Slovakia

End of Orbán-Putin partnership? Russian President can start peace talks in Slovakia, not in Hungary

Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters at a press briefing in St. Petersburg that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed his country’s readiness to provide a platform for negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. “If it comes to that – why not”, Putin evaluated the offer. The Hungarian government offered multiple times Budapest as a venue for peace talks.

Peace talks may start in Slovakia, which Putin called neutral

“If it comes to that – why not. Because Slovakia takes such a neutral position, from our point of view. This is an acceptable option for us,” he said about Fico’s offer to provide a platform for negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv.

Expressing that Russia has always been in favor of deliveries of natural gas to Europe, Putin said that they have also been for “depoliticizing economic issues,” indicating Moscow’s readiness to supply gas via neighboring Poland.

The Russian president went on to remind Ukraine’s decision of not to extend the contract between Moscow and Kyiv on gas transit to Europe which is set to expire on 1 January.

“They (Ukraine) are pecked from the hand, as I have already said, by Europe, because without European support Ukraine cannot even exist, let alone fight. But now they are punishing the same Europe by closing the transit contract for the supply of our gas to Europe,” he went on to say.

He also said that it would not be possible to renew the contract before the New Year as it is “impossible to conclude it in 3-4 days.”

Kremlin ready for peace talks

Moscow remains open to resolving the conflict in Ukraine through negotiations, but Kyiv continues to reject this option, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. Due to the lack of progress on Ukraine’s readiness for talks, Russia continues its “special military operation,” Peskov told reporters during a press briefing in Moscow.

“We are focused on achieving all objectives necessary to ensure our nation’s security,” he stressed. Commenting on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán prediction about the end of the conflict next year, “either through a peace agreement or the defeat of one side,” Peskov said: “The dynamics of the fighting speak for themselves. We are advancing”, the Turkish Anadolu News Agency wrote.

In 1994, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom guaranteed Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty in the existing borders in the Budapest Memorandum.

President Zelenskyy slammed Fico for his offering and said Slovakia helped Russia fill its war coffers by continuing to buy Russian energy.

Read also:

Putin’s blacklist snubs Hungary, includes Poland among nations of ‘destructive ideology’ – continue reading HERE
Hungarian PM Orbán blackmailed by Putin? – read more HERE

Source: Anadolu News Agency

December 27, 2024

Russia’s decision: Hungary and Slovakia on the list of unfriendly countries

The Russian government has decided to keep Hungary and Slovakia on its list of “unfriendly” countries, citing insufficient grounds for their removal despite their willingness to maintain political dialogue with Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed to the daily Izvestia on Wednesday.

The list, introduced in March 2022 following the onset of the war in Ukraine, includes nations deemed to have taken hostile actions against the Russian Federation, including imposing sanctions. Hungary and Slovakia, as EU and NATO member states, were added to the list for adhering to bloc-wide anti-Russian sanctions, according to Pénzcentrum.

Russia keeps Hungary on list of “unfriendly countries”

The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that while Hungary and Slovakia strive to preserve strategic trade and economic ties with Russia and support bilateral political dialogue, their commitments to EU and NATO policies force them to comply with restrictive measures against Moscow. This allegiance to Western discipline leaves no justification for revising their current status.

“In accordance with the Russian Federation government’s decree No. 430 of March 5, 2022, Hungary and Slovakia were listed as countries that have committed unfriendly actions against Russia, as well as its legal entities and citizens. Despite efforts to sustain valuable outcomes in strategically important areas of trade and economic cooperation, their alignment with EU and NATO obligations, including anti-Russian restrictions, precludes any status changes,” the ministry stated.

Russia’s list of unfriendly countries, which originally emerged in response to international sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, currently comprises 46 states. These include all 27 EU member states, along with nations such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan.

The Russian Finance Ministry also reiterated to Izvestia that Hungary and Slovakia’s participation in the EU’s sanction mechanisms justified their inclusion on the list. The ministry highlighted that the list serves as a reflection of countries enacting unilateral restrictive measures against Moscow.

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December 19, 2024

Hungarian foreign minister lambasts EU ‘hypocrisy’ on Georgia

Duna Aréna, Katinka Hosszú, swimming, FINA, competition

The European Union “has set the world record in hypocrisy” on the matter of Georgia, but Hungary and Slovakia have vetoed proposed sanctions against certain law enforcement leaders of the country, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Brussels on Monday.

Szijjártó told a press conference after a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council that the EU “has Georgia in its crosshairs” because a “pro-peace, patriotic, conservative party” had won the elections, rather than liberal forces. According to a ministry statement, Szijjártó rejected the EU’s “brutal political attack”, saying that the Georgian Dream party had governed for 12 years, “during which the average income has tripled and GDP and the volume of external investments have doubled.” The ruling party in Georgia had performed well and earned the trust of voters, he said. “Nobody in Brussels has the right to question the will of the Georgian people.” The minister said the reports of police brutality at demonstrations in Tbilisi were “one-sided”, and there had been “violent elements” among the demonstrators as well.

According to his Georgian counterpart, some 40 police officers were injured as a result, he said.

The EU “can’t impose sanctions on a country because they decided to push back accession talks to 2028,” he said.

read also: Orbán cabinet: Hungary congratulates Georgian Dream party on election win

“There was a puffed-up, resentful, frustrated approach to Georgia, which I refused to support.” Regarding the situation in Syria, Szijjártó said the country must not be allowed to become a hotbed of terrorism or extremist ideologies, and migration waves in the direction of Europe must be prevented. Further, the persecution of Christians must be stopped, he added.

“Hungary continues to provide aid for Christian communities so they can stay in their homeland and preserve their rights … So far we have provided humanitarian support worth some 30 million euros for Syrian communities, and we will continue to do so,” Szijjártó said.

December 17, 2024

PM Orbán ‘has betrayed’ Hungarians in Slovakia, Former PM Gyurcsány’s DK says

Former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány's party DK slams President Sulyok

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has accused Viktor Orbán and his government of “betraying” Hungarians in Slovakia by buddying up with an “openly anti-Hungarian” administration that “will close or merge schools that provide teaching in Hungarian”.

DK calls on Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, to speak out and stand up for the interests of Hungarians living beyond the borders, senior DK politician Sandor Ronai told a press conference in front of the foreign ministry building, where the party also held a demonstration on Sunday.

The new Slovak government had promised not to curb Hungarian-language use in Slovakia, but then they back-peddled, he said.

Slovakia law would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices — Fico and Orbán hugging in Budapest. Photo: FB/Orbán

“Fidesz is silent,” he said, adding that when it came to the issue, everyone from Orban to Szijjártó was “snoozing”.

“This is the real problem with the Orban government: when they want to exploit the Hungarian people, they bring them up as a point of reference; but otherwise the Orban government cannot be counted on either within or beyond the country’s borders,” he said.

Ronai said Orban had been “silent” when his “friend”, President Vladimir Putin, “invaded Ukraine”. And neither he nor Szijjártó had spoken up when the Russians attacked areas inhabited by Hungarians in Transcarpathia, he insisted.

Read also:

Why do many Hungarians mourn on 1 December? And why are Romanians happy because of that? – read more HERE
The Hungarian National Bank has become the world’s 2nd biggest in the gold purchase market – details in THIS article

December 2, 2024

Slovak interior minister: Possible Hungarian terror attack against the Friendship crude oil pipeline

The Slovak interior minister, Šutaj Eštok, talked about a possible terror attack against the Friendship crude oil pipeline. The pipeline delivers Russian crude to Central Europe via Ukraine, and the destinations include Slovakia and Hungary. The minister talked about the possible threat in a debate broadcast by the Slovak public media.

According to the local Hungarian newspaper Új Szó, Šutaj Eštok (Hlas party) said that Slovak authorities found traces pointing toward preparations of a possible terror attack against the country’s critical infrastructure. According to Slovak intelligence services, even organised groups active in Hungary are involved. His debate partner, Juraj Krúpa (SaS), voiced his scepticism concerning the issue, saying that Eštok is trying to calm the public, showing that they are doing what they can to protect the critical infrastructure.

The Friendship crude oil pipeline was built between 1959 and 1964. It connects Russia with Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. It goes through Ukraine, and it’s mainly the Hungarian MOL (and its subsidiary in Slovakia) that processes the crude coming through it.

Hlas is a Social Democratic party founded by former PM Peter Pellegrini and dissidents of the Smer (Direction – Social Democracy). They agreed to form a coalition government with Robert Fico’s Smer and the Slovak National Party in October 2023. Fico seems to be a big friend of PM Orbán, supporting him in several European and global issues, including the urge to end the war in Ukraine.

