“The development of the public road network must continue in the interests of improving Hungary’s attractiveness”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday at the official inauguration of the new, four-lane stretch of the No. 471 main road between Debrecen and Hajdúsámson.

“Half a thousand kilometres of motorway and dual carriageway have been completed in Hungary since 2010, and six thousand kilometres of major road have been modernised”, Mr. Szijjártó told the press. “This year, 214 road renovation projects are being realised involving 642 kilometres of roadway, and we will be spending five trillion forints (EUR 14.2 billion) on road and rail development projects until 2024”, the Minister listed.

Mr. Szijjártó emphasised that Hungary’s central position also justifies the development of transport infrastructure, citing as an example the fact that when the country’s borders were closed because of the coronavirus epidemic, it quickly transpired from the accumulated traffic what an important transport corridor Hungary is between Western and Eastern Europe.

The Minister praised the fact that transport investment projects continued even during the virus epidemic, as did development projects in the vicinity of Debrecen. “25 enterprises from Debrecen have indicated their intent to invest some 12 billion forints (EUR 34 million), with which they have saved 2900 jobs. The government has awarded 6 billion forints (EUR 17 million) in funding towards these investment projects”, he added.

With relation to the fact that the 2x2 lane stretch of road linking Debrecen and Hajdúsámson has been completed, Mr. Szijjártó said the task is not yet over, and the stretch of the No. 471 road that passes through Debrecen’s city centre must also be converted into a dual carriageway. The National Infrastructure Development company has completed the modification of the plans, and the project will be realised within the framework of the Debrecen 2030 program, he indicated.

“Debrecen is the clear centre of the eastern part of the country and Hungary’s ‘second capital’, and its logistics and transport development is also a priority task of the government”, Mr. Szijjártó highlighted, pointing out that 21 investment projects are “searching for their place at the National Development Agency”, and Debrecen is the preferred target of some of them.

Mayor of Debrecen László Papp (Fidesz-KDNP) and Mayor of Hajdúsámson Szabolcs Antal (Fidesz-KDNP) also called the construction of the dual carriageway between the two settlements a milestone. Mr. Papp said one of the important goals of the Debrecen 2030 development program is that the effects of economic development processes should also be felt within the agglomeration.

László Tasó, the region’s Member of Parliament (Fidesz) pointed out that in 1993 the No. 471 main road was classed as one of the ten worst surfaced roads in Hungary, and the city had to wait until 2012 for its modernisation to be put onto the agenda. According to the MP, the refurbished road will contribute to the region’s development and to its population retention capacity. Investment Director of the National Development Agency József Pántya told reporters that the net cost of the new 4.6 kilometre, 2x2 lane stretch of the No. 471 main road between Debrecen and Hajdúsámson was 7.4 billion forints (EUR 21 million).

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/MTI)