Investments in the manufacturing industry, which constitute one-third of total investments in the national economy, increased by 5.3 percent in the period October-December 2012 compared to one year ago. Investments, however, decreased with regard to the entire national economy: according to the latest flash report of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), in Q4 2012 the volume of investments was down by 7.9 percent in comparison to the corresponding period of 2011.
The Deputy State Secretary will hold talks with German Government Spokesperson Steffen Seibert and meet editors of leading German business and political newspapers as well as the heads of the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, two renowned political think tanks.
At a ceremony held in Camp Pannonia, Maj.-Gen. László Domján, the commander of the Hungarian Defence Forces Joint Force Command (HDF JFC) announced that the contingent of the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT) would complete its operational tasks in early March. He stressed that the handover of the camp to the Afghan partners had started and would be finished at the end of March. (Reporting from the spot.)
Negotiations aimed at solving the problem of those with foreign currency loans have commenced and will continue next week, Financial Affairs Commissioner György Doubravszky said at a press conference in Budapest.
The number of Hungarian asylum requests in Canada has dropped by 98% since the amendment of the Immigration Act – Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Péter Sztáray declared during his stay in Ottawa. Péter Sztáray was on a two-day official visit to Canada and held meetings at the Defence, Immigration and the Foreign Ministries.
Easing the burden on municipalities was again on the agenda of Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. It was decided that HUF 600 billion of local council debt, including 60 per cent of the capital’s debt, will be taken over by the state.
Foreign Minister János Martonyi will pay an official visit to Bucharest on March 4-5 at the invitation of Titus Corlatean, his Romanian counterpart.
The Hungarian Government signed a strategic partnership agreement with Audi Hungaria Motor Ltd. today. The signing ceremony took place in Parliament with the participation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog and United States Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis paid a visit to Nyiregyhaza on Tuesday to learn about social inclusion programmes for local Roma.
The Parliament Budgetary and Economic Committee will interview the Prime Minister's candidate to head the National Bank of Hungary on Friday afternoon, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on commercial news channel HírTV.
The First Job Guarantee Programme to assist career-starters will be re-launched as of 1 March 2013 with resources totalling HUF 5bn, which provides support for at least 7200 young people, Minister of State for Employment Sándor Czomba said at a press conference in Budapest. Skilled and unskilled young people under the age of 25 can sign up to the Programme at employment centres, which will also help them find an employer.
The Council of the European Union has begun preparative work in the interests of banning neo-nicotinoid pesticides; Hungary opposes the ban -- Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas told Hungarian news agency MTI on Monday following the meeting of EU agriculture ministers.
With the participation of Maj.-Gen. László Domján, the commander of the HDF Joint Force Command, the units of the Hungarian Defence Forces operating in Baghlan Province held staff meetings at the camp of the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT) in Pol-e Khomri and at the Hungarian–US Military Advisory Team (MAT) in Khilagay. (Reporting from the spot!)
Maj.-Gen. László Domján, the commander of the HDF Joint Force Command recently handed over the last development project of the HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT), the 12 renovated classrooms of the Hazrat Zaid primary school. (Reporting from the spot!)
According to the latest data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), employment growth is continuing unabated. In the period November 2012-January 2013, 39 thousand more people were employed than one year ago. Thus, the number of people in employment in the 15-74 year age group increased from 3 million 816 thousand to 3 million 855 thousand. This was the 30th consecutive month in which the number of people in employment was higher compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Employment indicators show signs of improvement with regard to both sexes and every age group.
Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its deep condemnation of serial and brutal attacks by the Syrian authorities against their own citizens.
This year will be the year of economic growth in Hungary, and therefore the Government is facilitating the increase in households’ spendable income, is continuing its policy of opening towards the East, will be signing new strategic partnership agreements with major companies in Hungary and is supporting the export activities of small and medium-sized enterprises, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó stated on Monday at an event hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).
The Ministry of Human Resources has come to an agreement regarding cooperation with five teachers' trade unions, in addition to which professional consultations between the parties are taking place continually, Deputy State Secretary for Public Education Zoltán Gloviczki said at a press briefing today.
Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog declared in Jánoshalma that 20 000 children living in deep poverty will be supported through the recently launched Együtt egymásért ("Together for Each Other") programme. The program will be implemented using HUF 428 million in EU funding.
On 25 February, in remembrance of the victims of communist dictatorships, a memorial event took place in plot 300 of the Rákoskeresztúr New Public Cemetery.
Foreign Minister János Martonyi appointed Deputy State Secretary Gábor Baranyai as the Ministerial Commissioner in charge of preparing the UN conference on water management and sanitation to be held in Budapest this October.
According to currently available Eurostat data, retail turnover decreased in 13 EU countries in December, while growth was registered in nine of them.
The pre-deployment training for the soldiers of the Hungarian Defence Forces to be sent to Mail is already under way, and the Hungarian operational plan is ready for receiving the final approval of a public law entity, the government’s authorization, Lt.-Col. (Eng.) Viktor Csabianszki, a member of the Defence Staff Operations Directorate told Hungarian News Agency MTI on Thursday, February 21.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held his traditional state-of-the-nation speech on 22 February in Budapest, providing a comprehensive assessment of the past year’s achievements and paving the way for future steps of the country.
"The Government is sticking to its previously adopted deficit target of under three percent", announced Minister without portfolio Mihály Varga on Friday in reaction to the European Commission's winter forecast.