-sized countries, and the strengthening of alliance systems beyond the traditional Western world. He argued that complementarity plays a crucial role in cooperation between Hungary and Central Asia, adding that Hungarian ‘anchor companies’ such as MOL and Richter can provide significant added value in the region.
According to Farkas, Hungary can serve as a gateway between the European Union and the Turkic world, while the Turkic states can offer Hungary access to rapidly developing markets and strategic resources. He also highlighted emerging cooperation in high-tech sectors, including space technology, mentioning the role of the Hungarian telecommunications and technology company 4iG.
Norbert Szári stressed the importance of cultural relations in strengthening political and economic ties between Hungary and the Turkic states. He also highlighted the growing significance of Hungarian–Turkish defence cooperation, including technology transfer and co-production projects.
Among the examples mentioned was the Gidrán military vehicle programme, as well as the operational cooperation between Hungary and Türkiye. According to Szári, the Turkish military’s combat experience offers valuable lessons for the Hungarian Armed Forces, while cooperation with Türkiye also allows Hungary to diversify beyond traditional Western defence suppliers, shorten procurement cycles, and gain access to more cost-effective military equipment.
Norbert Szári highlighted the potential in Central Asia’s vast reserves of critical minerals. PHOTO: Tamás Gyurkovits/Hungarian Conservative
He added that Hungary could simultaneously benefit from domestic industrial growth opportunities, while Türkiye gains an EU-based manufacturing and market access partner through Hungary.
The panellists also discussed the growing geopolitical significance of Central Asia’s vast reserves of critical minerals, which Szári described as rich but still relatively underexplored. In this context, infrastructure development was identified as a key strategic issue, particularly regarding extraction, transportation, and the creation of alternative Eurasian supply routes that could compete with traditional Russia-linked corridors.
Egeresi further noted that Hungary has become one of the largest investors in Azerbaijan, ranking around third among foreign investors, while cooperation has also expanded into other regions and geopolitical areas. He highlighted energy diversification efforts and said Hungary increasingly acts as an alternative energy market for Turkic countries.
Concluding the discussion, the panellists broadly agreed that Hungary’s relationship with the Turkic states has evolved into a strategically valuable pillar of the country’s foreign policy, combining economic, geopolitical, energy, and security interests. They argued that the incoming Hungarian government should preserve and further strengthen this unique partnership, warning that the trust and institutional networks built over the past decade would be difficult to rebuild if neglected.
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