There is a Hungarian future as long as there are people ready to have children in Hungary
Speaking to families on the first day of her two-day visit to Somogy County, the Head of State noted that being a mother, she understands the responsibility entailed in bringing children to the world. Having a child is not only about happiness, joy and easy days, it also means difficulties, problems and challenges that have to be faced.
“There is a Hungarian future as long as there are people who have children in Hungary", the President said, thanking parents for being there for their children on happy, as well as difficult days, and for not letting difficulties deter them from having more children, if other things do not prevent this.
"I am convinced that a brother or sister is the greatest gift we can give our children," she said.
She added that she had been given the joy and miracle of childbearing three times, "a privilege that God has given women that I would not give up for anything, for which we have every reason to be grateful.".
The President thanked fathers, who are becoming increasingly active in the care of children, and praised grandparents, great-grandparents and family members who also help with the care of children.
Katalin Novák highlighted: she is grateful, because as state secretary, and later as minister, she had the privilege to work for eight years to make it easier for young people to make up their minds to have and raise children in Hungary.
I feel it is my duty as President of Hungary. Even if I am no longer involved in government decisions, I have been, am, and will be there for Hungarian families, they can count on me and I count on you." – Katalin Novák told her audience.
Károly Szita (Fidesz-KDNP), mayor of the City of Kaposvár, recalled: the names of the children born in Kaposvár are inscribed on three Trees of Life in the local City Park. Previously, parents and grandparents participated in planting a tree for newborn babies, but as many took advantage of the opportunity, the area quickly filled up, so in the second half of the 2000s the sculptor Katalin Gera was asked to create the first bronze Tree of Life, followed by two more.
A community, a city is only strong when families are strong, without children there is no future", said the head of the city. The politician thanked Katalin Novák for what she did for families in the past as state secretary and minister.
Hungarian families have a lot to thank for the fact that Hungary has a family policy that is outstanding even by international standards, he added.
On Thursday, the names of more than sixty children born between November 2021 and January 2022 were written on the latest Tree of Life, and bronze leaves containing the names of more than 5,500 children have been placed on the three works of art by now.
Following the Tree of Life Ceremony, Katalin Novák visited Kometa 99 Zrt.
The Head of State thanked the company for providing jobs and good working conditions for many people living in Kaposvár and the surrounding area.
She drew attention to the fact that unfortunately the tradition of family businesses in Hungary was interrupted under communism, which is why Kometa and the Italian families who own it are exemplary. By now, Hungarian families have realised that they have a duty, a responsibility towards the next generation in running their businesses, she noted.
Executive Director Giacomo Pedranzini informed the Head of State that the meat company, which has been in business for around thirty years, provides the livelihood of a thousand families, with an "entry wage" twenty percent above the minimum wage.
He stressed that the management and the owners' aim is to make Kometa a "Hungarian champion" of the European food industry.
At his meeting with the President of Hungary, Giacomo Pedranzini recited to Katalin Novák his oath of Hungarian citizenship, an oath he had previously taken before Mayor Károly Szita.
Balázs Prohászka, Deputy Executive Director for Kometa told journalists that the company has quadrupled its turnover in the last 10 years. This indicator was HUF 17 billion 10 years ago, HUF 54 billion in 2021 and HUF 74 billion in 2022.
Profits were over one billion forints last year and the year before, despite rising energy prices and "historically record-breaking" pork prices, he added.
He said that this year they expect sales of 94 billion forints and profits of more than 2 billion forints.
Balázs Prohászka recalled that Kometa had launched capacity expansion projects. Currently, the company can slaughter 800,000 pigs a year, which will increase to 1.2 million in one shift and 2.5 million in two shifts by 2026, thanks to a HUF 40 billion capex project.