Listed car seller AutoWallis on Monday announced that it is to obtain distribution rights for Nissan in Romania together with the Portuguese Salvador Caetano Group, as the new national importer for the brand.
AutoWallis said, under the deal it concluded, AutoWallis Caetano – a joint venture in which it and Salvador Caetano each hold a 50pc stake – is to acquire exclusive Nissan distribution rights in Romania, providing regulatory conditions are met.
The start of operations of the new organisation is scheduled for June 1st, 2025.
AutoWallis CEO Gábor Ormosy said this is the third shared venture between the Hungarian and Portuguese companies: AutoWallis and Caetano Group joint ventures companies hold the importer rights of Renault, Dacia, and Alpine in Hungary and own a Renault and Dacia retail unit in Budapest.
Source: AutoWallis
He added that AutoWallis will continue its independent growth, developments, acquisitions, and the implementation of its strategy in other areas.
AutoWallis is already present in 16 countries in the region, representing 27 brands, while Salvador Caetano has significant experience in vehicle sales primarily on the Iberian Peninsula, in Scandinavia, and South America and Africa.
AutoWallis had (EUR 0,88bn) HUF 366bn revenue last year.
In the statement, the company said that the AutoWallis Group is continuing to expand its activities in the Czech Republic after purchasing the MILAN KRÁL GROUP, operating in the southern part of the country. As a result of this step, after buying three BMW dealerships from Stratos Auto this summer, they will be present in the Czech vehicle market with Ford and Mercedes-Benz in addition to BMW and in the sales and servicing of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
Hungary’s interest lies in Romania having a stable government, the constant development of bilateral ties and the situation of ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania improving, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Facebook on Monday.
Szijjarto said the strong showing in the Romanian general election by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) had provided an “excellent basis” for the party again to be part of the government coalition in Bucharest.
He said experience had shown that it was easier for Hungary to work with a Romanian government that included RMDSZ. “It always made it easier to achieve results that are important to both countries and both nations,” he said. “We are prepared to work together this time as well, and we wish RMDSZ and the new Romanian government coalition much success,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said Barna Tánczos and Attila Cseke, who will again serve as ministers in the new government, had rightfully earned recognition during their previous tenures as ministers, adding that Hungary was “confident that they will do an excellent job this time as well”.
Marcel Ciolacu, President of the PSD, was nominated as Prime Minister on Monday by Klaus Iohannis. The head of state said that the pro-European coalition had nominated Ciolcu as head of government, and he accepted.
The coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), RMDSZ and a faction of national minorities aims to regain the trust of citizens, Hunor Kelemen said on Monday after the parties’ representatives signed the political agreement.
“We are aware that we are in a deep political crisis. This is also a crisis of trust, and the aim of this coalition is to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people, because this is the most important thing, without which we cannot get out of the political crisis and implement the necessary reforms, from which all communities, all people will benefit. That is why we have entered into this coalition, and the RMDSZ has signed the agreement,” the President of the RMDSZ said.
He added that a very well-constructed and balanced 2025 budget should be adopted as soon as possible after the winter holidays and that the elections for the president of the state should be organised as soon as possible, preferably before Easter.
Hungarians have for a long time had a vested interest in Romania being part of the Schengen area and enjoying its benefits together with Hungary and “it is now happening”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday.
Orbán told a joint press conference with Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu that they had agreed to follow a common plan during the Hungarian presidency of the European Union, and the goal was that Romania should join Schengen during the Hungarian presidency. He added that this had been a very difficult task and “we discussed it many times whether it was realistic at all during this year, considering that it had not happened for 13 years”. “It could have happened already 13 years ago but it has not happened since,” he added.
Orbán said a “political action” had to be taken “to transform this 13-year period from lack of success to success”.
Source: FB/Orbán
Orbán said they had prepared a working plan and identified which countries were against the enlargement, and then convinced them that there was a historic opportunity. He added that few people had expected that Romania’s accession would happen under the Hungarian presidency, “which strongly demonstrates that the two countries share a common history and we both understand that one country’s success alone is not enough, but the neighbour’s success is also needed for the success of both”.
Economy gains impetus
He also said that “when the barriers were taken down first at the border with Austria and later with Slovakia, and Slovenia and most recently with Croatia”, not only the economy gained impetus, but the quality of life changed in the entire region. Orbán said it was not yet possible to assess precisely the significance of the changes that Romanians and Hungarians living in the border regions will experience.
There are currently 12 public road border crossing stations between Romania and Hungary, and this number would rise to 22 from January 1 because some of the crossings could only be used partially so far, Orbán said, adding that these will be freely available now. He added that when people living near the border wanted to cross to a neighbouring settlement, they had to travel an average 37 kms and this would drop to around 20 now.
Orbán said “there is an opportunity for a new era to start in relations between the two countries, the foundations for trust are now given, because we have achieved a joint success”. He referred to his Romanian counterpart saying that Hungary was an important country for Romania from an economic point of view, adding that Romania was extremely important for Hungary from the point of energy security.
