(Official communiqué from Sándor Palota) Budapest, 17th September. The President of the Republic, Dr. Tamás Sulyok, received Fra’ John Timothy Dunlap, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, who arrived in Hungary on an official visit, with military honours at Kossuth Square.
Following the ceremony, the parties held talks at the Sándor Palace.
After the plenary meeting between the official delegations, the extension of the document entitled “Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Hungary and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta on humanitarian cooperation and assistance to religious and ethnic minorities suffering persecution in crisis regions” was signed in the Palace’s Maria Theresia Hall. The agreement was countersigned by Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén and by Riccardo Paternò di Montecupo, Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Afterwards, the President of the Republic awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary with Collar and gold star to the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. John T. Dunlap then presented the Collar of the Order Pro Merito Melitensi to Dr. Tamás Sulyok, President of the Republic of Hungary.
Following his visit to the Vatican in the spring, Dr. Tamás Sulyok had already met and discussed with the Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Photo: Bence Kovács, MMSZ