Slovak and Hungarian Presidents Open Renovated Rakoczi Manor in Borsa

Slovak and Hungarian Presidents Open Renovated Rakoczi Manor in Borsa

Borsa, June 19 (TASR) – Slovak President Zuzana Caputova and Hungarian President Janos Ader at a ceremony on Saturday jointly opened a renovated Rakoczi Manor in the village of Borsa in eastern Slovakia, located within a walking distance from the Hungarian border.

Caputova called the manor a “symbol showing that centuries of common history shouldn’t divide us, but on the contrary, they should connect us as neighbouring member states of the European Union”. She said that values shared by members states are far more important in the EU than state borders.

The renovation project, agreed by then Slovak president Ivan Gasparovic and Ader eight years ago, was actually launched in 2018 and it cost €8.7 million.

“Slovakia’s financial contribution was really minimum; there were funds from the EU and a massive contribution of the Hungarian side. The Slovak side was helpful in arranging permits and other things,” said Caputova.

Ader at the ceremony said that the manor should become a venue for the present meeting with the past.

“We, Slovaks and Hungarians, have jointly renovated something that should have received our attention long ago,” he said.

The manor is known as the birthplace of Francis II Rakoczi, Prince of Transylvania and leader of the Hungarian uprising against the Habsburgs in 1703-11.