Ciolacu praised Hungary’s efforts
“Last year we could buy 1.75 billion cubic metres of gas through Romania,” Orbán noted. He said that Romania was also a reliable country in terms of nuclear fuel transits, and the more energy cooperation through Ukraine got stymied , the more important cooperation with Romania became to Hungary.
Ciolacu said Orbán had a major role in bringing Romania’s Schengen accession to success, saying that “it would not have been possible had it not been Hungary holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.”
He said that the Schengen accession would result in 2 percent GDP increase for Romania, and the growth will most certainly also be reflected in Hungary because “it will be the gate through which Romanian products reach Europe”.
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Bulgaria, Romania Schengen accession one of Hungary’s greatest achievements, says official
As Hungary grapples with its long-delayed euro adoption, many wonder if Romania and Bulgaria are already ahead of Hungary. Bulgaria appears to be making significant strides towards joining the eurozone, with plans to potentially adopt the euro as early as January 2026. In contrast, Romania faces a more challenging path.
Hungary’s new efforts
As Economx writes, Mihály Varga, Hungary’s incoming central bank governor, is poised to introduce a new monetary policy alongside the country’s euro adoption efforts, believing that such preparations will bolster the Hungarian economy. During a parliamentary hearing, Varga emphasised three key points: Hungary’s commitment to adopting the euro hinges on economic readiness, which can foster sustainable development and mitigate risks; economic policy must meaningfully align with these conditions while preserving policy autonomy; and decisions regarding euro area membership will require consensus between the central bank and the government.
Photo: depositphotos.com
Procrastination
Hungary‘s path to euro adoption has seen numerous delays and shifting timelines since the first Orbán government aimed for a 2007 target. While initial convergence criteria were nearly met, subsequent governments, including those led by Péter Medgyessy and Gordon Bajnai, pushed adoption dates to 2013-2014, only to see prospects diminish following the 2008 financial crisis, significantly weakening the forint.
By 2011, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán deemed a 2020 introduction unrealistic due to economic instability. Despite these setbacks, officials like Mihály Varga reaffirm Hungary’s commitment to the euro. However, György Matolcsy suggested that adoption may not be feasible until after 2030 when Hungary reaches about 90% of the EU’s average development level.
What about Bulgaria and Romania?
While Hungary currently has no competition for euro adoption in the region, Bulgaria is poised to potentially overtake it, with plans to adopt the euro as early as January 2026, contingent on meeting accession conditions. Bulgarian National Bank Governor Dimitar Radev has stated that inflation is expected to decline to acceptable levels by January. However, the country faces a significant budget deficit of EUR 9 billion, about 8% of GDP.
In contrast, Romania’s path to euro adoption appears more distant due to high budget deficits and socio-economic challenges, including poverty and corruption. Currently, Romania does not meet the necessary macroeconomic criteria for joining the euro area, with inflation projected at 7.6% this year. Experts suggest that Romania may not be ready for euro adoption until around 2034.
In recent years, few economic indicators have captured Hungarian public attention as much as those showing Romania not only catching up to but surpassing Hungary. Two key metrics often cited are GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) and household consumption levels. Both reveal Romania’s significant progress over the past decade within the EU rankings.
For those seeking to maintain the perception of Hungary’s economic advantage, fewer and fewer data points remain convincing. However, the macroeconomic figures also hide contradictions—most notably, that Romania’s progress has not been equally shared across its society.
The rise of Romania’s wealthiest
According to the report of G7, over the last decade, Romania’s top earners have made significant strides within EU income rankings. In contrast, middle-class gains have been more moderate, and the poorest 25% of the population remain largely stagnant. EU-wide income percentile rankings illustrate this disparity by ordering the incomes of all EU citizens and comparing individual country groups to the EU average.
For instance, in Hungary, the 90th income percentile moved slightly forward between 2020 and 2023, ranking ahead of 29% of EU earners compared to 28% in 2020. Full convergence, however, would require Hungarian groups to match or exceed their EU counterparts’ rankings—for example, the Hungarian 90th percentile would need to rank above 89% of EU earners.
Romania has exhibited a similar pattern in recent years, with the greatest gains among the upper and middle-income groups. Only the poorest fifth of Romanian society remains firmly at the bottom of EU rankings. In euro terms, which exclude local cost-of-living adjustments, the income growth among Romania’s higher earners is even more pronounced, highlighting a tangible improvement in living standards.
Bulgaria closes the gap
Bulgaria’s standard of living historically attracted little attention in Hungary, but Romania’s leap has shifted the focus. Bulgaria recently surpassed Hungary in household consumption levels (adjusted for PPP), aided by Hungary’s record-breaking inflation. From 2020 to 2023, Bulgaria’s top-earning 50% also advanced significantly in EU rankings, with the wealthiest Bulgarians already ranking among Europe’s highest earners since the start of the decade.
