Minister for National Development Tamás Fellegi opened the financial summit of Hungarian Business Leaders Forum on 13 May 2011 in Budapest. In his lecture he reported that the various countries, markets and businesses had received the forward-looking and problem-solving government measures favourably. He added that the publication of the National Energy Strategy marked the commencement of social consultation over the document.

The Government’s objective was to create a predictable and stable business environment as this is in the interest of all enterprises, whether in Hungarian or in international ownership, the minister emphasised. Mutually reinforcing feedbacks from various international markets confirm that the Hungarian government has set out in the right direction in an effort to create and sustain a regulatory, financial and economic environment that is favourable for re-launching economic growth and improving competitiveness. Meanwhile, with a view to the equitable sharing of public burdens, the government must set an example in the management of public property and during its procurements.

The minister reminded that this was the very reason why the Structural Reform Programme included the creation of a new regulatory environment of public procurements by the codification of a permanent, coherent and carefully considered act. In the interest of curbing corruption and combating abuses, the new public procurement act will close all backdoors through which public property had been leaking, the minister added.

We must focus the government’s property policy on high-priority social objectives, as their efficient enforcement is only possible through the government’s responsible property management and increase. As condition setting must precede practice, uniform public property registration must be organised as soon as possible, and the National Property Management Policy setting forth the 2011-2014 property policy strategy must be filed to Parliament.

Tamás Fellegi pointed out that in the interest of a more efficient enforcement of the public good and national interests, the regulatory power of the state must be restored in the field of energy. The social consultation of the National Energy Strategy starts on 13 May 2011, and the Ministry of National Development expects comments and proposals from every interested party. Dr Fellegi explained that the strategy defines five priority tools that can be used during the approaching global energy structure change: energy saving, the highest possible ratio of renewable energy sources, secure nuclear energy, the electrification of transport and reviving multi-functional agriculture and connection to the European energy infrastructure.

In alignment with the European Union’s documents of similar content and purpose, the strategy determines the path to follow by the Hungarian energy sector up to 2030, giving an outlook for additional two decades extending to 2050. For its electronic version, visit: www.kormany.hu

(Ministry of National Development , Department of Communication)