In her speech, President Novák outlined the achievements and objectives of Hungary’s family policy, explaining that the Hungarian population has been falling every year since 1981, and it was therefore necessary to take measures to stop this decline.
She stressed that Hungary helps to restore the social value of having children, among other things, by offering tax allowances, reducing loans, providing support for home ownership and building a network of daycare facilities.
She highlighted that Hungary spends more than 6 percent of its GDP on supporting families, adding that in the past decade, the number of marriages had doubled, the number of abortions had halved, and the willingness to have children was also steadily increasing in Hungary.
President Novák presented Ferenc Hegyi, president of the Hungarian House of Sao Paulo, with the Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary in recognition of his efforts to preserve the identity of the Hungarian community in Brazil as well as his work in the framework of the Hungarian Diaspora Council's Latin American Regional Meeting.
Katalin Novák also held talks with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday.
The parties discussed trade issues, possibilities of future cooperation, and economic relations, which are constantly expanding, as is the case with the military industry. Both sides stressed that neither Brazil nor Hungary would like to get involved in any war, and that they both want to see peace in the Russian-Ukrainian war as soon as possible.
President Bolsonaro stressed that Hungary and Brazil are united by the defense of the homeland, family and freedom.