On 13 November 2009, at 11am, Pope Benedict XVI received the Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai for a private audience, during which Mr. Bajnai briefed the Holy Father on Hungary?s economic situation and the priorities of the 2011 Hungarian presidency of the EU. 

The Prime Minister reiterated the offer of the State of Hungary of holding a concert in the Vatican on the occasion of the Hungarian EU presidency and the Liszt Year 2011, which His Holiness welcomed. 

The Holy Father appreciated the Hungarian Christian heritage and referred to the Millennium of the Bishopric of Pécs. During the audience, he emphasized the significance of the twentieth anniversary of the demolition of the Berlin Wall for the region. In addition, several international issues (Middle-East, Iran, Afghanistan, the Copenhagen climate conference) were also touched upon. Pope Benedict XVI made reference to the message of his encyclical letter beginning "Caritas in veritate", in which he is seeking for a way out of the world-wide economic and moral crisis. 

After the papal audience, the Hungarian Prime Minister held a meeting with Under-Secretary Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, during which they reviewed relations between Hungary and Vatican, and between the Hungarian state and the Church at large, respectively. Issues related to Hungarian Catholics living beyond the country?s borders were also raised. Prime Minister Bajnai briefed Cardinal Bertone on the situation of our region, the crisis management of the Hungarian Government and the Hungarian position on current international issues. Cardinal Bertone concluded the meeting by calling for the preservation of the cultural heritage of the Church, and urging for the support of this end.