However, PPP-adjusted income data should be viewed cautiously, as figures for both the wealthiest and poorest segments are often less reliable. Still, in euro terms, only the top third of Bulgaria’s population has seen a relative improvement in the EU income rankings.
A three-way competition
In Hungary, only the top 15% of earners saw progress between 2020 and 2023, while lower-income groups largely slipped in the EU rankings. Comparisons between Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania reveal that Hungary’s advantage now persists only among its bottom 45% of earners,
while the wealthier 55% of Romanians and Bulgarians have overtaken their Hungarian counterparts.
Hungary still holds a slight lead in EU income rankings when measured in euros, disregarding local cost-of-living differences. Government-aligned analysts often emphasise this comparison to downplay Romania’s progress. However, this approach becomes less favourable when Hungary’s figures are compared with those of higher-cost, more developed countries, where Hungary’s lag is even more apparent.
The future of convergence
The rapid pace of convergence in Romania and Bulgaria is undeniable. While their progress is most visible when adjusting for purchasing power, middle-income groups in all three countries now enjoy broadly similar living standards. As these trends continue, the disparities that once defined economic rankings within the region are diminishing, leaving Hungary’s economic edge increasingly tenuous.
State-owned Hungarian energy group MVM has agreed to acquire a majority stake in E.ON’s retail and customer solutions business in Romania, MVM said on Monday.
Under the agreement, MVM will acquire a 68pc stake in E.ON Energie Romania, which has close to 3.4m customers, and a 98pc stake in regional service provider E.ON Asist Complet. The transaction is expected to be closed in the first half of 2025, pending approvals from the competent authorities. The transaction value has not been disclosed.
MVM said the transaction could strengthen its regional positions and E.ON said that it would now be able to focus on key strategic areas, contributing to the energy transition in Europe.
UNCHAIN Fintech Festival, the most prominent banking tech conference in Central and Eastern Europe, proudly announces its 4th edition, set to take place on June 19–20, 2025, in the well-established Fintech Fortress of Oradea (Nagyvárad), Romania. The event will continue to seamlessly merge business impact with an unmatched summer festival experience, delivering cutting-edge content and invaluable connections.
Building on three years of success, UNCHAINenters a new growth phase with strengthened international partnerships. The strategic partnerships with LOT Airlines, Oradea Municipality, and Visa will boost the festival’s direct flight connections across the CEE, enhancing its accessibility and impact, and making it a significant milestone for both UNCHAIN and the region.
“Strategic partnerships drive growth and are the cornerstone of innovation in fintech. Through trusted collaborations, we aim to cultivate an industry revolution over time. Our alliance with LOT Airlines, for example, simplifies travel for participants, offering direct flights connecting all CEE capitals via Warsaw, along with exclusive perks like business lounge access. Similarly, Visa’s continuous partnership with UNCHAINunderscores their trust in the event, providing their international experts with a premier platform for learning, discovery, and innovation and turning them into genuine fintech ambassadors. Such initiatives embody our commitment to growing UNCHAIN into a truly transformative event, a vision made possible by a reinforced team focused on achieving even greater impact in the years ahead,” said Alexandra Pollack, Founder & CEO of UNCHAIN.
Photo: FB/Unchain
A Thriving Network at the Core
The strength of UNCHAIN lies in the network it creates and fosters. To enhance this, the UNCHAIN team consolidates by welcoming David Pollack, an expert in international projects development & financial markets, as a permanent member and growth driver. This renewed team will focus on expanding the community of business and industry advisors, ensuring a comprehensive representation of the region’s diverse fintech landscape. Their mission remains steadfast: to unite the CEE fintech ecosystem, amplify its collective voice, and encourage business growth.
David Pollack, Head of Growth & International Development at UNCHAIN, remarked: “Next year marks a strategic leap for UNCHAIN. We’re cementing the event’s foundation with robust partnerships but also with an elite advisory network that spans all major CEE markets. I am excited about the influx of financial institutions, regulators, innovators, and startups who will enrich the event through their knowledge, ideas, and collaboration.”
UNCHAIN’s Role in Regional Fintech
As the benchmark for fintech and financial services events in the CEE, UNCHAIN is dedicated to driving regional innovation through cooperation, resource access, and elite networking.
Alexandru Chira, Director General at Visit Oradea, stated: “The success of the UNCHAIN Fintech Festival highlights not only the remarkable potential of Central and Eastern Europe’s fintech ecosystem but also the importance of public sector involvement in driving innovation and collaboration. Events like this provide the economy with access to essential networking opportunities and relevant industry insights, fostering growth and development. Oradea is proud to play a pivotal role in creating the infrastructure necessary to support and nurture initiatives like UNCHAIN. Visit Oradea will continue working alongside the festival’s extraordinary project team to bring together regional leaders from fintech, regulators, banks, startups, and academia. We remain committed to contribute to their vision of fostering a collaborative spirit that will resonate across Europe.”
