Gulyas: Hungarian-German relations good 'despite smear campaign' by press

German-Hungarian relations are especially good "despite a smear campaign" in the German press against Hungary, ruling Fidesz group leader Gergely Gulyas said on Thursday. Hungary-Germany relations are "alive and functioning", he told an event organised by the Nezopont Institute and the Hungarian bureau of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Germany is Hungary's most important partner, and economic relations coupled with unique cultural and person-to-person ties are exceptionally strong, he added. At the same time, a large portion of the German press is pursuing a smear campaign against Hungary, he insisted. "If you look at Hungary and compare it to the image drawn by the German press, then it is obvious that the two are not even distantly related," he said. Attempts to discredit Hungary started as long as seven years ago and the issue of migration has only served to intensify them, he added.