The “Danke Ungarn” campaign was launched in Germany on Friday; through continuing the summer campaign, Hungary is highlighting the common history of the two countries and their excellent economic and political relations.
During the summer, the German Embassy in Budapest and the German-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry ran a poster campaign called “Danke Ungarn” in commemoration of the events leading up to the opening of the border 25 years ago and in gratitude of Hungary’s actions at the time.
The campaign launched in Germany on Friday is a continuation of the summer campaign, and 1400 billboards are being erected in nine German cities, CEO of Hungarian Tourism Ltd. Péter Faragó explained at the Budapest press conference held to announce the launch of the campaign.
At the event, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga thanked Commerzbank, Bosch, Audi, Knorr-Bremse, Daimler and Deutsche Telekom for their assistance in enabling Hungary to reciprocate the gesture.
The Minister of National Economy called the opening of Hungary’s western border in 1989 a turning point in the lives of Europe, Germany and Hungary. Trust between the two countries survived the years of oppression, and today Germany is Hungary’s number one, key strategic partner, he stressed.
Mr. Varga pointed out that there are a total of some six thousand enterprises operating in Hungary that have been founded partly or fully using German capital, and which provide work to more than three hundred thousand people. Some 6 billion euros in German capital has been injected into Hungary since 2010 and more than fifty German companies have established new production units or expanded their existing capacities, he added.
Minister Varga also stated that German-Hungarian trade is expanding dynamically, at a rate that well exceeds the average. Germany is Hungary’s number one foreign investor, with a quarter of foreign direct capital investment derived from there. The total value of German operative capital has increased to 20 billion euros in recent years thanks primarily to automotive industry investments, the Minister said in summary.
On the subject of excellent relations, Mr. Varga drew attention to a recent survey according to which over three quarters of German enterprises would happily invest their capital in Hungary again.
Péter Faragó recalled that prior to 1989 guests from both parts of Germany spent millions of guest nights in Hungary; this was where German families separated by the Berlin Wall could meet. Today, the majority of tourists who visit Hungary once again come from Germany, with German tourists spending over two million guest nights-a-year in Hungarian commercial accommodation, he added. German tourists spend some 570 million euros in Hungary every year.
(Ministry for National Economy)
