Szecseny, Hungary  - Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico on Thursday issued an 11-point joint government statement of intent that aims to thaw increasingly frosty relations between their countries.

The document calls for setting up intergovernmental committees and civic organizations to improve relations.

However, despite much talk of cooperation and shared goals, Fico stood his ground and refused to countenance any changes to a Slovak state language act that is one of the main sources of tension.

Budapest - The Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai told police leaders on Wednesday to come up with a package of measures to deal with a recent spate of armed attacks against Hungarian Roma.

A 45-year-old Roma woman was the latest to be killed in an armed attack on Monday. Her 13-year-old-daughter is in stable in hospital after undergoing lifesaving surgery for extensive shotgun wounds.

Budapest - Hungarian Premier Gordon Bajnai on Monday accepted the resignation of Sandor Laborc, the head of Hungary's National Security Office, the Prime Minister's Office told local news agency MTI.

Laborc was a controversial figure due to his communist-era past as a graduate of a top KGB academy in the Soviet Union.

His resignation came in the wake of a scandal over a private security firm that was suspected of spying on politicians and hacking into state computers.

Budapest - The visa requirement for Serbians travelling to the European Union could be lifted as early as January, the prime ministers of Hungary and Serbia said after talks in the Hungarian capital on Monday.

Hungarian prime minister Gordon Bajnai and his Serbian counterpart Mirko Cvetkovic spoke of strengthening ties between their neighbouring countries, the local news agency MTI reported.

Budapest  - Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai on Friday promised Hungary would maintain strict fiscal discipline right up to the next general election in 2010.

"I can assure you there will not be an election budget," Bajnai told local and foreign business leaders in the capital, Budapest.

The prime minister said he intends to hand over a "mended country" to the next government, whoever forms it, and cautioned that the hard work is far from over.

Budapest - Hungary's parliament approved on Monday a package of tax reforms aimed at stimulating the economy and increasing participation in the labour market.

Before the vote, interim Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said the outcome of this last day of the spring parliamentary session would determine Hungary's fate far into the future.

Budapest  - Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai tolds reporters on Thursday that it would be unacceptable to the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, and international investors if Hungary were to miss its revised budget deficit target of 3.9 per cent this year.

"Confidence in our country is very fragile, and with every step we must affirm that Hungary is on the road to stability, reliability, and, in the medium term, adoption of the euro currency," Bajnai said.

Budapest  - In a week where the Hungarian parliament adopted his new government's pension reforms and tax changes, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai pledged Friday to stick to his reform programme despite public resistance and constant attacks from the opposition.

"Over the next year this government will implement much more significant changes than any government with a four year mandate has done in the past twelve years," Bajnai said.

Vienna - Hungary's Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai expressed hope on Tuesday that his austerity package would help bolster faith in his country, as the new head of government was in Vienna for his first foreign visit. The recent measures would stabilize the economy even in case of a 6-per-cent downturn, he said at his meeting with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann, according to Austrian press agency APA.

Budapest - Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai Sunday presented his new government's programme of crisis measures and public spending cuts to steer Hungary out of its economic woes.

Pensions, public sector pay and welfare payments were all cut while value-added tax was increased in an effort to relieve the national budget by the equivalent of 4.4 billion euros.

Bajnai also announced tax relief for lower-income workers in an effort to counter unemployment. "This is a crisis management programme that demands sacrifice by all Hungarians," he warned.

Budapest  - Economy Minister Gordon Bajnai was on course to become Hungary's prime minister on Monday morning when leaders the opposition Free Democrats voted shortly after midnight to back his nomination.

Bajnai was endorsed by the governing Socialist Party on Sunday evening after a lengthy day of debate.

On Sunday evening he held talks until close to midnight with the Free Democrats, whose support the Socialists need.