Photo: FB/UNCHAIN
2025 Agenda Highlights
The upcoming edition boasts an expanded agenda, with more enhanced targeting of content. The main stage will transform into a general assembly focused on policy and public sector topics, while the sub-stages will further deliver exceptional quality content.
Digital Banking, with focus on the rise of neobanking and how AI implementations shape the financial ecosystem;
Payments, with focus on Cross-Border and P2P (Peer-to-Peer) models;
Regulation & Compliance, Security being the main topic of discussion in nowadays’s changing digital landscape.
All this will be matched by a lively expo & networking area, enhancing visibility and improving connectivity for the partners
The organizers expect over 120 global speakers from 40 countries, with insights on emerging trends, plus participation from 700+ delegates and 350+ companies. With 70% representation from the financial sector, UNCHAIN is the definitive platform for impactful fintech dialogue.
Bankers, fintech creators and enthusiasts that want to meet global leaders, discover innovative solutions, and expand their network should seize the opportunity to join the most dynamic fintech event in the CEE. Immediate registrations will benefit from the Super Early Bird Offer — 750 EUR, meaning an exclusive 40% discount until January 31st.
See you all at this summer’s UNCHAIN Fintech Festival on June 19-20, 2025, for unforgettable moments.
State-owned aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul company Aeroplex expanded capacity to two production lines at its base at Bucharest’s Baneasa Airport, the company said on Friday.
The Bucharest base, established in cooperation with Romaero, was inaugurated in October. The second client at the base, Spanish airline Albastar, is due to arrive mid-December.
Aeroplexaims to expand the Bucharest base to three production lines by the end of next year. It had net sales revenue of HUF 31.4bn last year, public records show.
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The decision by European Union interior ministers on Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to the EU’s passport-free Schengen zone is one of historic significance and one of the most important achievements of the Hungarian EU presidency, the chief of Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the EU said on Friday.
Speaking to Bulgarian news agency BTA, Bálint Ódor noted that on Thursday EU interior ministers decided to remove checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania from Jan 1, 2025. “This achievement is not only significant for Bulgaria and Romania but also for the European Union and, of course, for Hungary,” Ódor said.
He said that during its six-month presidency of the Council of the EU, Hungary had managed to achieve a consensus on key policy objectives in areas like migration and the common agriculture policy, “which will guide EU actions for the next five years”. He said progress had also been made on the Hungarian presidency’s top priority of improving the bloc’s competitiveness.
Source: FB/Hungarian Police
Ódor said Hungary had also aimed to speed up the accession procedure of the Western Balkan countries. He said the opening of the first stage of accession talks with Albania had been another breakthrough. In response to a question, he said transatlantic relations will always be crucial for the EU. Hungary, he said, had a “good relationship” with US President-elect Donald Trump, adding he believed the country could “act as a bridge”.
Tuzson: Hungarian presidency will have last impact on EU competitiveness
Hungary’s EU presidency will be talked about “for a very long time” as its approach to competitiveness will have a lasting effect on how the whole bloc functions, Bence Tuzson, the justice minister, said in Brussels on Friday.
Speaking before a meeting of the Council of Justice Ministers, Tuzson said Hungary’s presidency had highlighted the importance of taking a broad approach to competitiveness that “permeates the operations of the entire European Union … in all areas, from civil law, the economy to criminal law.”
Competitiveness, he added, was a priority as Europe lagged behind its competitors. The Hungarian presidency has promoted matters that help improve the bloc’s competitiveness, the minister said.
Concerning the council meeting’s agenda, Tuzson said it would include a proposal to promote the application of artificial intelligence in justice, in order to make procedures faster and more efficient.
In terms of criminal law, Tuzson said it was important to adopt a planned directive aimed at preventing people smuggling. “If the EU wants to protect Europe’s borders it will need to take more effective measures against smugglers,” he said. He called for “firm and clear” action by the EU “to facilitate prevention of people smuggling across borders.”
The aim is to make EU members more competitive
Tuzson said passing European legislation against the sexual harassment and exploitation of children was a priority of the Hungarian presidency. The resulting new rules will increase international cooperation to investigate such cases and to take perpetrators to court, he added.
The Hungarian presidency made “unprecedented progress” on a directive concerning economic competitiveness and bankruptcy procedures, Tuzson said, adding that uniform regulations were necessary “to make European countries increasingly competitive and help them stand the test of time in decades to come”.
The minister was asked about money laundering charges against former EU commissioner Didier Reynders, and he said “such cases undermine trust in the EU” and called on the European Commission to do everything to restore people’s trust in European institutions.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Tuzson said one of the most important achievements of the Hungarian presidency had been a change in direction in the bloc in terms of shifting the focus of EU policies to the improvement of European competitiveness.
