EU executive vice-president Raffaele Fitto visited Hungary over two days to hold meetings and site visits focused on EU cohesion policy, regional development and plans for a forthcoming EU “Right to Stay” strategy.
Fitto, the Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, met Hungary’s Minister for Regional and Rural Development, Viktória Lőrincz, to discuss current and future cohesion policy, the Commission informed on Tuesday.
Cohesion policy is the EU’s main investment programme aimed at reducing economic and social disparities between regions. "Right to Stay" means that citizens have a genuine choice to remain, work, and build their futures in their hometowns rather than being forced to leave due to economic hardship.
Fitto also met Hungary’s Minister of Finance, András Kármán.
In Budapest, Fitto met the city’s mayor, Gergely Karácsony, to discuss urban development challenges.
The pair visited an EU-funded tram project in the capital.
Visit includes talks on “Right to Stay” strategy
Discussions during the trip also covered the Commission’s planned “Right to Stay” strategy, it said.
Fitto visited the town of Dombóvár, which the Commission described as an area facing persistent development gaps.
He met local residents and community representatives to hear about day-to-day challenges, including obstacles to staying and building a future locally.
In Dombóvár, he also met the town’s mayor, Szilárd Pintér, and the region’s member of parliament, Gábor Szijjartó.
