Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday sent his greetings to Giorgia Meloni, his Italian counterpart, to mark Italy’s national holiday. A statement from Orbán’s press chief quoted the prime minister as referring to Meloni as a “head of government knowing and understanding Hungary, and working to protect European Christian values”, and welcoming their cooperation “aimed at resolving such extraordinary challenges as migration and the energy crisis”. “Recent, high-level bilateral visits clearly indicate the rising intensity of our relations,” Orbán said in his letter. He added that defence, the economy, and culture offered further areas of cooperation.