“During the second wave of the coronavirus epidemic, we must prevent the previously seen partial shutdown of the Hungarian economy, and one of the best instruments for achieving this is the series of restrictive measures that have come into force along the country’s borders”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared in the Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County town of Nagykálló, where he presented Tecnica Ungheria Ltd. with its investment funding program certificate.

Mr. Szijjártó explained that the emphasis is currently on caution, and accordingly the travel restrictions, with which the government would like to prevent the virus from being brought into Hungary and representing a further danger to the lives, health and workplaces of the Hungarian people, are no accident and are not unjustified. “We are now experiencing a period of economic protection, and in view of the evident vitality of the Hungarian economy and Hungarian enterprises, we will win this battle, just as we won the first phase of healthcare protection”, the Minister said.

“We also need the help of Hungarian enterprises to protect jobs and the economy, and for this reason the Cabinet is providing a never before seen level of funding to enterprises that have launched investment projects in the interests of preserving the workplaces of their employees. 806 Hungarian companies have committed themselves to realise 377 billion forints (EUR 1.06 billion) in investment, of which 673 have already received a total of 151 billion forints (EUR 424.5 million) in state funding”, he added. He also noted that the vitality of the economy is clearly indicated by the fact that 98 enterprises submitted applications relating to a total of 47 billion forints (EUR 132.2 million) in investment for the remaining available budget of 18 billion forints (EUR 50.5 million) within a very short space of time. “All this indicates that the extreme efforts of the past ten years have not been in vain, and the Hungarian economy has become one of the most vigorous in Europe”, Mr. Szijjártó emphasised.

Referring to the 310-million-forint (EUR 872 thousand) investment on the part of the Italian-owned ski boot manufacturer, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government is providing 154 million forints (EUR 433 thousand) in state funding towards the establishment of the company’s new production unit and the protection of existing jobs. “According to plan, the technological investment will enable the Nagykálló plant to manufacture one million ski boots a year”, he added.

With relation to Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, the Minister said unemployment in the region has fallen from twenty percent to eight percent over the past ten years, while industrial production has increased by one hundred and fifty percent. “Thirty two enterprises from the region have indicated their intent to realise a total of 18 billion forints (EUR 50.5 million) in investment, and are protecting 6420 workplaces with the help of the nine billion forints (EUR 25.3 million) in state funding they are receiving”, Mr. Szijjártó stated.

In his speech, Managing Director of Tecnica Ungheria Limited Francesco Bossi said the Nagykálló plant of the 60-year old company group supplies with world with Nordica ski boots. The plant employs 350 people, and together with its suppliers provides some 800 people with work, predominantly in Hungary, but also in Ukraine and Romania.

The region’s Member of Parliament Miklós Simon (Fidesz) spoke about the fact that 9 billion forints (EUR 25.3 million) in investment has been realised in Nagykálló since 2010.

The Tecnica company group operates nineteen plants in ten countries. Its Hungarian subsidiary produces mainly for export, and according to publicly available company data realised 2 billion 499 million forints (EUR 7 million) in after-tax profits in 2019, from a net turnover of 52 billion 248 million forints (EUR 137 million).

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade / MTI)