The contracts of the economic development programme which serve to support Hungarian communities in the Carpathian Basin were signed in Muravidék (Prekmurje), Slovenia as the first Member State of the European Union, and from the allocation of HUF 500 million provided by the Hungarian State, 155 family businesses were awarded grants.

Levente Magyar, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade highlighted at the signing ceremony held in Dobronak (Dobrovnik) in Muravidék: the goal of the Hungarian Government is to boost the economic strength of the Hungarian community in Muravidék to an extent which puts an end to the process of assimilation that has been ongoing for decades.

The Government allocated HUF 500 million in this year’s budget for the Muravidék economic development programme from which 155 family businesses were awarded grants, but another HUF 500 million will also be available for similar purposes in next year’s budget.

He said: never before had Hungary been in a position to provide assistance on such a scale „for a part of the nation whose standard of living is higher than the average standard of living in the motherland”. And while, in his words, life is somewhat easier in Muravidék than for average Hungarian families, the idea never even emerged that the Hungarian community living in Slovenia should be left out of the programme which extends to the entire Carpathian Basin.

Another half a billion forints is earmarked in the 2018 budget for Hungarian businesses and entrepreneurs in Slovenia, but the Government is also seeking to raise further funds in order to support projects creating large numbers of jobs in addition to small businesses. They would like to promote food and processing industry projects as well as tourism developments, Mr Magyar indicated.

He further pointed out that, in addition to the economic development grants, there will also be infrastructure projects, and as part of this, the fiscal funds are already available for the expansion of the M70 express road to a full motorway. They are exploring the possibility of restoring the railway connection between Rédics and Lendva that was terminated decades ago, and based on an inter-governmental agreement, two smaller border crossing points will be installed on the borders of the two countries by 2020.

Mr Magyar expressed his appreciation on account of the cooperation and support of the Slovenian State and authorities in light of the fact that, in contrast to other neighbouring countries, not only did they not hinder, but in actual fact they very much supported the cause of economic development intended for Hungarians in Muravidék.

In answer to a question of the Hungarian news agency MTI, he said: the requests of applicants only exceeded the allocation of HUF 500 million by a few tens of millions of forints. 143 businesses and entrepreneurs were originally awarded grants, but in the next few months, they will raise the necessary missing funds in the magnitude of these few tens of millions of forints, and in total, 155 Muravidék families will receive grants.

Ferenc Horváth, President of the Hungarian National Autonomous Community of Muravidék reiterated that initially not many people shared positive views about the Muravidék economic development programme, but eventually the requests of applicants exceeded the available allocation. He took the view that with these grants the Hungarian Government „takes good care of the Hungarian community”, and reinforces the Hungarian community in Slovenia with its attitude.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)