Debrecen4U March 11, 2026

Phase II Coming Soon for Debrecen’s SME Park

Sixteen small and medium-sized enterprises are operating in the city’s first 14-hectare SME Park in the Southern Economic Zone, and the programme supporting the local SME sector will continue this year.

In the second phase, business premises will be developed on more than 11 hectares in a large-scale industrial environment with modern infrastructure. The Főnix Housing Programme, which supports housing for employees under the age of 35, will also continue, as announced by Mayor László Papp at the county forum of the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (VOSZ).

He added that he believes – and has dedicated his entire political career to the conviction – that a city must be built on the foundations of a successful economy. “What lies behind Debrecen, I can confidently say, is that decades ago it was one of Hungary’s defining cities; today it is one of Europe’s defining cities with the economy that has been built here. And this includes the performance of multinational corporations, large Hungarian companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as micro-enterprises,” he emphasised.

He explained that Debrecen and Hajdú-Bihar County are parts of the country where, during the past hard period (the end of 2022 was still the Covid period, while a Russian-Ukrainian war began) and despite all its consequences (energy crisis, inflationary pressure, interest rate problems), the number of businesses has not decreased.

“Last year, industrial production fell by 3–3.5 per cent nationally, while our county recorded growth of 11.5 per cent. In reality, the best is only just beginning: from 2026–2027 onwards, growth in industrial economic performance will begin on a scale that will be crucial both for state revenues and for local government revenues,” said László Papp.

He described the Multimentor Programme announced by VOSZ in Debrecen as being of outstanding importance, as it aims to help establish connections between multinational companies and Hungarian SMEs. “If there is anywhere in the country where this endeavour has both a place and a real prospect, it is precisely Debrecen. The country’s largest companies are building manufacturing and production capacities in this city. For years we have said – and worked for – the following: Debrecen will truly be successful in this economic development process if Hungarian SMEs and family businesses are also able to reach and connect to the market opportunities created by multinational companies,” the mayor pointed out.

Referring to foreign workers, he said that there are 103,000 filled jobs in Debrecen. Ten or eleven years ago this figure was around 80,000. This represents an increase of more than 20,000 jobs, which genuinely presents a challenge for the labour market. However, the proportion of foreign labour in the city is still only 4–4.5 per cent.

In Germany and the Czech Republic, this proportion is around 18–20 per cent, where it plays a role in the economy, in generating contributions, increasing state revenues, and maintaining economic operations.

In Debrecen, interest among SMEs in becoming suppliers to global companies is higher than the national average. The VOSZ Multimentor Programme supports this endeavour.

“It is about being able to build successful, competitive enterprises and to help them. To guide them through an examination, through a filter, in such a way that they can be presented to multinational companies as clearly transparent, valuable and prudent – that is, credible – businesses,” emphasised Károly Balogh, the county president of VOSZ.

At the round-table discussion of the Multimentor Programme, Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa said that the city has also been supporting the development, competitiveness and supplier ambitions of the local SME sector in numerous ways for years.

“In terms of employment, it is of enormous importance how they manage and prosper – 66 per cent of people are employed by small and medium-sized enterprises in Debrecen,” said the deputy mayor.

János Eppel, president of VOSZ, told the forum that since 2022 VOSZ has become an active, cooperative organisation that places strong emphasis on interest representation and services, while also opening up towards other key areas.

“We have important developments and achievements, such as the VOSZ Port – a digital corporate management platform where a business can manage all of its affairs using the applications and services available there,” he highlighted.

In addition to supplier opportunities and digitalisation, the application of robots and artificial intelligence was also a key topic at the VOSZ county entrepreneurs’ forum.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu