The first phase of the railway infrastructure developments related to the North-West Economic Zone in Debrecen has been completed, so the second phase of the project can begin, which will lead to the creation of one of the largest industrial intermodal terminals in Eastern Europe – Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, announced at the site.
According to the ministry’s announcement, at the press conference organized on the occasion of the handover, the head of the ministry reported that Hungary is now undoubtedly one of the leaders in the continuously advancing transformation of the automotive industry and that the city of Hajdúság has become an important global center of the sector, where approximately 1,000 billion forints of investment are currently underway, after BMW it places the focus of its future electromobility strategy here, while Europe’s largest electric battery factory is also being built here.
“Two of the three largest investments in Hungarian economic history are currently taking place here, a few kilometers from each other,” he emphasized. He pointed out that these factory constructions induce huge transport infrastructure developments and involve significant road and railway constructions.
He underlined: the government has decided on major railway developments in the Debrecen area as well, the Füzesabony and Balmazújváros lines will be renewed in two stages with 130 billion forints, the stations will be modernized, new ones will be built, and the track will be electrified.
“Following this, a direct connection will be established between the North-West Economic Zone in Debrecen and the main railway transport lines,” he said.
Péter Szijjártó announced that the first phase, worth HUF 65 billion, was completed, so the second phase can begin. “Following this, the largest industrial intermodal terminal in Eastern Hungary and one of the most important in Eastern Europe will be established in Debrecen,” he stated.
He emphasized that this logistics center enables BMW’s factory to be fully serviced from both the railway and the highway.
“The government is continuously fulfilling the commitments it made to BMW, and we are also continuing the developments that will simultaneously improve the living conditions of the people living here,” he said.
“We are not only developing freight traffic, we are not only making it possible for BMW to transport 70 percent of the cars it produces here by rail, but we are also providing faster transport between Debrecen and the surrounding settlements, making public transport more cultured and attractive, and at the same time protecting our environment also, since the railway line will now have an electric overhead line, so diesel engines will be able to be replaced by electric locomotives,” he stressed.
“The country benefits a lot from the investments in Debrecen, but we want the lives of the people of Debrecen to improve appreciably as a result of the investments. That is why we are carrying out further road developments, modernizing the city’s water network and carrying out further community investments,” he added.
The minister stated that in the difficult European economic environment, the fight for investments is fiercer than ever before, since they are the guarantee of growth. “It is no exaggeration to say that Hungary is one of the most successful countries in the extremely sharp global competition for investments,” he opined.
He reminded us that since 2014, with the exception of the stoppage due to the coronavirus epidemic, the investment record has been broken every year. While last year’s peak was 6.5 billion euros, this year it will double, which will help maintain the growth path despite difficult conditions and external pressure, he said.
He confirmed that the infrastructural developments, which are necessary for Hungary to remain attractive to investors, will continue in the future.
(MTI)
Photo: The railway infrastructure development related to the North-West Economic Zone of Debrecen, which will be realized in the first phase, will take place on the day of the ceremonial handover in the area of the Macs Industrial Park on the border of Debrecen on August 30, 2023. With the handover, the second phase of the project can begin, which will create one of the largest industrial intermodal terminals in Eastern Europe. MTI/Zsolt Czeglédi
