Hungary is now stronger and in a position to spend more on culture as well as on intellectual and scientific projects, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday at the opening ceremony of a new facility to the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA).
The Prime Minister underlined that the new research centre was built at the lowest point of the European economic crisis, and after the Government had agreed with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences that funding for science would increase each year despite the crisis. The annual funding provided to the academy has thus jumped from 35 billion to 49 billion forints over the past 4 years.
Viktor Orbán recalled that although Hungary’s economic output shrank in 2012, the Government had upheld its earlier policies, with the result that the economy grew by 1.7 percent in the third quarter of 2013. The Prime Minster said he trusted that figures for the fourth quarter would build on that improvement, making Hungary the frontrunner of the region once again.
Skilled and educated people are the country’s gold reserves, the Prime Minister stressed, adding that young researchers should enjoy the same conditions in Hungary as abroad; this is why a competitive research centre structure is needed. He noted that while companies from all over the world are struggling to find the suitable skilled professionals for their vacant positions, the number of unemployed people remains high.
This might be remedied by draining skilled workers from another country – something Hungary is also suffering from – or by attracting international companies to invest in the country. The Government is firmly committed to the latter course of action and has thus decided to harmonise the ideas of economic operators with the public and higher education systems and scientific research.
The new research centre provides job for 544 researchers, comprises 250 world-class laboratories and is completely energy-efficient, the Prime Minister emphasised.
Prime Minister’s Office
Photo: MTI – Szilárd Koszticsák