“In the new global economic competition, Hungarian enterprises will be able to stand their ground if they gain strength, develop new capacities, purchase new technologies and expand their product portfolios”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday in Budapest at a ceremony to present competitiveness program funding certificates.

Mr. Szijjártó added that these all require investment projects, and this is why the government decided to exploit the European Union’s recent measure to provide the maximum of 800 thousand euros in funding to enterprises that realise investment projects in the interests of protecting jobs in the current situation.

He said the government had launched the competitiveness-increasing program with an initial budget of 50 billion forints (EUR 144.7 million), but had eventually provided 178 billion forints (EUR 515.2 million) in funding in response to heightened interest in the program on the part of enterprises. 806 enterprises submitted applications within the framework of the program, undertaking to realise 377 billion forints (EUR 1.09 billion) in investment and protecting 143,618 workplaces as a result. Mr. Szijjártó highlighted that Hungarian enterprises can continue to count on the government’s support, in view of the fact that the success of the Hungarian economy is made up of the individual performance of Hungarian enterprises.

Three more companies were ceremoniously presented with their funding certificates at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Thursday.
The 574.54 million-forint (EUR 1.66 million) investment being realised by Doktor24 Medicina Zrt. is receiving 287.27 million forints (EUR 831 thousand) in state funding. Kecskemét Rubber Limited’s investment of 215.4 million forints (EUR 623.4 thousand) will be receiving 107.72 million forints (EUR 311.8 thousand) in budgetary funding. The Hungarian state will be contributing 287.27 million forints (EUR 831.4) in funding towards the 575.54 million-forint (EUR 1.66 million) investment project being realised by Medicontur Limited.

Mr. Szijjártó said with relation to the three companies that thanks to their development projects, instead of downsizing or giving up, even in this difficult situation they have taken the path of investment, and have been able to protect 413 workplaces.

CEO of the Doktor24 company group Róbert Lancz reported on the fact that the company began its operations in 2004, initially providing occupational health services, but has since expanded to also provide clinic services and screening tests. The company had already begun planning to establish a modern health centre over an area of 3000 square metres in the Budapest One office complex prior to the coronavirus epidemic, where it will also be creating 100 new workplaces. The funding being provided by the government will now enable this expansion to be realised.

Finance Director of Kecskemét Rubber Ltd. Erika Cseh said the funding it is being awarded means a lot to the company, which was established in 2000, in view of the fact that the company’s turnover fell by over 25 percent in April, and by 35 percent in May as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to the investment project, the company will be expanding its rubber injection moulding, and rubber and plastic extrusion capacities, the aim being to increase efficiency. The company aim is to be able to supply the automotive industry, the household sector, and the fitness and construction industries with its new products.

Managing Director of Medicontur László Kontur said the company has been operating in Hungary for over 30 years, and currently employs over 300 people. The company is involved in the development and production of sterile lenses that can be implanted into the eye, and distributes its products in over 70 countries. Thanks to the current project, it will able to finish the first phase of its transition to mass production by 2021, and the goal of the development project is to enable the company to enter the Asian markets.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)