Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the 184th Plenary Assembly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The Prime Minister pointed out that Hungary may be successful in the competition for the best scholars, if we manage to keep the country's most talented brains here in Hungary.

Viktor Orbán welcomed the Momentum Programme, launched by the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences with the aim of reversing the immigration of successful, young researchers.

The Prime Minister declared that Hungarians are motivated by the desire to find their place in the world and it is exclusively up to the Hungarians if they are successful or lag behind in the competition among nations, adding that the Abel Prize of Endre Szemerédi, the Kyoto Prize of László Lovász and the Brain Prize of György Buzsáki, Tamás Freund and Péter Somogyi all prove that the spirit and genius of Hungarian science is still alive and well.

Viktor Orbán pointed out that the Government fully assures the conditions required for the work of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. The fastest data system in the world will be created through a HUF 8.5bn investment in the Wigner research centre, in addition to which a non-refundable development loan of HUF 9.5bn for the Hungarian Academy of Sciences will ensure the restructuring of the natural sciences centre, he said.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Government has come to an agreement with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences regarding the establishment of a social science research centre, and if the implementation of this plan is successful the Academy will have in its possession 21st century infrastructure. Hungary must become the land of knowledge, he added.

(Prime Minister’s Office)