Balogh Judit October 8, 2025

Debrecen invited as a good example at Portfolio’s Budapest Summit

Debrecen, Győr, and Székesfehérvár are the engines of the Hungarian economy, playing an incredibly important role in the development of the economy and the country. Debrecen is the investment champion of the country and even of the Central European region. This was what Mayor László Papp spoke about at the economic event called Budapest Economic Forum 2025. “

Everything you need for clean energy is in China—this is how Zsolt Hernádi, Chairman and CEO of MOL Group, put it at the conference about the current situation of Hungarian oil supply.

At the event, Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy spoke, among other things, about the fact that the movements of the German and Hungarian automotive industries are almost completely in sync, which indicates mutual interdependence. He drew attention to the fact that 44 percent of Hungarian-made vehicle parts and more than 55 percent of batteries go to Germany.

In response to a question from Médiacentrum Debrecen at the event, Mayor László Papp said, “Debrecen is in the exceptional position that Western technology and knowledge meet Eastern industrial efficiency and dynamism here. Resources arriving from the eastern sphere of global technological development connect here with western expertise,” emphasizing that while previously the technological superiority of the Western world was the determining factor, today it is clear that the competitiveness of Eastern industry is showing significant growth in Europe. Debrecen’s special position lies precisely in the fact that it has become the intersection of these two world orders, and this may be a key factor for future economic success.

The city’s economic performance is well reflected in the spectacular investments of recent years—including the appearance of the BMW plant, as well as the increased interest of the battery industry and technology sector in the region.

In response to a question from editor-in-chief Zsuzsa Keserű, the mayor underlined that the Association of Cities with County Rights has prepared a proposal that rethinks the calculation methodology of the solidarity contribution.

“Our goal is to implement the principle of solidarity while curbing progressivism, while at the same time making the operation of local governments more predictable. The proposal may be put on the agenda after 2026, after the next parliamentary elections, and in practice it may be implemented from 2027 at the earliest,” highlighted Mayor László Papp.

“Cities with a business perspective: the engines of the Hungarian economy”—this was the title of a roundtable discussion organized during the program, which was attended by the mayors of Debrecen, Győr, and Székesfehérvár. Zoltán Bán, CEO of Portfolio Group, stated that there are cities in Hungary that are performing well, their economies are developing, and they wanted to present them as examples.

“We definitely wanted to provide the audience with an insight into what is happening in these cities. What are the problems they face every day, and how are they able to contribute to the development of the Hungarian economy? Debrecen is a particularly good example in this regard: it has produced leaps and bounds in recent years, and at the same time, interest in it has grown spectacularly,” said the CEO.

He pointed out that such stories are not only inspiring but also instructive for decision-makers and economic actors in the capital. That is why it is important that these local successes are brought to Budapest and that a real dialogue develops between the actors.

“When putting together events, we always strive to bring together as many opinions as possible on one platform. This gives us the opportunity to get a deeper, more complex picture of the prospects and to develop a truly substantive discourse. This gives us the opportunity to get a deeper, more complex picture of the outlook and to develop a truly meaningful discourse. Our goal is to bring together credible, experienced people who not only know the economy but also dare to talk about it, even without avoiding the more difficult issues,” emphasized Zoltán Bán.

Mayor András Cser-Palkovics spoke about the fact that 50,000 people commute to Székesfehérvár, which has a population of 100,000. The population of the settlements around the city is constantly increasing, and the people living there use most of the services in the center of the region.

“That is why we consider it essential to use local, government, or EU funds specifically for the development of transport infrastructure. The modernization and expansion of public transport plays a prominent role in this, as the traffic congestion experienced in our cities every day and the parking difficulties are present in every industrial center,” he highlighted and added that it is important that events like today are not only about exchanging experiences but also about shaping common visions for the future.

“Such forums provide an excellent opportunity to jointly develop development and operational plans, which we can then present to the government and economic actors as partners. This is a key issue not only for the competitiveness of individual cities but also for the entire country,” he stated.

Mentioning BMW’s investment in Debrecen, he added that global companies are now choosing locations much more consciously than before.

“Before BMW made its decision, it thoroughly mapped Debrecen’s potential—from an economic, transportation, and human resource perspective. This also clearly shows how important it is that the development of large cities is not interrupted but takes place along sustainable, long-term strategies,” he concluded his thoughts.

The Budapest Economic Forum is the Portfolio’s most significant macroeconomic conference, held for the 15th time in the capital. The conference was primarily attended by domestic corporate leaders, professional investors, and economic and business decision-makers.

Source and photo credit:dehir.hu