Robert Fico Viktor Orbán new ally oil transit citizenship agreement — Fico and Orbán in Budapest. Photo: FB/Viktor Orbán

Hungarian schools may close or be merged

According to Telex, a proposal would close or merge 16 Hungarian schools in Slovakia due to optimisation. It’s not only Hungarian schools that are involved, as Telex reported that the proposal affects Slovakian schools where the number of children is low.

Based on Napunk, a local Hungarian media outlet, the Fico cabinet has already discussed the proposal with experts but not the institutions.

Before, we wrote about a bill by the cultural ministry that would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices. PM Fico said that his government would not support any setbacks concerning the rights of the indigenous national minorities in Slovakia.

Read also:

Slovak PM Fico may sacrifice his good relations with PM Orbán to keep his governing coalition
According to FM Szijjártó, there is no threat to Hungarian minority language rights in Slovakia

November 30, 2024

Slovak PM Fico may sacrifice his good relations with PM Orbán to keep his governing coalition

Previously, we reported on a leaked language-use bill drafted by Slovakia’s Ministry of Culture, under the leadership of the far-right nationalist SNS party. This proposed legislation has raised concerns among local Hungarians, as it could potentially limit their ability to use their mother tongue in everyday situations—such as at post offices or on public transport, including buses, trams, and trains. While Hungarian government officials have sought to reassure the public, Euronews speculates that Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico may prioritise maintaining his governing coalition over his positive relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The end of Orbán and Fico’s friendship?

As Euronews reports, on Thursday, the two nations’ foreign ministers held a joint press conference, during which they stressed that the new Slovak bill is intended to strengthen the use of the Slovak language and is not designed to curtail the rights of minority languages.

Balázs Tárnok, a National University of Public Service researcher, warned that the bill could significantly reduce the rights of minorities to use their languages. Furthermore, the culture ministry drafting the bill is in the hands of the SNS party, which has consequently weak results in polls. Therefore, Tárnok suggests that the party may be attempting to attract attention and assert its influence through such controversial measures.

According to Euronews, Hungarians in Slovakia are hopeful that the SNS’s coalition partners will moderate the anti-minority elements of the bill.

PM Orbán and Fico have maintained a positive relationship, with rumours suggesting that Orbán even supported Fico’s anti-migration campaign by redirecting illegal migrants to the Slovak-Hungarian border. This move reportedly contributed to many ethnic Hungarians voting for Fico, despite his earlier anti-Hungarian policies in the 2010s. However, if Fico and his party decide to oppose the new SNS bill, they risk endangering their coalition’s stability.

New Slovak law would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices — Orbán and Fico embrace in Budapest. Will their friendship survive the proposed language law? Photo: FB/Orbán

Many believe that the Slovak political elite is using this issue to divert attention from the country’s economic challenges.

Hungary-Slovakia cooperation: Strategic and friendly, says speaker Kövér

Hungarian-Slovak relations remain strategic and friendly, László Kövér, Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, stated following a meeting with Peter Žiga, head of Slovakia’s National Council, on Friday evening. According to the Hungarian News Agency, the two leaders discussed shared challenges and the strong ties between their nations.

As well as history and geography, Kövér said the challenges of the current era had put the two countries on a parallel path.

He noted that Slovakia was regularly Hungary’s second- or third-biggest trade partner, adding that cross-border economic transactions had intensified and been more focused on shared interests and goals.

Slovak PM Fico may sacrifice his good relations with PM Orbán — Photo: MTI

He said the sides had discussed international developments as well as bilateral relations. The sides agreed that the shift in power after the European Parliament elections and change in leadership at the White House would improve Hungary and Slovakia’s ability to enforce their interests, he said. Both countries want to see an end to the war in Ukraine and those political changes on the international stage are likely to “bring us closer to the peace we hope for”, he added.

After Hungary took over the rotating presidency of the Visegrád Group in January, Kövér said cooperation between V4 parliaments would be stepped up. “We can naturally rely on the cooperation of our Slovak partners in this,” he added.

Ziga said the two countries’ strong ties were the result of common interests.

He added that several bilateral issues had been discussed at the meeting, including the cooperation of the national assemblies. He said he had informed Kövér in October about the establishment of a Slovak-Hungarian friendship group in the Slovak parliament.

