Minister for Slovenians Abroad Gorazd Žmavc said as he addressed the opening ceremony that this was a milestone in the development of the two countries' common cultural and economic space, the minister's office wrote in a press release on Wednesday.

Žmavc also noted the upgraded centre would lay the groundwork for further strengthening the Slovenian economy in the Porabje region, which will, however, need to be coupled with continued efforts to increase the cultural and economic recognisability of the region.

This year's works on the centre, which hosts almost all the main minority institutions in Hungary, as well as a hotel and a restaurant, cost around EUR 129,000, according to public broadcaster TV Slovenija.

The minister stressed that the construction of the building 18 years ago was financed by Slovenia alone, while this time Slovenia and Hungary split the costs in half.

He believes this is a result of good relations between friendly countries that strive for their national minorities to be a connective element.

This view will also be fostered at the 16th meeting of the Slovenian-Hungarian commission for minorities in both countries, which the minister is attending in Budapest today.