Visegrád Four ministers discuss support for families

Economic development should go hand in hand with providing support for families, Human Resources Minister Zoltán Balog told a panel discussion of his Visegrád Four counterparts held within a conference dubbed “Strong families for a strong Europe” in Budapest on Wednesday.

Balog said that “now that central Europe has become the engine driving European development it is crucial that families should benefit from that development”. The minister also said that while increasing the number of births is important, having children “in a responsible way” is also crucial. He added that “an increase in the appreciation and reputation of marriage has been the greatest achievement of recent years”.

Concerning the economy, Balog noted that low wages greatly contributed to Hungary being an attractive destination for investors. He insisted that “since low wages support competitiveness, wages cannot be increased quickly” but other conditions, such as accommodation, must be improved, and mentioned, for example, the government’s first home buyer programme.