Viktor Orbán’s speech delivered at the Audi TT Roadster production launch ceremony held on 5 November 2014 in Győr.
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to welcome all employees and executives of Audi, Germans and Hungarians alike. I also welcome the Honourable Mayor. Great things are indeed happening in Győr; we are today together at this inauguration ceremony but next week we shall open the new sports hall and shall soon also inaugurate the large Győr swimming complex. We have every right to say that the future is being built here, in the town of Győr. It is a particular honour for me to welcome Mr Chairman Rupert Stadler amongst us. There are two different schools in the world of executives. One school never makes mention of personal achievements but leaves it to others or the deeds accomplished to speak on their behalf or for themselves. The other school professes that praising ourselves is so important that it cannot be left to others. The Honourable Chairman belongs to the former school. I have never heard him speak about his own personal contribution to one great achievement or another, and it is therefore befitting for us, those who are aware of his personal achievements, to particularly speak of these as he himself has made his very own contribution to the outstanding result that has elevated the Győr Audi factory to one of the world’s most successful automobile manufacturing plants. Thank you, Mr Chairman, and we shall continue to rely on your friendship and cooperation in the future. One of the models most in demand, the Audi TT is only made here, here and nowhere else. This is the model, the third generation of which we are presenting to you today. This in itself is a remarkable achievement that commands respect, and if we additionally remark that the Győr plant of Audi manufactures almost the entire engine range of the concern, it is understandable why we, Hungarians are so proud of this factory.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Audi was the first German company that foresaw before everyone else that there is much more potential in Hungary and the Hungarian people than that which communism had reduced us to. Few people know that Audi was the first German corporation that not only stood on tiptoes and peeked over the iron curtain but actually grabbed a pair of wire cutters and opened a gap in the iron curtain which then allowed Hungarian businesses to enter the wider world as Audi had a Hungarian supplier as early as in 1986. Ideological tensions were still ripe between East and West, large-scale socialist industry that was hopelessly unable to renew itself was still fully operational; and then a company with daring ideas came along and connected the East with the West. We know that Audi did not seek to export knowledge and talent from the country, as so many others tried, but understood that we, Hungarians wish to and are able to render outstanding performance in our own country. Audi settled down in Hungary, built a factory, gave us jobs and an opportunity; the opportunity to repeatedly show the world that we, Hungarians are capable of making products to the highest standards if the conditions are right.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
While it is true that Audi created this manufacturing complex with a floor space of hundreds of thousands of square metres, we should not forget that the bulk of the work is done by Hungarian people, qualified workers, engineers and researchers. Each of the cars and engines made here does credit to the work of the Hungarian people. They are the ones, the people working here, who have restored the reputation of Hungarian industry over the course of 24 years on the ruins of the discredited socialist planned economy with hard work and diligence. They are the ones who make premium-category cars in demand in all four corners of the world and millions of engines featuring sophisticated technology here, in Győr. Therefore, at the presentation of this new model, I first wish to say thanks to the workers and engineers who have continuously proved with their hard work ever since 1992 that Hungary is worthy of the trust that has been vested in it. The people working here, too, are worthy of trust because they have been able to meet the highest expectations regarding quality, and without them, we could not stand here and watch the car of the future, the latest series of one of Audi’s most successful models, roll off the Hungarian production line.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Audi is now hardly conceivable without Hungary, and the reverse is also true: Hungary is today inconceivable without the presence of Audi. In the years that have gone by, it is not only a mere manufacturing complex that has come into being. Audi plays an important role in the life of Hungary and the Hungarian people, and has almost become part of life in Hungary: it gives jobs to more than 11,000 people directly, and by virtue of its suppliers, it provides a secure living for almost 20,000 families. With a simple calculation, we may appreciate that we speak of the livelihood of some 80,000 people. Audi is there, standing by us, when it is about the training of the experts and engineers of the future; it operates a kindergarten, a primary school and a secondary school, and maintains close cooperation with Hungarian universities. One half, Ladies and Gentlemen, of the staff of engineers working here, numbering more than a thousand, already completed their studies here, in Győr, under the most advanced conditions, thanks to Audi, and our talks held before this ceremony, too, led to agreements of this nature.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Audi and Győr are therefore a winning couple in automobile manufacturing, as have also proved to be in handball – let us also mention this here. We may all be proud of what our two-time Champions League winner Győr handball team has achieved, and those who have a sharp eye for sports can well see that they have yet to reach their final destination.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The introduction of new models has, however, become timely not only in the automobile industry but also in the economy during the time of the economic crisis; this is why we introduced the Hungarian economic model which will achieve full employment in Hungary. One of the important elements of this new model is the reform of the Hungarian vocational training system. It is a common interest of Hungary, the Hungarian people and investors that we should be able to provide an ongoing supply of excellent qualified workers and engineers for Hungarian industry. We want the companies which brought their production here to find highly qualified specialists, by relying on whose expertise they may make progress and may boast further outstanding achievements day after day.
Dear People of Győr,
We may provide aid of any magnitude and have the most attractive tax regime in place; yet, we are only able to rev the engine of the Hungarian economy if we give Hungarian people in ever increasing numbers marketable vocational qualifications. The situation in which the economy and vocational training pursued diverging paths was clearly untenable. We therefore had to, and continue to have to, connect the two together so that we can provide qualifications for our children – young people – which enable them to earn a living. The dual system introduced based on the German model is a form of vocational training which serves as a means for young people to find employment.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Hungary has a vested interest in ensuring that the alliance that we forged with Audi in 1992 bring about further outstanding achievements and developments in Hungary also in the long run. Therefore, on our part, we agree to significantly increase the number of qualified Hungarian workers and engineers by 2020, and will, as a means of achieving this, significantly reinforce and develop their training also here, in the town of Győr. Finally, please allow me, Ladies and Gentlemen, to take this opportunity here to congratulate everyone who has contributed to the inception and introduction of the new model. I wish the workers, engineers and managers of the factory and the German owners all the strength they can muster and good health.