Trade chief job takes Szijjarto to 28 countries

Budapest, December 28 (MTI) – State secretary for foreign trade and investment Peter Szijjarto has travelled to 28 countries on 34 trips since his appointment in June of last year, tabloid Blikk said today.

Szijjarto travelled some 250,000 kilometres to 33 cities at a cost of 33 million forints (EUR 110,500), the state secretariat told the paper. He has spent 76 days away from home during the year and a half since his appointment, it said.

Szijjarto’s itinerary included trips to the United States, Azerbaijan, India, China, Georgia, Uzbekistan, South Korea, Vietnam, Nigeria, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Hungarian exports to these countries rose markedly after Szijjarto’s visits, the state secretariat said. Exports to Nigeria jumped 49 percent and exports to Vietnam and Montenegro climbed a sharp 44 percent.

Szijjarto’s per diem allowance is net 36 euro, the same as everybody else who travels for the government, from the prime minister to a delegation assistant, the paper said.

Photo: mfa.gov.hu

Source: http://hungarymatters.hu/