Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog, assessing the Ministry's past three years of activity, stated that 70 billion forints had been tendered for social inclusion projects, with programmes such as Nő az esély (Chances are increasing) that aim to strengthen relations between Roma and non-Roma communities and other programs aimed at helping to encourage the education of Roma children.
He highlighted that 155 billion forints had been assigned to assisting the integration of disadvantaged children through also supporting their parents and teachers. The Minister emphasised the importance of rescuing educational institutions from near bankruptcy and providing a fund for the structural reforms of universities. He stated that the agreement with the National Students’ Union (HÖOK) was a significant step and also noted that Hungary provides major scholarships for top athletes. Minister Balog also talked about the 81.6 billion forints tendered in the New Széchenyi Plan to support people who go to work while raising a child.
The Minister stated that 322 billion forints had been spent on the transformation of the healthcare system, which was completed without difficulty, while the salaries of healthcare employees were also raised. He mentioned the international acknowledgement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Hungary's efforts in tackling smoking and the strengthening of patient transport. Discussing the financing of churches, Minister Balog said that the state now supports churches that carry out religious tasks, while also providing support for NGOs.
(Ministry of Human Resources)
