At a business forum organised by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Budapest on Tuesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó underlined that the Hungarian model effectively addresses both migration and economic challenges.
Hungary has successfully proven wrong the economic dogma according which it is impossible to concurrently achieve economic growth and pursue a disciplined fiscal policy; the Hungarian model is also testament to the fact that there will only be a true solution to the migration crisis if we observe every common European regulation and regain the capability to control our borders.
Regarding the proposal package of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Mr. Szijjártó was of the opinion that as long as there is no common European will and effective action aimed at regaining control over external EU borders, there is no point to a series of recommendations. Migrants are flowing in Europe uncounted and uncontrolled; 10 thousand entered Europe daily prior to the mini summit alone, the Minister pointed out.
When asked about to what extent he finds the deportation of migrants from Europe reasonable, he said that it will be a challenging task, “we should not chase false hopes”; Europe is not in a position to successfully force through readmission agreements.
Speaking about the economic challenges faced by Hungary, he underlined the importance of partnerships with American companies. 1750 American companies are currently operating in the country, providing workplaces to over 90 thousand Hungarians, and a total of some 9 billion dollars in investment has flowed into Hungary.
Hungarian-American economic cooperation has become a success story, which has contributed to the fact that political relations between the two countries have become more balanced, Mr. Szijjártó said. He remarked that as a result of the "Business meets Government" meeting organised for the first time this year, the Government is expecting joint proposals from the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) and AmCham, with which Hungary’s competitiveness could be improved in the battle for investments.
Minister Szijjártó listed the steps launched for the improvement of Hungarian competitiveness in eight points, including measures to train more skilled professionals, expand the supplier base and reduce utility costs for industrial enterprises. With regard to the latter, he explained that a state energy provider will be established along similar lines to the public national utility service provider, but was unable to provide further details as yet.
With relation to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), Mr. Szijjártó said that it may be possible to conclude a free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States that is also favourable for Hungary, but this depends on how effectively the European Commission negotiates. He added, however, that negotiations are still in their infancy. Europe is lagging behind in the global competition for regional economic and trade integration, which is damaging from an EU perspective, he pointed out.
According to the organisers, the AmCham conference held on Tuesday is an opportunity for establishing dialogue and cooperation between the private and public sectors. The panel discussions will enable the determination of the take-off points with which Hungary could move up 10 places in the global competitiveness rankings within ten years.
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
