The government’s most important achievements included the four-step wage hike, amounting to a 67 percent pay raise, Ónodi-Szűcs said. The government has bought 500 vehicles so far and plans to buy 193 more. Thirty new ambulance stations were built and 97 renovated, he said.

The 2018 budget allocates 7 billion forints more to the ambulance service than this year’s, the state secretary said, raising its total budget to 39.7 billion forints (EUR 128.3m). The first national ambulance day was held in the City Park on Saturday, bringing the general public closer to the world of ambulance workers, Ónodi-Szűcs said.

Photo: Hungarian Ambulace Service

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