He acknowledged Hungary’s involvement in policing Slovak airspace.

Read also:

New Slovak bill would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices – read more HERE
Slovakia assures Hungary that the new Slovak language law will not curtail Hungarian minority rights

November 17, 2024

According to FM Szijjártó, there is no threat to Hungarian minority language rights in Slovakia

Dialogue between Hungary and Slovakia on Slovakia’s planned language law is constant at every level, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Thursday, adding that Bratislava had made it clear that it does not want to restrict minority language use.

The policy for Hungarian communities abroad is one of the heartfelt priorities of Hungary’s foreign policy, Szijjártó told a joint press conference with Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanár, according to a ministry statement. He added that the government attached great importance to the fate of Slovakia’s ethnic Hungarian community.

Concerning Slovakia’s planned state language law, Szijjártó said the country’s most senior officials had made it clear “that they do not wish to restrict minority language-use rights”. He hailed bilateral relations as a “success story”, noting that Slovakia has become Hungary’s second most important trading partner, with annual trade turnover having stabilised around 15 billion euros.

He welcomed that the two countries now have 40 border crossing points compared with just 22 in 2010. Szijjártó said Hungary and Slovakia ensured each other’s “physical, energy and economic security”. As regards physical security, he said the two countries helped each other combat illegal migration, and Hungary and Czechia patrol Slovakia’s airspace.

“In terms of energy supply, we have shared interests when it comes to the purchase of crude oil and natural gas,” Szijjártó said. “We’ve made it clear that we don’t want to cut off deliveries from the east because … that would gravely endanger both countries’ energy supply.” He also said that while many experts had thought it unnecessary to build the natural gas interconnector linking Hungary and Slovakia, the strategic importance of connecting the two countries’ energy grids “quickly became clear”. Szijjártó also highlighted the role of Slovak firms in the upgrade of Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the two governments are preparing another agreement on the development of cross-border infrastructure, including the construction of new bridges, roads and rail links.

On another subject, he said the outcome of the US presidential election had brought about a “completely new political reality”, and there was “a greater chance than ever before for peace to return to central Europe”. He also said that Hungarian-Slovak cooperation based on mutual respect was ensured with “patriotic governments in power on both sides of the Danube”. In response to a question, Szijjártó slammed the European left’s handling of Olivér Várhelyi’s candidacy for the post of EU health commissioner as “pathetic political theatre”.

“Olivér Várhelyi did an excellent job at his confirmation hearing, and it is solely for petty political reasons that the European left is messing around with the Hungarian commissioner candidate,” Szijjártó said. “Unfortunately this phenomenon isn’t anything new, as the left joined forces in excluding the Patriots for Europe group from any leadership positions in the European Parliament.”

Read also:

November 14, 2024

Hungary calls for stronger Visegrád cooperation and economic integration at V4 Business Conference

Hungary is ready to develop further the successful cooperation among the Visegrád Group — Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia — and strengthen trade and economic ties, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said at a conference in Budapest on Thursday.

Addressing the Visegrád 4 Business Conference, Szijjártó called V4 cooperation an “important element” of Hungary’s foreign policy strategy, his ministry said in a statement. He added that the V4 had improved the positions of its members on the European stage.

He warned against initiatives in the EU to decouple the economies of the East and the West and pointed to the V4’s earlier negative experience with blocs. Isolation can cause “serious damage” to Europe’s economy, he said, adding that Hungary was an advocate for connectivity and had adopted a policy of economic neutrality.

He said Hungary had become a “meeting point” for investments from the East and the West and was home to manufacturing bases of all three premium German car brands and five of the ten biggest Asian battery makers.

He said the V4 should concentrate on “pragmatic issues” and noted that Slovakia was now Hungary’s second-biggest trade partner, while Poland was the third-biggest and Czechia the sixth-biggest.

Read also:

November 14, 2024

Slovakia assures Hungary that the new Slovak language law will not curtail Hungarian minority rights

Hungary Assured New Slovak Language Law Won't Limit Hungarian Minority Rights

Slovakia’s parliamentary speaker has “clearly reaffirmed” that a planned new language law will not restrict national minorities’ right to use their mother tongue, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in Bratislava on Monday.

As we wrote earlier, the New Slovak bill would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices, details HERE.

According to a ministry statement, Szijjártó said after talks with Slovak parliamentary speaker Peter Ziga that Hungary’s government attaches great importance to the fate of ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia. Therefore, the government welcomes Slovakia’s view of the ethnic Hungarian community as an asset in advancing bilateral relations, he added.

“I received clear confirmation today from the speaker that the planned new language law regulation won’t endanger the right of national minorities on Slovakia’s territory to use their mother tongue,” Szijjártó said. He pointed out that he has worked together with Ziga for eight years and even considered him a friend, adding that he “cannot remember a single time when something didn’t pan out the way he said it would”.

Szijjártó said he and Ziga had agreed to stay in contact regarding any legislative process concerning language regulations. “So if either of us perceives a problem … we will talk promptly and take steps together,” he said.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said cooperation between Hungary and Slovakia was the most successful it had ever been. He noted the contributions to each other’s physical and energy supply security, the Hungarian air force’s help in policing Slovakia’s airspace, and bilateral cooperation in the supply of crude oil.

“We are prepared to develop our ties further and to build more bridges over the Danube and the Ipoly,” he said.

Ziga said neither the Slovak government nor parliament wanted to change the status quo regarding national minority rights.

Instead, he said, they wanted to place even greater emphasis on improving living standards of ethnic Hungarians in southern Slovakia, mainly when it came to transport infrastructure.

Ziga underlined that the language bill’s text had yet to be finalised and would be subject to inter-ministry and government consultations before it was put to a vote in parliament.

November 11, 2024

New Slovak bill would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, trams, and post offices

Hundreds of thousands of Hungarians live in Slovakia, a former territory of the Kingdom of Hungary, despite the numerous initiatives and legislation milestones that aimed to accelerate their assimilation. A new bill leaked by a Hungarian media outlet in Slovakia would ban Hungarian language use in Slovakia on trains and postal offices. Such a measure would be a considerable setback concerning minority rights in the EU member state.

Slovak government members made promises before

Napunk.sk, a Hungarian media outlet in Slovakia, acquired a draft of a Slovak language use bill made by the Slovak Cultural Ministry. The initiative would restrict Hungarian language use in the country.

According to Napunk, Martina Šimkovičová, the cultural minister of Slovakia nominated by the Slovak far-right nationalist SNS party, would introduce additional restrictions concerning minority language use in Slovakia. News about the planned modifications first emerged in October. Šimkovičová said the amendments would not have an anti-minority effect, so minorities should not be concerned because of the initiative.

Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó also shared a statement then that his Slovak counterpart, Juraj Blanár, assured him that the new bill would not affect the language use of the minorities. The reason for and the aim of these new language regulations does not affect the representation and use of minority languages in any way, Blanár told Szijjártó in October. “So this thinking didn’t start because of the minority languages and isn’t aimed against them”, he added.

New language law would ban Hungarian language use on trains, buses, post offices

However, the document Napunk acquired contradicts both Šimkovičová’s and Blanár’s statements.

The worst part is that individuals and companies could be fined for breaching the law, and the minimum fine would be increased 20-fold. János Fiala-Butora, a human rights expert, said the bill is something experts warned the Slovak government against.

The bill prescribes that all memorial plaques, inscriptions, and ads should contain the Slovakian version with bigger letters in the first place. There was no such measure before. In Hungarian settlements, the name of the settlement was written in Hungarian in the first place.

Furthermore, you will not be able to use Hungarian in post offices and public transport. Instead, Slovak will be compulsory.

Higher fines and a setback

The new bill would increase the language use fines drastically. In the case of companies, the lowest limit of the penalty will be EUR 1,000, instead of EUR 50. The maximum would rise from EUR 2,500 to EUR 15,000.

Mr Fiala-Butora believes the modification would be a setback to the 1990s and it even has measures more severe than the 1995 language use law introduced by the Mečiar government, a cabinet that was dedicated to being anti-Hungarian.

Szijjártó hoped for the best

FM Szijjártó said in October that the Hungarian government monitored the possible amendments to the Slovak language law and expects no setbacks concerning minority rights. He also said they started professional consultations on it.

“… usually it’s not the goals but rather the execution that determines the outcome, so we agreed to continue consulting as the bill progresses so as to avoid an aspect in the law that could have a negative effect on the use of the Hungarian language”, Szijjártó said then. He noted that Slovakia’s government has an ethnic Hungarian minority commissioner, Ákos Horony, who is in constant talks with the culture ministry, which is in charge of the bill.

