On 16-17 January 2012 Minister without portfolio for negotiations between Hungary and certain international financial organisations Tamás Fellegi continued informal consultations in Germany to prepare the official negotiations on Hungary’s loan request.

The Minister had discussions with Mario Draghi, Governor of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt. The meeting was attended by Vice-President of the European Central Bank, Peter Praet and Jörg Asmussen, members of the Board of Directors, and András Simor, Governor of the National Bank of Hungary. The parties overviewed the ECB’s recommendations incorporated in Hungary’s amended central bank act as well as the additional comments made in relation to the effective statutory regulation. They discussed the most significant current indicators and future prospects of the Hungarian economy. Tamás Fellegi and Jens Weidmann, Governor of the Federal Bank of Germany (Deutsche Bundesbank) assessed Hungary’s economic environment. The minister also met Jürgen Fitschen, member of the Board of Deutsche Bank AG, and Ulrich Sieber, member of Commerzbank AG responsible for Central and Eastern Europe.

During his two-day visit, Tamás Fellegi met Federal Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, Deputy State Secretary in charge of European Affairs in the Federal Chancellery, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, and deputy head of CDU’s parliamentary faction Michael Meister. During their talks special attention was paid to the position of large German corporations in Hungary.

On 19 January, 2012 Tamás Fellegi will meet and have discussions with Austrian Central Bank governor Ewald Nowotny, and on 20 January he will personally consult Olli Rehn, deputy head of the EC and European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs in Brussels.

(Press Office for Tamás Fellegi, Minister without Portfolio)