Tuzson said the Hungarian presidency had managed to ensure that every EU policy has to be considered from the point of view of whether it helps improve competitiveness.
The Budapest Declaration on a new European Competitiveness Deal establishes a comprehensive principle that competitiveness has to be a key consideration in all areas, the minister said.
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Interior Minister Sándor Pintér highlighted the importance of the protection of the external borders of the European Union and of in-depth controls within the bloc, at a press conference held after a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) in Brussels on Thursday.
At a press conference held on Thursday evening together with Magnus Brunner, the commissioner for internal affairs and migration, Pintér said that it was of “historic” importance that the Schengen integration process of Bulgaria and Romania had been completed, “after negotiations spanning almost a decade”.
Their integration into the Schengen Area was the most important achievement of the Hungarian EU presidency, he said.
After the decision, the meeting reviewed the inter-operability of IT systems with the Schengen Area’s associated members, especially in view of a planned border registration system, Pintér said.
Photo: MTI
Although the full-scale introduction of the automatic IT system for registering the border crossings of third country citizens is being delayed, the JHA reiterated its commitment to set up a schedule to minimise the damage caused, he said. “The goal is to finish [work on] interoperability by 2027.”
The council also pledged to reinforce Greece’s borders with Türkiye and Bulgaria, as well as the stretch between Bulgaria and Türkiye. The latter will receive a contingent of over 100 Hungarian, Romanian and Austrian troops, he added.
Besides border protection, controls will be strengthened within the EU too. Hungary will maintain “secondary border control” on its Romanian border until June 30, just as Austria does on its Hungarian border, he added.
Fake asylum seekers have no place in Hungary, the interior minister said
Asked whether Hungary could request to suspend granting asylum requests similarly to other EU member states, Pintér noted that Hungary has no joint borders with Belarus or Russia as Poland and other countries do, that pointed to a threat of hybrid warfare.
Meanwhile, Hungary’s borders remain open to Ukrainian refugees, he said. “Those coming from other countries on the old Silk Road will continue to be turned away, and if they do get in, there is no way they will be granted asylum without unequivocal proof of persecution,” Pintér said.
“We accept real refugees, but fake asylum seekers have no place in Hungary,” he said.
The ministers also tabled legislation proposal on the fight against the sexual abuse of children, “but we couldn’t achieve results there. I hope that the Polish presidency will be more successful on that topic, as it is about our future, our children,” he said.
The councilalso discussed opportunities for cooperation with third countries on migration challenges, he said. They also reviewed semi-annual reports of European security and intelligence agencies, including that of the Hungarian anti-terrorism and constitutional protection offices, he said.
They then adopted strategic directives, and the council’s priorities in domestic and judicial cooperation in the new cycle, “an outstanding achievement for the Hungarian presidency and the council itself, as it was the first such document adopted in a decade,” he said.
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Slovenia tightensborder controls with Hungary and Croatia
The European Union’s Justice and Home Affairs Council has decided to remove checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania from Jan 1, 2025, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU said on Thursday.
Schengen enlargement
“It is a historic moment to finally welcome Bulgaria and Romania as full Schengen members,” a statement from Brussels cited Hungarian Interior Minister Sándor Pintér as saying.
Speaking to the media before the council meeting, Pintér said Bulgaria and Romania were ready to join the Schengen zone. The minister expressed hope that a decision would be taken on approving the two member states’ Schengen membership.
He pointed out that Hungary supported the Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania as early as 2011 when it first held the EU presidency.
“I believe that if a country is technically ready, has made huge efforts and initiated regulatory changes, then they deserve to become part of the Schengen area,” Pintér said.
Pintér said the ministers would also discuss the EU’s home affairs strategic guidelines, adding that the current guidelines were adopted ten years ago so they had to be renewed.
Another point on the agenda of the meeting is online child abuse. On this, Pintér said he expected to see a serious clash as there were arguments both for individual and personal rights and for the protection of children.
The Hungarian presidency of the European Council has been “distinctive, active and strategic, and an unquestionable success”, Janos Boka, the EU affairs minister, said on Facebook on Thursday. Briefing parliament’s foreign affairs committee on the Hungarian EU presidency earlier, Boka praised the presidency as one that had fostered “concrete decisions” on competitiveness, the integration of the Western Balkans and the enlargement of the Schengen Area.
So far, the presidency organised more than 1,000 meetings of working groups, 50 Coreper meetings, 13 informal Council meetings, and the largest diploamtic events of Hungarian history: a summit of the European Political Community and one of the European Council, he said. The Hungarian presidency aimed to become a catalyst for change, and “Hungary will keep the hope for change alive after the presidency, too,” Boka said. “The European Union must change, but that won’t happen on its own; it requires work — in cooperation with European institutions if possible — but if not, then against them,” he said.
An exhibition dubbed Timisoara 1989, commemorating the anniversary of Romania’s democratic revolution, opened at the Hungarian National Museum on Wednesday.
