“105 years ago, Hungary was destined to remain frozen in time,” Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared at the inauguration of the Bekescsaba–Lokoshaza railway line. He visited Lokoshaza together with Janos Lazar, Minister of Construction and Transport, where he explained that at the time Bekes County had been cut off from the area extending until the Carpathians, depriving it of the natural lifeblood that had once filled the region with vitality.
"The problem lies in the borders that were drawn more than a hundred years ago,” the Prime Minister stressed, pointing out that the state border stretches just beyond the Lokoshaza station, even though the railway itself continues further on into Romania.
“We sincerely believe: it is not you who came here today because of us, but rather we came because of you—we are glad to be here!” he greeted the locals. A large number of MPs, constituency leaders and mayors also attended the inauguration ceremony. PM Orban even recalled a novel by Laszlo Krasznahorkai, in which a train that never arrives is headed toward a Bekescsaba-like station.
According to Mr. Orban, the situation depicted in the novel has now changed: today, there are fast trains and beautiful stations.
“With due modesty, but with pride, I can say that the Fidesz–KDNP alliance is the only political community with a program for the Great Plain of Hungary,” he declared. Viktor Orban went on to explain that this year the M44 motorway will be completed, connecting Bekescsaba to the M5. The M47 is in the planning stage, and the M4 is under construction, which must still be extended to Berettyoujfalu.
Further rail development is also underway. Alongside the newly inaugurated 30-kilometer stretch, the Szeged–Kiskunfelegyhaza line is being built, as is the Budapest–Belgrade railway—also serving the Great Plain.
On the other side of the border, Romania is building the line to Brasov. Once that's finished, it will shorten the Budapest–Brasov journey by five hours, something the Prime Minister considers to be highly beneficial.
Speaking about the government's Great Plain program, PM Orban also highlighted job creation. A new factory is coming to Bekescsaba, Airbus manufacturing is already operating in Gyula, Mercedes in Kecskemet, BMW in Debrecen, and BYD in Szeged. Altogether, the government is facilitating the creation of 50,000 new jobs in the region.
