During the discussion of the 2023 state budget project, in response to the question of MP Sona Ghazaryan, Paruyr Hovhannisyan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, said that he sees room for cautious optimism and the need for additional steps to restore diplomatic relations between Armenia and Hungary.

Ghazaryan reminded that Armenia suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary. However, recently captured Armenian citizens were returned through the mediation of Hungary. The MP wondered if it was possible to restore relations.

Paruyr Hovhannisyan reminded that relations were suspended as a result of well-known incidents. "Last year, we saw a step made by Hungary. As a result, five prisoners were returned to Armenia. After that, we saw some other steps, aid was provided to the school named after Gurgen Margaryan, and vaccines against the coronavirus were also provided as an aid to Armenia," Hovhannisyan said. He reminded that recently a renovated Armenian Catholic church was opened in Budapest. The Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church was also present and had a meeting with the President of Hungary.

"In other words, we see certain steps in that direction. Of course, as we said before, we are ready to provide an appropriate solution to that situation as well. Additional steps are required. I think there is room for cautious optimism," the Deputy Minister said.

Importantly, Hungary extradited Ramil Safarov, the Azerbaijani who axed Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan, who was participating in NATO training in Budapest, on February 19, 2004, even though Safarov was sentenced by the Hungarian court to life imprisonment with 30 years of parole. Safarov was released in Azerbaijan and received the rank of major. On August 31, 2012, by the decision of the National Security Council of Armenia, diplomatic relations with Hungary were suspended.