The 660 billion forint (EUR 1.6bn) acquisition is Hungary’s biggest since 1990, Márton Nagy said in a statement. Due diligence on Vodafone Hungary has been completed and the financial report is expected to be concluded on Jan. 31, the statement added. “In an economic situation burdened by the war and sanctions, we must not give up on our endeavour to further strengthen Hungary’s competitiveness and independence,” Nagy said. “It is a primary objective of the government to establish national ownership in sectors of national strategic importance such as insurance and telecommunications, in addition to the banking, energy and media sectors. Vodafone Hungary’s purchase serves this goal and will further strengthen our country’s sovereignty.”
As a result of the acquisition, a fully Hungarian-owned “national champion” will be created in the domestic telecoms sector, helping to improve Hungary’s competitiveness by meeting 21st century digital standards and providing high quality services to individuals and corporate clients, the statement said. Vodafone Hungary serves 3.8 million customers.