Kommentar: Was die deutschen Autochefs über Ungarn verschweigen

Tuesdays see dozens of BMW employees boarding planes bound for Hungary. Their primary mission is to address the skilled labor shortage on-site. This is not an isolated issue for BMW alone. Other automotive manufacturers also express difficulty finding well-qualified personnel in the Eastern European nation. Even Mercedes-Benz, a competitor, relies heavily on a Hungarian workforce.

This aspect of Hungary's appeal as a business location has been conveniently overlooked by top executives of German car companies. They have pumped billions of dollars into the country, building a new BMW plant and doubling Mercedes' production capacity there. The main talking points have been affordable energy, lower taxes, and cheaper labor rates.

While these factors make Hungary attractive – especially compared to Germany – they cannot build cars on their own. The benefits come at a high cost. Manufacturers must first spend significantly to create the human resources needed for production, including flights, stays, and generous compensation packages.