Szijjártó highlighted there was a mutual trust between the Hungarian and the new Slovak government led by Orbán’s new European ally, Robert Fico.

Read also:

Slovakia terminates decades-old citizenship agreement with Hungary – read more HERE
Bear crosses the Danube from Slovakia, now feared in Hungary

November 7, 2024

Surprisingly, Hungarians are not only going to the West to work

With Austria, Slovakia, and Romania drawing Hungarians across borders to work, recent statistics from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) shed light on this growing trend of cross-border employment. Austria remains the most popular destination, with Slovakia and Romania emerging as surprising, though significant, alternatives for Hungarian workers.

Austria is the most popular foreign country for Hungarians to work

Hungarians in Austria — Source: depositphotos.com

In 2022, the KSH reported that 122,000 Hungarian residents commuted to work abroad, making up nearly 3% of Hungary’s total workforce, Portfolio reports. Around 80% of these cross-border commuters headed to Austria, especially from western border towns, motivated by Austria’s higher wages despite the country’s higher cost of living. As of April 2024, Austria employs 118,000 Hungarians, marking a 4.4% increase in one year, according to G7. This influx makes Hungarians the second-largest foreign workforce in Austria, only outnumbered by Germans. Projections suggest that Hungarians may soon become the largest expatriate group in Austria, driven by wage differences and economic opportunities.

Interestingly, almost half of Hungarian employees in Austria commute rather than relocate, given Austria’s higher living costs. Commuting allows them to take advantage of Austria’s higher median wages—around EUR 2,000 monthly for Hungarians—without paying Austria’s elevated rent and consumer prices. Despite earning 27% less than the average Austrian, Hungarian wages in Austria are significantly higher than comparable wages at home, making commuting an attractive option. Yet, Hungarians in Austria often hold physical, non-office roles, with limited options for remote work, and the Hungarian government has yet to support remote work arrangements through a framework agreement, adding a layer of complexity to these cross-border jobs.

More and more people commute to Slovakia and Romania too

Brasov, Romania DRacula's castle Hungarian Days festival Wizz Air — Brassó (Brasov) in Transylvania, Romania. Source: depositphotos.com

Surprisingly, Hungary’s eastern and northern border regions are also seeing substantial commuting patterns to Slovakia and Romania. According to KSH’s findings, many residents from Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County travel to Košice in Slovakia, while others from southeastern Hajdú-Bihar County commute to Oradea in Romania. Sándor Baja, CEO of Randstad Hungary, noted during the Budapest Economic Forum that a trip to Biharkeresztes would reveal “dozens of buses transporting Hungarian workers to Oradea.” This observation hints at a shifting perception of Romania’s wage competitiveness.

Recent insights challenge Hungary’s traditional view of Romania as a lower-wage country. As Árpád Boros, Staufen’s country manager for Hungary and Romania, explained, Romania’s wages have largely caught up with those in Hungary. In certain regions, wages in Romania even exceed those in Hungary, positioning Romania as an increasingly viable destination for Hungarian workers seeking better pay.

Higher wages key motivator for Hungarians

Higher wages remain a key motivator for these commuters, yet the decision is not purely financial. Austria’s living costs, 1.6 times those of Hungary’s according to Eurostat, mean that cost-adjusted wage advantages diminish, as we wrote earlier. When factoring in the cost of living, the Austrian median gross wage only represents a 1.6 times increase over Hungarian wages, rather than the 2.5 times difference indicated by unadjusted figures. Despite hopes that Hungary’s rising wages might curb cross-border commuting, the widening wage gap is pushing more Hungarians to seek better-paying opportunities abroad each year.

Whether in Austria’s bustling sectors or Romania and Slovakia’s border industries, the appeal of cross-border employment persists, fueled by wage disparities and limited remote work options at home. As neighbouring countries attract growing numbers of Hungarian workers, these cross-border patterns underscore the ongoing economic challenges faced by Hungary’s workforce.

Read also:

November 5, 2024

Hungary’s foreign minister addresses Slovakia’s language law: protecting ethnic minorities amid rising tensions

Hungary’s government has so far taken all the necessary steps in connection with Slovakia’s new language law, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Budapest on Monday, adding that the government would continue to work to ensure that the law has no negative impact on ethnic Hungarians.

