Speaking at the ceremony, PM Orbán said the new motorway section will significantly improve traffic safety and travel times in eastern Hungary, while also strengthening the economic prospects of the region. He stressed that the investment demonstrates that Hungarian taxpayers’ money is being used domestically rather than being sent abroad.
The prime minister recalled that the government has consistently pursued an “Alföld program” aimed at boosting employment and infrastructure in the region, noting that unemployment has fallen from 12 percent to around 5 percent since 2010. He added that motorway development remains a key priority, with further sections already planned.
PM Orbán announced that from January 1, 2026, trucks weighing more than 20 tonnes will be required to use motorways exclusively, a measure intended to improve road safety and protect local communities.
He underlined that thanks to motorway construction since 2010, Hungary has caught up with the most developed countries in Europe on a per-capita basis, with 22 county-level cities now accessible via motorways. According to current plans, every Hungarian citizen will live within 20 minutes of a motorway, he said.
The prime minister also outlined future development plans, including the creation of a Debrecen–Nagyszalonta–Békéscsaba industrial zone and the launch of construction on the Debrecen–Békéscsaba expressway.
Addressing broader political issues, PM Orbán said Hungary had opted out of joint EU borrowing, which would have cost Hungarian taxpayers an estimated 400 billion forints. By contrast, he noted, the newly inaugurated motorway section cost around 170 billion forints. He argued that public funds are better spent on domestic infrastructure than on financing war-related expenditures abroad.
The newly opened section brings the completed length of the M4 motorway to more than 150 kilometres. Construction progressed faster than planned, allowing the handover to take place earlier than originally scheduled