A new office of the Central-European trade development network of the Hungarian National Trading House was opened on Wednesday in Ipolyság, and as a result, the network of the institution in Slovakia comprised of seven offices is now complete.

At the business forum held after the opening ceremony, Árpád János Potápi, State Secretary for National Policy at the Prime Minister’s Office spoke about this year’s thematic programme organised by the State Secretariat, the 2016, year of young Hungarian entrepreneurs beyond the borders programme launched in March.

Upon speaking to the Hungarian news agency MTI, he said: there are multiple overlaps between the thematic year organised by the State Secretariat and the goals of the office network. The year of young entrepreneurs is being conducted in partnership with the trading house, and its tender budget of HUF 525 million has been available since last week. “Proposals may be submitted for sums between three and six million forints. We primarily expect micro-businesses to submit proposals, and I believe that these amounts will provide significant help for the awarded bidders to reinforce their operations”, the State Secretary said.

In her speech delivered at the business forum held in conjunction with the opening of the office, (Mrs) Czimbalmosné, Éva Molnár, Hungarian Ambassador to Pozsony (Bratislava) said: it is a priority goal of the Hungarian Government to increase its economic presence in the field of trade and investments as well, in order to establish closer ties between Hungary and territories in the neighbouring countries with Hungarian population groups.

She added: the conventional grant policy which traditionally targeted education and culture has been replaced with an economic development policy in Hungarian regions beyond the borders with a view to promoting the continued existence of Hungarians beyond the borders in their native land. In the context of the latter, she pointed out: the Hungarian Government has made available economic development grants worth HUF 50 billion for the reinforcement of businesses in Vojvodina. “The Government wishes to follow up on this project in Transcarpathia and Slovakia”, the Ambassador added.

Péter Kiss-Parciu, Head of the Border Regions Economic Development Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade highlighted the goals which are aimed at the development of border region infrastructure as part of a general overview of the tools available for the development of regions beyond the borders. He said: the Hungarian Government has resolved to significantly enhance cross-border infrastructure connections during the EU fiscal cycle between 2014 and 2020. “We have the most ambitious plans on the Slovak-Hungarian border”, he remarked.

Péter Skapinyecz, Director of the Hungarian National Trading House told MTI regarding the office network in Slovakia: the seven offices will provide great convenience and easy access for local businesses and Hungarian entrepreneurs in Slovakia who will be assisted with establishing links. In answer to a question, he added: regarding regions with different economic potentials, experiences so far show that there is significant interest in their assistance also in the less advanced regions.

The Hungarian National Trading House has 22 offices in total in the Carpathian Basin. From among these, seven now operate in Slovakia – including the one just opened: in Ipolyság, Párkány, Dunaszerdahely, Érsekújvár, Rimaszombat, Királyhelmec and Kassa. The responsibilities of the offices cover the attainment of goals such as the promotion of trade, the extension of the export activities of Hungarian businesses, the integration of trade relations into the cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises operating on the two sides of the border, and increased employment in the near-border regions.

(Prime Minister's Office)