Czibere said the personalised help showed the government’s “commitment to people living in small villages and remote farmhouses”. The network’s staff “knock on the doors of people in need … and thereby recreate local communities”, he said. The network employing 1,500-1,600 receives 3.5 billion forints (EUR 1.1m) each year of central budget support, while local branches have an annual budget of 2.5 million forints each.

Under current rules, the services are provided in villages with a population below 600, and in rural settlements with 70-400 inhabitants.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Kelemen Zoltán Gergely