Speaking at the exhibition’s opening, János Nagy, the leading state secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, said that 35 years ago Romania’s freedom “started from a small parish” in Timisoara (Temesvár). He said László Tőkés and the Timisoara rebels had become “examples of courage and heroism”. “In 1989 two peoples, two nations, fought for freedom and central Europe together,” Nagy said.
The exhibition, which features 21 photography tableaux, 90 contemporary photo reproductions and enlargements of 12 contemporary documents, runs until Jan 15.
Hungary’s women’s handball team has made a significant achievement by securing a spot in the semi-finals of the 2024 Women’s EHF EURO Championship, marking their first appearance in this stage of the tournament in 12 years.
This milestone was reached following a decisive 37-29 victory over Romania on December 8, 2024, which solidified their position after winning all six matches in the tournament thus far.
The Hungarian team showcased strong performances throughout the competition, including earlier victories against Sweden (32-25) and North Macedonia (29-19), demonstrating their dominance in the group stage.
Their consistent play has been attributed to effective teamwork and strategic adjustments made by coach Vladimir Golovin, who emphasized the importance of maintaining composure and focus during matches. Golovin said to EHF: “We are really happy that after the sixth game in this tournament we already know that we are in the semi-finals. We worked a lot, really hard, in the past few years, and we are really proud of the team and of the girls. Of course, we would like to thank the fans because the atmosphere was fantastic tonight and they pushed us.”
After the qualification, the national captain told NSO:
“It’s the same game as the others. Everyone knows what their job is, nothing is given for free to anyone, if we want something we have to get it. External factors obviously influence the team, but the main thing is that in those forty times twenty metres up on the pitch everyone just concentrates on what they have to do and we have managed to do that not only now but in all the matches so far. They know what they want, what they have to do to achieve it. Of course, you can’t always succeed, it’s not a machine, it’s not players, it’s people, but they keep supporting each other whatever happens. Nothing works without concentration, and we need that in the next game, and then the next one. France is the next task, the girls will get the video footage of them late at night, they will watch it in the morning and study it. On Monday afternoon we have a training session, we do video, we prepare as we have done so far, but we only deal with the French. I know that everyone is calculating who from the other semi-final group will make it to the semi-finals, but nothing is certain at the moment, it might only be the last round on Wednesday that decides whether it’s Denmark or Norway, but we’re not looking that far ahead.”
As they prepare for the semi-finals, Hungary will face Montenegro in Debrecen. The team has expressed gratitude to their fans for their support and looks forward to continuing their successful run in the championship.
Group I. Standing
1. MAGYARORSZÁG
4
4
–
–
126–95
+31
8
2. Franciaország
4
4
–
–
127–97
+30
8
3. Montenegró
4
2
–
2
100–110
–10
4
4. Románia
4
1
–
3
104–117
–13
2
5. Svédország
4
1
–
3
108–113
–5
2
6. Lengyelország
4
–
–
4
96–129
–33
0
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1 December is regarded by many Hungarians as a day of commemoration and mourning because of Transylvania. Transylvania was a region of the Kingdom of Hungary for hundreds of years, but now it is the Western region of modern-day Romania. More than 1 million Hungarians live there, one of the biggest indigenous national minorities in Europe.
France wanted to weaken the Kingdom of Hungary after WWI
WWI broke out because of the assassination of Crown Prince Franz Ferdinand in 1914, at least that was the pretext of the war. In fact, the war broke out because Germany wanted a redistribution of territories and colonies. Moreover, Berlin felt threatened by the forming Russia-France-Great Britain alliance in the heart of Europe.
Berlin and its allies, the Central Powers, were defeated by October-November 1918. Despite the idea of a long-lasting peace presented by US President Wilson, France wanted a resolution that cemented Germany’s weakness and France’s strength in Central Europe. Therefore, Paris wanted to create strong states around Germany, so they gave lands, wealth and support to Poland, Romania, Czechoslovakia and the state of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (Yugoslavia).
As a result, the Kingdom of Hungary underwent a brutal mutilation. The Trianon Peace Treaty took 2/3rd of its territory and 1/3rd of the Hungarian population. The greatest slice was Transylvania (103,000 km², bigger than the “new” Hungary – 93,000 km²).
The mutilation of the Kingdom of Hungary in 1920. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Peace-seeking government
The path leading to that catastrophe was marked by milestones like the Károlyi government’s peace-seeking policies from November 1918. Károlyi, having good French relationships, thought he could convince the victorious powers that “the new Hungary” was a modern, democratic state with no ambition to side again with Germany. Since Hungarian soldiers wanted to go home, he demobilised the army and would have liked to offer autonomy to the nationalities living in the Kingdom of Hungary, including the Romanian community living in Transylvania.
