A job preservation scheme launched by the government four years ago has helped keep 907,000 Hungarians employed, sources report.
According to Magyar Idők, some 554 billion HUF (1.8bn EUR) in tax preferences have helped businesses with the emplyoment of Hungarian workers.
The ministry for National Economy told the newspaper that the program is targeted at keeping the jobs of people over the age of 55, career-starters, mothers with small children, those with low skills and education, the long-term unemployed, people in disadvantaged regions and those in the agriculture sector.
Official figures have shown that the scheme has helped keep 351,000 Hungarians over the age of 55 in jobs.
The scheme has done the same for 312,000 unskilled workers, 167,000 career-starters and 33,000 mothers with small children. The program has also supported the employment of 23,000 of the long-term jobless and 21,000 Hungarians in the farm sector.