Gov't, HIPA Working with Interested Parties on jobs

A total of 14,000 potential jobs are "in the pipeline" thanks to efforts by the government and the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) to cooperate with interested parties, Áron Porcher, a state secretary at the Economy and Energy Ministry, said fielding questions in parliament on Monday.

Porcher responded to a question by Dóra Dúró, an MP of opposition Mi Hazánk ('Our Homeland'), on measures the government is taking to maintain local manufacturing capacity.

The MP noted a number of plant closures announced recently, including the shutdown of Electrolux's refrigerator factory in Jászberény, Accell Hunland's bicycle plant in Tószeg, automotive industry supplier WKW Hungaria's factory in Győr, the EMA-LION kitchenware plant in Bonyhád and the Nippon Paper battery components factory in Vácrátót.

Áron Porcher said Nippon Paper had, by its own admission, decided to pull out of Hungary because of stricter environmental requirements. "We are open to new branches of industry, their place is here, but they have to comply with environmental protection regulations no matter what," he added.

Porcher also highlighted the recent inauguration of an expansion at Nestlé's Purina pet food plant in Bük.