Construction investments made up 48pc of the value of public procurements compared to 34pc in 2008. Local municipalities were the biggest customers with one-third of the total value, Mr Bakonyi added.

    The number and value of public procurement procedures grew at such a spectacular rate because since April 2009 it has been compulsory to publish an announcement for simplified procedures as well. The number of simplified procedures was 2,507, and their combined value was HUF 152.3bn between April-December.

    The average value of public procurement procedures was HUF 273.8bn, or HUF 403.9bn not counting simplified procedures, compared to HUF 362.5bn in 2008. Of all public procurement procedures, 2,279 were linked to EU funding, and the same is true for 40pc of the total value, Mr Bakonyi said.

    Open procedures accounted for 45pc of the total value, with two-round negotiated procedures making up 40pc. Simple and simplified procedures accounted for 11pc.

    Construction investments made up 48pc, services 32.4pc and goods purchases accounted for 19.4pc of all public procurements, in terms of value. Local municipalities called 32.3pc of all procedures, public service providers called 26.6pc of procedures and the central budget accounted for 22.3pc.

    Micro-, small and medium-sized businesses won three-quarters of the procedures, accounting for just 39pc of the total value.

    Bidders in procedures filed 861 complaints with the Public Procurement Arbitration Board (KDB) in 2009, up from 636 in 2008. The KDB found procurers at fault in 365 cases.