He did not realise that the nationalities wanted more. The nationalities demanded a secession to join Romania or found Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. Because of that error, the Hungarian State Railways provided trains for Romanians to help them get to Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia) in Central Transylvania for a national gathering on 1 December 1918. There they proclaimed their demand to secede from Hungary and join Romania. In addition, the representatives of the Romanian communities granted autonomy to the Hungarians and Germans living in Transylvania.
The Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia. Photo: Wikimedia
Transylvania’s fate was decided in Paris instead of Gyulafehérvár, of course. Nobody cared about the resolutions of a similar Hungarian gathering in Kolozsvár (Cluj Napoca) a few weeks later, where the Hungarian communities proclaimed they would like to remain in Hungary.
1 December, the national day of Romania
However, 1 December is still the National Day of Romania. Romanians believe 1 December marks the day when their ancestors decided about their fate and created Greater Romania (the Republic of Moldova also joined Romania then, but now is an independent state).
President Iohannis commemorating Romania’s national day. Photo: FB/Klaus Iohannis
In Hungary, many think about this day as the day when we lost Transylvania. Of course, that is a simplification. In 1940, thanks to the 2nd Vienna Award, the Kingdom of Hungary got back Northern Transylvania with Szeklerland. Until October 1944, it was part of Hungary again. Budapest lost it because Stalin decided to strengthen Romania instead of Hungary, and Moscow took Moldova from Bucharest to incorporate it into the Soviet Union.
The Romanian community in Moldova and the Hungarian community in Transylvania survived, although the number of the latter is decreasing quickly and gradually. The 1992 census found more than 1.6 million Hungarians in Romania. Now, their number is 500,000 less, approximately 1.1 million.
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Orbán said the government’s earlier pledge of a one million forint average wage had been received by “a choir of the sceptical” but he said it had been no different from the reception of the government’s 2010 announcement of efforts to create one million new jobs.
“They said it was impossible, still, compared to 3.7 million employed at the time now we have 4.7 million people in employment… Hungary can achieve the one million forint average wage,” he said.
The prime minister suggested that companies should strive for efficiency and higher productivity to be able to offer the higher wages. He also added that the government was open to proposals by the chamber of commerce aimed at tax cuts, better vocational training and programmes to increase the efficiency of companies.
Hungarians in Romania must have parliamentary representation, Orbán says
Meanwhile, Orbánsaid that at the parliamentary elections set for Sunday, Hungarians in Romania will have to “make sure” that they have representation in the national assembly. “Without parliamentary representation it is impossible to promote the interests of the Hungarian community in the whole of the Carpathian Basin,” he added. If ethnic Hungarians had “appropriate weight” in the Romanian parliament they could make the Hungarian government’s job easier, facilitating assistance to them from Hungary.
PM Orbán with PM Ciolacu in Budapest. The Social Democrat leader could not get into the second round. Photo: MTI
He said Hunor Kelemen, the head of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), had “held his own” in the first round of the Romanian presidential election, representing not just ethnic Hungarians but the entire nation.
He said the Romanian presidential election campaign had demonstrated how modern technology connects with voters, adding that the kind of social media platforms used in a campaign and how they influence voters was a “very exciting and undetermined question”.
“Romania is a testing ground for this, and we can draw the various conclusions and determine whether we have any work to do in preventing such problems in Hungary,” he said.
Hungary will get peacetime budget in 2025
On another subject, the prime minister said the “peacetime” budget bill submitted by the government opened the door to a new economic policy.
He said the draft budget being debated in parliament assumes that US President-elect Donald Trump can end the war. This is why, Orbán said, the government could implement a large minimum wage increase, roll out credit for young blue collar workers, launch a scheme for strengthening SMEs and introduce measures to ensure affordable housing and support young people.
Orbán said Hungary was capable of making use of the opportunities presented by peace, adding that “we won’t waste a single moment”.
Struggles with the EU
He added, at the same time, that the government would have to carry out these measures “in opposition to the European Union”.
“We’re locked in simultaneous struggles with the European Union on the issues of economic policy, migration and child protection,” the prime minister said. “The point of the National Consultation survey is to strengthen Hungary’s position in this struggle and to be successful in fighting these battles.”
He said the end of the war would mean peace, peace would mean security and security would bring a “good economy”.
But, he said, the EU was “constantly blocking and attacking Hungary’s economic policy”. He said he fended these off and wanted to “protect Hungary from these decisions in Brussels”, adding that this required a fight, which required strength and support. “We’re in the opposition in Brussels,” he added.
Orbán said the implementation of the migration pact would be “fatal” for Hungary.
He also said the hearing of the lawsuit aimed at scrapping Hungary’s child protection law was under way at the European Court of Justice. He said there was a political party that would allow same-sex couples to adopt in Hungary. “This is completely at odds with the child protection law,” Orbán said, adding that “we have to win the battles against Brussels.”
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The Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper) has finalised the preparation of the Council Decision to lift internal land border checks with Bulgaria and Romania (i.e. for the two countries to join the Schengen Zone) starting on 1 January next year, the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union said on Wednesday.
