Cagri Kosak and Fatma Zehra Solmaz
28 June 2025•Update: 28 June 2025
ISTANBUL
Türkiye and Hungary on Saturday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening media cooperation during the “Media Bridges” workshop in Istanbul, with officials calling for deeper dialogue and a united response to global challenges.
The event, titled From Common Roots to New Horizons: Türkiye – Hungary Media Bridges, was organized by Türkiye's Communications Directorate, the Türkiye Research Foundation (TAV) and the Foundation for a Civic Hungary (PMA).
Opening the session “Media Bridges: Strengthening the Turkish-Hungarian Dialogue,” TAV Vice President Enes Bayrakli said the workshop brings together key media and communication figures from both countries to build on their long-standing friendship.
“Türkiye and Hungary are two friendly countries that complement each other in many areas,” Bayrakli said, stressing the importance of passing this relationship to future generations.
Highlighting a shared challenge, he warned of the growing threat of disinformation and called it a “global threat.”
PMA President Kavecsanszki described Istanbul as “a meeting point of cultures” and emphasized Europe’s security reliance on Türkiye.
“Global challenges can only be overcome through collaborative efforts,” he said. Citing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s remarks that “Hungarians lost the last century,” Kavecsanszki said: “Our goal is to win the 21st century. We view Türkiye as a partner in this effort.”
He also said Hungary is “fighting for traditional values” and that the two countries have built “bridges in many areas, from media to education.”
Gozde Kiriscioglu, international media coordinator at Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, called for stronger Türkiye-Hungary media ties to promote accurate information.
“We must be the voice of truth and fight against falsehoods,” she said, encouraging more resident journalists from both countries and a greater Hungarian media presence in Türkiye.
