“It is Hungary’s realistic goal for Central Europe to be China’s largest export partner and to also occupy a leading role with regard to Chinese investments destined for Central Europe”, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó declared on Sunday in Budapest.
Significant pay rises may be expected in health care and education during the period between 2018-2022, without which Hungary cannot draw level with advanced western countries, János Lázár, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office stressed at the event entitled Business Summit of the Confederation of Hungarian Employers and Industrialists.
Common economic and security interests will tie Hungary and the United Kingdom together also after Brexit, the parties confirmed during the Budapest visit of Lord Callanan, Minister of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, as part of which the British politician met with Minister of State Szabolcs Takács (Prime Minister’s Office) and Minister of State for International, Family and Youth Affairs Katalin Novák (Ministry of Human Capacities).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Deputy State Secretary for European and American Relations was on a working visit to Riga on 22-23 November, where he held talks with the Latvian Foreign Ministry’s Under-Secretary of State for European Affairs Solveiga SiIkalna and Political Director Andris Pelšs.
The dangers of mass migration and the related terrorism, hybrid threats, fake news and increasing Ukrainian nationalism were emphasised by speakers at the 21st International Parliamentary NATO Conference in Budapest.
The Government Spokesperson was on a three-day visit to Canada, where he held talks on Hungary’s main economic goals and the challenges facing the European Union. He reported on his program, which ended on Wednesday evening, in a telephone statement to Hungarian news agency MTI from Toronto.
“The goal we must be aiming for is to make Hungary capable of keeping up with highly industrialized countries, no matter if in terms of technologies used in industrial production, a supportive business environment or adequately trained work force,” Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said at a gala event in Budapest celebrating the 130th anniversary of the presence of Siemens in Hungary. “The achievements of the Hungarian economy in recent years enable us to set ambitious goals”, he noted.
In September 2017, unadjusted data show that the volume of retail sales grew by 5.6 percent year-on-year, while data adjusted for calendar effects indicate growth of 6.2 percent. The sector’s 51-month upward growth trend has been underpinned, among other factors, by VAT reductions, job growth and the marked increase in real wages caused by the Government’s six-year wage deal.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will be travelling to Brussels on Thursday, where he will be taking part in the EU’s 5th Eastern Partnership summit, the Prime Minister’s Press Chief, Bertalan Havasi told Hungarian news agency MTI, adding: The event will give the Hungarian Prime Minster the opportunity to hold further discussions on the Ukrainian Education Act, which grossly restricts minority rights.
In view of the fact that National Consultation questionnaires are still being returned in huge numbers, the Government is extending the deadline for their submission by a week. Accordingly, the questionnaires may now be sent back by return post until 1 December (next Friday).