Speaking at the Szakma Sztár Festival, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told students present that previously, in 2010, people believed they could not make a living from work in Hungary, so millions of people lived on welfare, swindled, circumvented the rules, or sought government jobs, reports Magyar Nemzet.
Such a country, he said, has no future, is doomed to decline and will sooner or later be destroyed. The prime minister added that his generation did not want to accept this, so “they changed the fate of the country.”
Orbán called on those present to be “proud of their parents, as it was thanks to them that the people present were students and adults of a hopeful country” and now, his generation is hoping that “there will be someone to continue what they started.”
The Szakma Sztár Festival is organized by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the National Chamber of Agriculture, and features various competitions and info sessions to raise awareness of trade professions and invite students to consider a career as a skilled worker. The event also serves as the final stage of the National Vocational Study Competitions and the Excellent Student of the Profession Competitions.
Earlier, Veronika Varga-Bajusz, state secretary for higher education, vocational and adult training, and youth, called the event “not just a competition, but a national showcase of how much knowledge, determination, and creativity lies within Hungarian youth.”
The prime minister announced that the most modern vocational training has been developed in Hungary, adding that the workers’ loan and the tax exemption for those under 25 means that a good electrician can earn a million forints (€2,500) a month, or even more.
“If there is work, everything is there, there will be young people who want to work,” Orbán told the crowd. “Young people don’t want a fake life, living on their parents’ money, but they want valuable knowledge with a challenge. I feel this every year, and I see that the country will be in good hands.”
Hungary’s prime minister pointed to the numerous uncertainties in the world today, and called on Hungarians to stand strong. He also brought up the current mail-in vote for citizens to say if they believe Ukraine should be an EU member, warning of the burden this could be over the next couple decades, including the risk of migrants and guest workers.
“The country must appreciate talented people, and Hungary is such a country, if necessary, tough, warrior, heroic. It stands up for itself, does not hide, the blood of the Hunyadis does not turn into water,” the prime minister said.