Szijjártó talks about Slovakia’s language law

Speaking at a hearing of parliament’s national cohesion committee, Szijjártó noted that in 2015, Ukraine curbed the ethnic Hungarian minority’s right to the use of its mother tongue.

“And we are also hearing reports of the amendment of the language law in Slovakia, so we started professional consultations on it on time,” he said.

Szijjártó said he was in constant contact with Juraj Blanar, his Slovak counterpart, on a number of issues, including the language law. “He told me that the reason for and the aim of these new language regulations does not affect the representation and use of minority languages in any way,” Szijjártó said. “So this thinking didn’t start because of the minority languages and isn’t aimed against them.”

He said Blanar had told him that the aim was to protect the Slovak language from “external influences that arise from global changes enabling an increasingly rapid flow of information”.

“If that’s the aim, then it’s reassuring,” Szijjártó said. “But usually it’s not the goals but rather the execution that determines the outcome, so we agreed to continue consulting as the bill progresses so as to avoid an aspect in the law that could have a negative effect on the use of the Hungarian language.”

He noted that Slovakia’s government has an ethnic Hungarian minority commissioner, Ákos Horony, who is in constant talks with the culture ministry, which is in charge of the bill.

He said the mutual trust between Hungary and Slovakia provided a sound basis for avoiding a repeat of what happened in the case of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine when it comes to the Slovak language law.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the Hungarian government was doing all it could to ensure that Hungarian communities beyond the border can live in their place of birth.

Szijjártó said policy for Hungarians beyond the border was at the heart of Hungary’s foreign policy, which was natural given that “Hungary’s borders do not coincide with the borders of the nation”.

He said the survival of ethnic Hungarians beyond the border meant the enforcement of minority rights, a guarantee of unhindered contact between ethnic communities and the motherland as well as constant economic support for Hungarians beyond the border.

“Overall I can say that our relations with neighbouring countries are better now than they were at the beginning of the year,” the minister said. “Unfortunately this isn’t the case with each country, but overall I would say this is a realistic assessment.”

Szijjártó said the Hungarian government is supporting 61,303 ethnic Hungarian businesses this year. The 222.1 billion forints spent on economic development schemes in ethnic Hungarian communities since 2014 has generated 431.6 billion forints’ (EUR 1.1bn) worth of investments, the minister said.

He said it was crucial for Hungary’s neighbouring countries to join the Schengen area, and welcomed that 35 border crossing points have been opened since 2010, with ten more set to open between now and 2026.

Szijjártó said that among the neighbouring ethnic Hungarian communities, Vojvodina Hungarians enjoyed the most rights and received the fairest treatment by the Serbian government.

The minister also mentioned the scholarship programmes offered to Hungarians beyond the border, and noted that the government has allocated hundreds of millions of forints towards cultural programmes and the preservation of ethnic Hungarian monuments in recent years.

Read also:

October 28, 2024

Slovakia terminates decades-old citizenship agreement with Hungary

Slovakia has officially decided to terminate its citizenship agreement with Hungary, which was originally signed in 1961. The Slovak government, under the leadership of Robert Fico, has argued that the current arrangement is unconstitutional, particularly when it comes to the citizenship status of children with parents of dual nationality.

Slovakia terminates citizenship agreement with Hungary

The agreement originally stipulated that children born to parents of mixed Slovak-Hungarian nationality would receive the citizenship chosen by their parents. If the parents could not agree, the child would automatically be granted the citizenship of the country in which they resided. However, Slovakia now plans to end this agreement, as the government believes it is unconstitutional to deprive a child of Slovak citizenship against their will, especially in cases involving minors, Új Szó reports.

Interestingly, the Slovak government also noted that Hungary had unilaterally declared the agreement void in 1999, meaning Slovakia has been the only party upholding its terms for over two decades. The agreement was initially designed to prevent dual citizenship for minors, but it now conflicts with Slovakia’s constitution, as well as European citizenship agreements and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In addition to terminating the agreement with Hungary, Slovakia is also cancelling a similar agreement with the former Soviet Union, which now only applies to Russia. The termination will take effect 12 months after the other party is notified, and Slovakia’s parliament must also approve the decision.

Does this change dual citizenship for Slovaks of Hungarian descent?

Despite this development, the situation for Hungarians living in Slovakia, particularly those in the Felvidék region, remains unchanged. Under Slovakia’s strict 2010 law, anyone who acquires a second nationality—such as Hungarian citizenship through Hungary’s simplified naturalisation process—will lose their Slovak citizenship. According to Index, this law was introduced in response to Hungary granting dual citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living abroad in 2010.

