28 January 2019, Mélykút
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Welcome to you all. I would especially like to thank the Kiss family, who were kind enough to invite me here to this important event. Before I give my short opening address, I would like to add something to what my fellow Member of Parliament said. Before the start of this event we held talks with the company’s directors and owners, and although we are not yet in a position to make announcements, I can certainly tell you that my visit here was not a cheap one. I can share with you the good news that there is good chance that work on the next phase of development could begin as soon as this new plant opens operations. The intent exists, as do the economic resources, and – perhaps most important out of all – it seems to me that the local people also have an entrepreneurial spirit.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
From today Mélykút can proudly boast not just one of most modern waterfowl processing plants Hungary, but one of the most modern in Europe. And this news is not fake: it’s not a canard!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is roughly how we imagine the future, as we have just seen in the short video: Hungarian entrepreneurs set out to realise something, Hungarian designers design it, Hungarian construction industry companies build it, then Hungarian people work in the factory, Hungarian people manage the factory, and afterwards the profits also go to Hungarians.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
An investment worth 40 million euros and creating 350 new jobs has been successfully realised by a Hungarian family firm. So before I say anything else, please allow me to sincerely congratulate you on your company, and wish István Kiss and his family success that exceeds even that of today. Taking a look behind your successes, let us remember the huge amount of work, daring and perseverance that was required to develop your start-up family firm into a strong medium-sized company that primarily produces for export. Many also remember what happened when the bird flu virus first swept through Hungary, and the future of a whole industrial sector became uncertain. Here in the Southern Great Plain region, many families make a living breeding ducks and geese. I thank the majority who persevered in their work, even in those difficult years. Survival, however, was also based on the existence here of a stable and strong local company in which you can trust, and which had the strength to save the poultry processing plant in Kiskunhalas, with its traditions going back 150 years. This is why this new investment is good news for the farmers living in the area: they can now calmly plan their future; they will have work, and they will have a living. This investment is also a clear indication that the Hungarian poultry sector will continue to soar. Before 2010, perhaps people would have laughed at us if we had said that at European level we would be up among the best in any sector of the economy. Today we see that this is not just a dream, but seems to be the accepted order of things in several areas. In the field of quality duck production, for instance, we are second in Europe behind the French, and this new plant will enable us to maintain this prominent position.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This is also how we imagine the Hungarian future, when we consider that the financial backing for this investment was created by a broad cooperation. The company provided a considerable amount; the Government also supplied its share – thanks to my fellow Member of Parliament – with over 4 billion forints; and the largest sum, over half of the total cost, was put into the pot by the internationally-owned International Investment Bank, which operates with Russian participation. I think this is the first investment that the Bank has supported in Hungary recently. Thank you for doing so! There is no doubt that your first bet was on a good horse.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
When I say that this is how we imagine the future of the Hungarians, there is also a third consideration. It is good to see that we now live in an age in which production investment projects worth many billions of forints are being realised in small Hungarian towns; because this is how we imagine the future of the Hungarians, with small towns becoming successful, and Hungarian villages also having a future. For this we need investments like this one.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We have been building the Hungarian economy since 2010. We can also see today the evidence that the Hungarian model is working. Hungary is performing increasingly well; and this is not just something we say – it is also being proven by life. With regard to plans for the Hungarian economy, we believe that every year the Hungarian economy’s growth must exceed the economic growth measured in the European Union by at least 2 per cent. In such an event this would mean that we would be developing much more rapidly than the other countries, giving us a competitive advantage – which in turn would lead to the opportunity for prosperity, a better standard of living and a happier life. The goals are set by economic policy and the Minister of Economy and Finance, but they are realised on the factory floor. For Hungary to grow 2 per cent faster that the European Union average every year will require twice as many companies like this – your company – than exist in Hungary at present. This clearly shows the huge dimensions and magnitude of the task ahead of us.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We believe that a healthy national economy stands on two legs. One of these legs is formed by international companies: the Hungarian economy cannot be operated without international capital. This is something we must recognise, just as we must also recognise that Hungary is not the home of international companies – even though they are bringing more and more investments here. For precisely this reason the other leg of the Hungarian economy is formed by Hungarian businesses and Hungarian enterprises: Hungarian entrepreneurs and companies for whom Hungary is their home, and who are drawn to Hungary not just by profits, but also by their hearts. We can be satisfied when the Hungarian companies form the stronger of these two legs. The Hungarian economy will be truly strong in international competition if within the national economy Hungarian enterprises are stronger than the large international companies – even if only by a small degree. This is not impossible, but we still have some way to go, and we will have to work hard to achieve it. Ladies and Gentlemen, we stand on national foundations, and accordingly our priority goal – and one of my personal priorities – is to strengthen Hungarian enterprises.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In closing, I would once again like to congratulate our host, István Kiss, on the outstanding success that he has achieved – even in international terms. I would like to thank his family for always having stood by him and supported him. I am well aware that without them he couldn’t have succeeded. Thanks and recognition are due to the workers, the poultry famers and the company’s directors: I thank everyone who through their work has contributed to enabling a small business from Mélykút to come this far. Ladies and Gentlemen, I know that in politics you have always supported national thinking. I know that you have always supported governments that stand on national foundations. I also know that I have always been able to count on you – and I thank you for that. And as you can see, you can also count on us. I would like to assure you that this will continue to be the case in future. Hungary before all else and God above us all! I wish you good health and much success.
Go for it Hungary, go for it Hungarians!
(miniszterelnok.hu)
