“2015 has clearly shown that it is those businesses, countries and governments who view the crisis as an opportunity for implementing changes that provide strength not only to survive, but also for the period following the crisis, who can achieve success”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade declared on Tuesday in Budapest at the Investors’ Gala held at the Pest Vigadó.
Mr. Szijjártó said that it is mainly businesses who have recognised the importance and rapidity of the changes that are currently shaping the world and the fact that economic and political players had to face entirely new challenges in 2015.
“Hungary has provided determined solutions to these challenges, including expanding its diplomatic, political and economic horizons and placing foreign policy onto a foreign trade basis, as a result of which Hungarian exports have broken all previous records”, the Foreign Minister said, adding that over 90 billion euros worth of Hungarian products were shipped abroad last year, while the foreign trade balance posted a surplus of some 8 billion euros.
At the Gala, Minister Szijjártó and President of the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) Róbert Ésik presented the Investor of the Year awards. The awards, which were presented in seven categories, were given to investors who contributed most to the development of the national economy and Hungarian society last year through creating new jobs and reinforcing the small and medium-sized business sector.
Mercedes-Benz won the award for the highest volume capacity expansion, while automotive industry supplier Continental received an award for creating the most jobs. The largest volume greenfield investor of the year was Indian-owned Samvardhana Motherson Peguform, while German-Hungarian joint venture Hellmann Shared Service Center Ltd. won the award for the year’s SSC investor. The R&D investor of the year award was presented to Bosch, Magyarmet Finomöntöde Ltd. Won recognition as the year’s best Hungarian supplier and the Industrial Center in Jászfényszaru won the award for best industrial park 2015.
President of the HIPA Róbert Ésik told reporters that last year the investment agency had successfully negotiated 67 investment projects, an increase of 12 percent compared to the previous year, meaning the Agency brought at least one investment worth at least 8 billion forints (EUR 25.5M) to Hungary every single week. 12,995 new jobs are being created as a result of these projects, an increase of some 21 percent compared to 2014, he added.
Mr. Ésik highlighted the fact that 46 of the positive projects are expansions of existing investments being realised by enterprises who are pleased with Hungary’s investment environment and accordingly are once again investing a significant part of their profits in Hungary.