Without the investments of big international companies there would be no jobs or economic growth, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at the inauguration of Procter and Gamble’s new plant in Gyöngyös. The factory will manufacture diapers, creating 150 new jobs.
The Prime Minister warned against the spread of ideas directed against all foreigners and foreign investors. A clear distinction should be made between desirable and non-desirable foreign investors, the latter being those that only want to skim the Hungarian market and take away business opportunities from others, he pointed out, adding that people who failed to make this distinction were working against their country and city.
Large international corporations like Procter and Gamble should be supported; Prime Minister Orbán underlined, since the company has created a thousand jobs in Hungary, does business with around 400 suppliers and is also known for its charitable activities. He stated that during the course of negotiations, Procter and Gamble managers had highlighted Hungary's central position within the region, flexible labour-market regulations and skilled workforce as the reasons they chose Hungary.
Hungary plans to spend 60 percent of development resources on direct economic development, the Hungarian Prime Minister added. "Once we've done this, the Hungarian economy will be on firm footing," he stated.
Speaking at another event on Tuesday, a foundation stone laying ceremony of Belgian furniture manufacturer Sinia’s new plant in Bátonyterenye, Prime Minister Orbán emphasised that everyone must be given the opportunity to return to the world of work and where the market is not able to organise this, the state must step in. Disadvantaged regions are not hopeless, they can be improved, he stated, adding that his Government aimed at achieving full employment.
The Prime Minister noted that in the early 1990s about 1.5 million jobs were lost in areas like Bátonyterenye where heavy industry was in decline. However, these parts of the country should not to be forgotten, and the new furniture plant is proof of this, he added.
Sinia will build a 10,700 square metre plant in Bátonyterenye at a cost of 1.9 billion forints (EUR 6.1m), creating 150 new jobs. The project has been awarded 640 million forints in EU funding and 113 million from the Hungarian Government.
(Prime Minister's Office)
