Development policy
Regardless of whether they are well or less well qualified, people from Transdanubia emigrate in droves to Austria or southern Germany. “If we don’t find an answer to this, things will soon become very difficult for the region,” warned the minister responsible for regional development.
Tibor Navracsics spoke on Tuesday at a specialist conference in Budapest on the topic of 20 years of development policy in the EU. “While our development policy focuses on modernization, it has no answers as to how we can actually make regions with potential competitive,” complained the minister. Budapest was able to raise its development standard from 129% of the EU average in 2004 to 156% by 2022; all regions outside the capital perform significantly less positively.
“More wages are paid there”
This applies especially to southern Transdanubia, the lowlands, Pest County and northern Hungary. But even in Northern Transdanubia, which had previously been making dynamic progress, development has recently come to a standstill.
Southern Transdanubia, which has so far been neglected, is now receiving a special development program. However, one should not lose sight of the fact that the better-off rest of Transdanubia has been standing still for years. The emigration of workers is a bloodletting, especially for Western Transdanubia. People are emigrating in droves to Austria or southern Germany because wages are higher there and working conditions are better.
Cities without any charisma
“If we don’t find an answer to this, things will soon become very tight for the region, which actually has excellent potential for growth,” warned Navracsics. Areas that have to make do without an urban economic center are generally disadvantaged. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of cities in Hungary that have no influence whatsoever on their surroundings.” Despite all the critical comments, the minister believes that the goal of getting Hungary into the TOP 5 of the most liveable countries in the community is achievable.
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