Strategic partnership agreement signed with Telenor

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán signed a strategic partnership agreement with Norwegian telecommunications company Telenor’s Executive Vice President Kjell-Morten Johnsen on Tuesday. The ceremony was also attended by Norwegian Ambassador to Hungary Tove Skarstein.

Telenor’s presence in Hungary is recognition of the country’s efforts to build an economy which can be globally competitive and a “worthy partner for such a successful and internationally acknowledged company as Telenor”, the Prime Minister said at the signing ceremony. This agreement is a sign that Hungary is regaining its earlier positions and that “one can do good business with the Hungarians,” he added.

Hungary’s special tax on the telecommunications sector has been discussed with Telenor management, and the Prime Minister has suggested that surtaxes could be reduced in line with Hungary’s economic growth.
He referred to the European Commission’s latest forecast of continuous growth within the Hungarian economy in the next few years, and invited “creative” proposals from Telenor’s management concerning investment projects targeting further improvement of the economy and facilitating lower taxes.

The Prime Minister said he believed Telenor would remain a key player in Hungary’s economy, and noted that the company had 3.2 million subscribers in the country. “That many people cannot be wrong,” he said. Prime Minister Orbán also voiced his conviction that the partnership would further improve Norway’s positive image in Hungary.