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 State Secretary reminded the audience that as a general requirement, Hungary must spend the development funds it has been assigned within the European Union's new Multiannual Financial Framework faster and more flexibly. The new system of allocating funds also serves this purpose, transferring decision-making and supervision directly to the ministries, he added.

Strategic partnership agreements also serve the interests of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as the companies who sign such agreements with the Government undertake to enlarge their network of Hungarian suppliers, State Secretary Szijjártó pointed out. In order to support SME exports, Eximbank has broadened its credit activity and the Government will establish trade houses, this year probably in Moscow, Riyadh, Astana and in Beijing, he said.

With regard to strategic partnership agreements, he stated that their goal is to ensure continuous communication and consultation by creating special workgroups that allow representatives of both the Government and the corporations to discuss issues of economic policy. The State Secretary also ensured the audience that the Government is committed to keeping the deficit under 3%, even if some critics doubt this.

(Prime Minister's Office)