In a video message posted on the X platform, the Presidency said that “after last week’s successful ministerial meeting in Budapest” where Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Austria agreed on a border protection package, “today marks a key step towards European integration and the enlargement of the Schengen Area”.
Bálint Ódor, the chief of Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the EU, said in the video that “the decision we just made in Coreper is an important milestone that holds special significance for Hungary”.
“During our first presidency in 2011, we played a key role in advancing the Schengen accession of both Bulgaria and Romania. Now during the second presidency, we have the honour of completing this process. Lifting checks on persons at internal land borders and between those two member states is a top priority for the Hungarian presidency.”
“With the decision of today, we made the final preparatory step in order to make it a reality. With this decision, we will strengthen unity, free movement and resilience across the EU. It is a win for Bulgaria, Romania and all of Europe!” he said.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced in Budapest last Friday that EU interior ministers will vote on Dec 12 regarding a Hungarian proposal to allow Romania and Bulgaria to join the Schengen agreement.
Every Hungarian vote in Sunday’s general election is needed following the first round of the Romanian presidential election, as achievements could otherwise be jeopardised, Zsolt Semjén, the deputy prime minister, said in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) on Wednesday.
Hungarians, he said, “should get out to vote” whatever the case rather than weighing up the Romanian political palette in the first place.
If the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) were not present in the Romanian parliament, Hungarians in Transylvania and Hungarian-Romanian relations would have to contend with “unforeseeable and tragic consequences”, he told journalists after addressing the inauguration of the renovated headquarters of the Kriza Janos Ethnographic Society.
RMDSZ leader Hunor Kelemen said a high turnout was expected in Sunday’s elections, which is why it was so important to mobilise Hungarian voters.
National Economy Minister Márton Nagy spoke at an event in Miskolc on Monday, part of the Joint Venture Association’s Country Ride series.
Hungary is in “a good position”
Nagy said the government’s new economic policy action plan, a “precondition” for boosting economic growth over 3pc next year, was based on economic neutrality.
On the domestic front, he pointed to a gradual increase in retail sales and augured a further improvement in consumption as real wages rose 9-10pc. He also noted a significant increase in domestic guest nights, climbing used car sales and an 8-9pc rise in new car registrations.
Weighing external factors, Nagy said the “real breakthrough” would come when Germany’s economy, which impacts Hungary’s exports as well as its FDI, “pulls itself together”.
In terms of energy, Hungary is in “a good position”, Nagy said, with dynamically growing solar capacity and an expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant in the pipeline.
He said the Demján Sándor Programme for scaling up SMEs would make HUF 1,410bn available to businesses.
Hungarian wages are better than Romanian wages
Márton Nagy gave an interview to Index. In response to their questions, the minister said that the Romanian average earnings statistics also include elements of earnings that do not appear in the Hungarian earnings statistics, such as travel allowances and cafeteria.
Therefore, to compare apples with apples, you should use the Hungarian statistics as a basis for the labour income and not the average earnings. In the first three quarters of 2024, the average gross labour income in Hungary was HUF 678 thousand, which is EUR 1723 converted, while in Romania, it was RON 8379, which is EUR 1648 converted, i.e., almost EUR 40 lower.
According to Márton Nagy, the Romanian economy is unsustainable in the long run, as public wages are pulling the national average, only increasing the twin deficits. As an example, he cited two sectors where Romanian net average wages significantly exceed those of Hungary: public administration and information communications.
According to Márton Nagy, gross income in Romania is taxed more than the average wage in Hungary, so the average net labour income in Hungary is almost EUR 120 higher than in Romania.
He underlined that in 2024, in Hungary, the tax base can be reduced by HUF 66,670 (EUR 166) for one child, HUF 133,300 (EUR 333) for two children, and HUF 220,000 (EUR 550) per child for three or more children, while in Romania the maximum tax base is EUR 25 for one child, EUR 47 for two children and EUR 67 for three children. Hungary has a much more family-support-based tax system, he said.
Márton Nagy said the Hungarian economy is also stronger because 844,000 people in Romania receive the minimum wage, 18.7 percent of the workforce. In contrast, in Hungary, 214,000 people earn a minimum wage (4.6 percent of the employed) and 324,000 earn a guaranteed minimum wage (6.9 percent of the employed). In relative terms, more people earn a minimum wage in Romania than in Hungary.
“According to the latest data, the effective Hungarian minimum wage is the 17th highest in the EU and among the highest in the region, ahead of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. The Romanian labour income data are sample-derived estimates, while the domestic one is based on institutional data sources, so the domestic statistics are much more reliable,” he told Index.
From taxes and salaries to cost of living and family benefits, an insightful comparison between Romania and Hungary reveals slight contrasts in quality of life. While it is an ambitious commitment to demonstrate which of the two countries offers a better life, a video showcased some interesting points.
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