European Commission President José Manuel Barroso handed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the documents of the partnership agreement between Hungary and the Commission on Thursday in the Hungarian Parliament Building.
The document paves the way for investments worth 21.9 billion euros in cohesion funds over 2014-2020, the Hungarian Government’s international spokesperson Zoltán Kovács stated at the press event, adding that Hungary is also receiving 3.45 billion euros for rural development and 39 million for fisheries and the maritime sector.
The partnership agreement Hungary is signing with the European Commission serves the interests of the country, the Hungarian Prime Minister said, adding that the aim was to channel 60 percent of the available funding into the Hungarian economy and Mr Barroso had been supportive of that aim.
The system of handling and managing funds has been simplified and made more transparent to better serve the government's economic policy on development, which the union had also accepted, Prime Minister Orbán pointed out.
If the money is used wisely, in seven years Hungary can become a well-developed country, which is able to finance itself and pay off its debt ahead of time, he stated. Hungary in the past ten years and especially after 2010 has integrated its own social and economic models into the EU's framework of policies.
The Prime Minister noted that following some disputes with the EU, Hungary is the only member state which has been screened "from head to toe" in terms of being in line with European values. This was due to the country adopting a new constitution relatively late. "Hungary has always accepted the commission as the only impartial party within the union," he added, thanking President Barroso for the fair and equal treatment given to Hungary.
Mr Barroso stated that within the 2014-2020 Multiannual Financial Framework Hungary will receive 8 trillion forints more than its contribution to the EU budget, adding that the funding will hold many advantages for the Hungarian economy and the country can become much more developed by 2020. He also said that Europe is grounded in solidarity and responsibility, principles without which the Union is inconceivable.