On the 3rd of April 2024, at the request of the Turkish side, Mr. Balázs Hendrich, Deputy CEO of VIKI, welcomed a delegation led by Ms. Elif KURSUNLU, Director General for EU Relations at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Ráda Csaba, Head of Division from the Western Balkans Department of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At the meeting, Balázs Hendrich presented the activities and achievements of VIKI, as an organisation supporting and coordinating the development of dual-use technologies, and its role in connecting the national innovation ecosystem with ecosystems of partner countries. On behalf of the Turkish delegation, Mr. Bulent Ozcan, Director General for Financial Coordination and Project Implementation, outlined the responsibilities of the Directorate General for EU Affairs of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Director General Mr. ÖZCAN highlighted the significance of this visit, especially in the context of the Turkish-Hungarian Year of Innovation 2025.
The discussions underscored the achievements of the cooperation, which spans all aspects of force development, including procurement, defense industrial capacity building, and R&D projects. Balázs Hendrich emphasized the existing productive relationship between VIKI and TÜBİTAK, along with its affiliated organizations (TÜBİTAK SAGE, TÜBİTAK BİLGEM), underlining the comprehensive nature of this partnership.
