HIPA CEO: Investments worth seven billion euros arrived in Hungary last year

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 01. 21. 10:56

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Last year, new investments worth 7 billion euros arrived in Hungary, and the National Investment Agency (HIPA) agreed on 108 projects, István Joó, the organization’s CEO and government commissioner, said on Tuesday in the news background program 48 minutes on the M1 current affairs channel. In response to the host’s suggestion regarding the opposition’s plans to raise taxes and reduce state support for investments, István Joó said: this would destroy the entire system and the country’s competitiveness.

The expert said in relation to the evaluation of investments for 2025 that more and more investments are coming to Hungary, which is also thanks to the fact that this government has created the most competitive investment and business environment in Europe over the past sixteen years.

He explained that investors consider many different aspects when planning to settle in a given country. Among other things, Hungary’s advantages are that it pays the lowest taxes in Europe, but they are examining our education system, the qualifications of professionals, the infrastructure, and the development of logistics – he emphasized.

He pointed out that, on the one hand, a Hungarian small and medium-sized company can use tax breaks, such as the corporate tax break, in the same way as a large foreign company coming to our country, and on the other hand, every country in the European Union has such tools to help investors.

For example, in 2023 and 2024, the investment volume received through agreements concluded by HIPA was larger than the combined result of the other three Visegrád countries – he indicated.

According to an independent external analysis, 1 forint of support provided by HIPA generates 4.1 forints of budget revenue – emphasized the government commissioner-general director.

István Joó said that regarding research and development projects, the agency agreed on 14 investments worth more than 250 billion forints in 2025, which will create 600 research and development jobs. He added that 3,500 new jobs were announced last year in business service centers.

In response to a question from the host, István Joó said: in 2025, investments came from 16 countries in 17 different sectors; Most investments came to Hungary from China this year as well.

An extremely positive trend is also visible from the West, 2025 was a record year in that we have never been able to announce so many investments from the United States in one year – he explained, adding that 16 American investments worth 200 billion forints will be implemented in Hungary, including many research and development projects.

Our largest investors include Germany and Austria, and working capital is also continuously arriving from these directions – added the CEO of HIPA.

In the program, Zsolt Törőcsik asked Sámuel Ágoston Mráz, head of the Nézőpont Institute, and Dániel Róna, director of the 21 Research Center, about party preferences.

Dániel Róna said that, based on their December measurement, the Tisza Party led Fidesz by 11 percentage points among those who could choose a party, which he assumed had not changed much by January. Mráz Ágoston Sámuel said that Fidesz is leading by 7 percent according to Nézőpont, the institute is not looking at certain voters, but is trying to determine the most likely list result.

He added that the 11 or 18 percent advantage that can be heard from “left-wing research institutes” is not the most likely list result, but only a slice of it, and therefore they are not suitable for predicting what will happen on election night.