THE NEWS DIGEST FROM HUNGARY: ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PROTESTS AGAINST THE “SLAVE LABOR LAW”

Hungary started the new year with economic growth. The government pursues its policy of increasing salaries, pensions and subsidies to mothers under the project “Year of the Family”. On January 1, the minimum wage in the country increased by 8%. In addition, according to the Central Statistical Office, the number of people unemployed has significantly reduced – 168.7 thousand. It is 8 800 people less than a year earlier. It is also expected that a large number of jobs will be created because there was Nestlé’s announcement about the transition of production to Hungary from Romania. The state paid no less attention to people suffering from chronic diseases. The Ministry of Human Resources will introduce a new grant for parents taking care of chronically ailing children – they will receive 100,000 HUF per month. Interestingly, according to a survey made in 29 European countries, Budapest has the lowest retail gas prices and the fourth lowest electricity prices in Europe. However, not everything is so sweet: the country is experiencing continuing protests against the “slave law”. Parliamentary opposition parties appealed to the Constitutional Court to repeal the latest amendments to the Labour Code. Learn more about this and other news in Hungary news digest for 01-15.01.2019.