“In 2018, the European Commission transferred 4.4 billion euros in development funding to Hungary”, the Ministry for Innovation and Technology’s Minister of State for European Union Development Projects Tamás Schanda told reporters on Monday.

This is an outstanding result even in international comparison, and with this performance Hungary is ahead of the countries of the V4 and the other countries of the region”, he added.

“Hungary has already drawn down 31 percent of the 9000-billion-forint budget it has available for the 2014-2020 development period, far outperforming the 27 percent average of EU member states”, Mr. Schanda said.

“Hungarian development policy closed a successful year in 2018, and the European Commission agrees”, the Minister of State said.

He stressed that European Union development projects are advancing rapidly and at high quality in Hungary.

“The success of the Government’s development policy is also indicated by the fact that tenders have already been published for 110 percent of the 9000 billion forints available for the 2014-2020 period, decisions have already been made with relation to 107 percent, and 65 percent has already been paid out to those realising the projects”, he added.

The Minister of State highlighted the fact that these development policy achievements were realised in 2018 thanks to the fact that the Hungarian economy is strong, and the state of the Hungarian budget is stable.

In reply to a question, Mr. Schanda said that 1.7 billion Europe were received by Hungary from the European Commission in December. He said that 1 billion euros out of the 4.4 billion euros in development funding transferred to Hungary in 2018 related to projects for the 2007-2013 period, and that as a result practically 100 percent of the funding available for the 2007-2013 period has now arrived in Hungary.

(MTI)