Hungarian Defence Minister Ferenc Juhasz visited Slovenia with a delegation at the invitation of Defence Minister Anton Grizold. Apart from Grizold, Juhasz also met with Slovenia's President Janez Drnovšek, Foreign Ministry State Secretary Iztok Mirošič and representatives of the National Assembly. Hungarian Foreign Minister Lazslo Kovacs was also scheduled to visit Ljubljana, but he put the visit off to a later date due to his engagements elsewhere. The visiting Hungarian defence ministerHungari was briefed on Slovenia's accession to the European Union and NATO, while he stressed the need to respect and implement the agreement on the protection of ethnic minorities and offered that his country share its experience as a NOT member with Slovenia. Both sides also discussed topical international issues and bilateral co-operation in military and defence.

The two countries are engaged in an ongoing dialogue at the level of politicians and experts. This has enabled them to solve bilateral issues as they come up. After both countries were busy with elections in the second half of last year, this year has seen enhanced co-operation and an exchange of visits. Last February, President Janez Drnovšek chose Hungary as the site of his first visit abroad after being elected Slovenian president in December. Slovenia and Hungary are also related through similar foreign policy objectives. Hungary has achieved one of these by joining NATO and has been supporting Slovenia in its aspirations for membership in this international organisation. Increasingly important has been co-operation in interior affairs in light of preparations for the introduction of the Schengen regime on the future external border of the EU.

Slovenia and Hungary each have quite a large ethnic minority living on the other side of the common border. Their status has been settled by an agreement that grants special rights to the Slovenian minority in Hungary and Hungary's in Slovenia. The agreement was signed in 1992 to provide for formal and legal protection of both communities. It is now considered a model in the way to resolve minority issues between countries. There are more than 3,000 ethnic Slovenians living in Hungary.

In economic co-operation, both Slovenia and Hungary have concentrated their efforts to increase the levels of bilateral trade, encourage higher forms of economic co-operation and improve the economic situation of the border regions, which are populated by minorities. Slovenia is trying to reduce its trade gap, and transport connections that are to be set up between both countries as part of the 5th Pan-European transport route are expected to help in these efforts. The railway line via the Hodoš border crossing opened in 2001 and the construction of a motorway, agreed upon in an inter-state agreement, are expected to contribute greatly to the promotion of the port of Koper in the Hungarian market and a broader region.

The two nations also co-operate in culture, education and science, with regular ties maintained between partner institutions, publishing houses and associations. Last year they launched co-operation in information technologies based on an agreement signed between the relevant ministries.