Hungary Successfully Fights Against Poverty

On the occasion of the World Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Pál Szekeres, Member of the European Parliament from Fidesz and Patriotic member of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, emphasized in his speech during the plenary debate: “Hungary is taking concrete, targeted, and effective steps to reduce poverty, focusing primarily on supporting families as the most important tool in the fight against child poverty. Instead of supporting illegal immigrants, the welfare of European citizens shall come first!” In his speech, the MEP noted: “In Hungary, kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools are free of charge; textbooks are provided free of cost; and school meals are also free for children in need.” Pál Szekeres pointed out: “Following the principle of creating opportunities and work, Hungary has achieved significant results: the employment rate exceeds the European Union average, including employment among people with disabilities, which shows that Hungary not only talks about equal opportunities but also acts on it.” The MEP drew attention to measures supporting families and young people:“To ensure that income earned from work stays with families, mothers raising two or more children in Hungary are exempt from paying personal income tax, which provides significant financial relief to families. The preferential loan with a 3% interest rate and 10% own contribution also enables young people to purchase their first home.” He also addressed housing and energy poverty:“In Hungary, through utility cost reductions, the proportion of households unable to pay their energy bills has been significantly reduced over the past decade.” Szekeres stressed: “The respect for pensioners is a top priority for the Hungarian government. Maintaining the purchasing power of pensions is a fundamental goal, and the introduction of the 13th-month pension in recent years was a step in this direction. The government has also considered introducing a 14th-month pension, which would further strengthen security in old age.” In conclusion, the MEP emphasized: “The fight against poverty is a shared responsibility involving the state, civil organizations, churches, and citizens alike.” At the same time, he stressed: “The century-old social consensus cannot be overturned: supporting illegal migrants must not come at the expense of the elderly, people with disabilities, and families!”