While Slovakia amended its dual citizenship law in 2021, the changes still do not allow Slovaks of Hungarian descent to hold both Slovak and Hungarian citizenships without losing their Slovak nationality. Under the revised law, only those who have lived abroad for at least five years or who acquire foreign citizenship through marriage or adoption can retain their Slovak citizenship. This means that only Slovaks of Hungarian descent who have been residing in Hungary for at least five years can safely apply for Hungarian citizenship without losing their Slovak status.

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Digital Citizenship Programme: Use your smartphone as ID in Hungary from September!

October 23, 2024

Orbán: The West is panicking over migration, the greatest problem threatening to pull the EU apart

Orbán cabinet may continue to block EUR 45 billion loan scheme for Ukraine until the US elections safety

Western leaders are “in panic” over illegal migration, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit on the protection of the European Union’s external borders in Komarno (Revkomarom), in southern Slovakia, on Tuesday.

“Panic only breeds bad decisions,” Orbán said, pointing to measures such as suspending free movement within the Schengen area and re-introducing border controls, “so illegal migration dismantled the greatest achievement of the European Union, free movement across the borders.” It was predictable that the crime rate would grow and the migration pact would exacerbate rather than solve the problem, “so the pact is the problem itself,” he said.

Migration ‘greatest problem’

Photo: FB/Orbán

The greatest problem threatening to pull the European Union apart is migration, Orbán said, calling for change, adding that the EU’s migration pact “must be thrown out” and all new solutions have to be sought.

Speaking after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit on the protection of the EU’s external borders in Komarno (Revkomarom) in Slovakia on Tuesday, Orbán said that while migration was itself a serious problem, “it will destroy cooperation within the bloc” when coupled with bad leadership. “The prime minister of Slovakia and I are ready to participate in creating new rules because the current ones must certainly be forgotten and new ones must be drafted,” Orbán said.

Orbán: Cooperation with Slovakia, Serbia in Hungary’s vital interest

Cooperation with Slovakia and Serbia is in Hungary’s vital interest, and Hungary is ready to continue it “in its current form”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit in Komarno (Révkomárom) in Slovakia on Tuesday.

Slovakia is among Hungary’s ten most important economic partners, and bilateral trade with Serbia has grown six-fold during the presidency of Aleksandar Vucic, Orbán said. He said Serbian-Hungarian ties also played a role in Hungary’s economic neutrality through Serbia’s free trade agreement with China. Serbia and Slovakia are also crucial for Hungary’s energy independence, Orbán said.

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October 22, 2024

Bear crosses the Danube from Slovakia, now feared in Hungary

On Monday, the municipality of Bajót, in Komárom-Esztergom County, approximately 40 kilometres (24.8 miles) from Budapest, issued an alert after a bear was spotted in the area, believed to have swum across the Danube from Slovakia.

Bears do not typically have a suitable habitat in Hungary’s mountainous regions, which lack large, undisturbed forest areas. However, in recent years, bear sightings have become increasingly common. This particular incident is notable as bears have mostly crossed the border into Hungary via the northern central mountains, but it now appears the Danube is no longer a barrier.

The Bajót authorities received a report of a bear sighted near a stream and in the surrounding forests of Péliföldszentkereszt district.

“We urge everyone to exercise extra caution in the forest until the situation is fully clarified,” authorities announced.

The public has been advised to avoid hiking, foraging, and other outdoor activities until further notice. Additional measures will be implemented as the situation develops.

Although no concrete evidence, such as bear tracks, was found during a search by a local professional hunter and town guide, who is also an active hunter, this does not rule out the possibility that the bear sightings were real, Economx writes.

Fatal bear attack in Slovakia

Earlier in October, a fatal bear attack occurred in Liptovszentmiklós, Slovakia, where a man was killed while mushroom picking. Encounters with bears are not uncommon in Liptovský Mikuláš. In March, five individuals, including a 10-year-old girl and a 72-year-old man, were injured in separate bear incidents. Although none of the injuries required hospitalisation, the bear involved was later shot.

In April, the Slovak government proposed a legislative amendment to allow the culling of bears found within 500 metres ( of inhabited areas. Environmental groups opposed the proposal, warning that it could have a widespread impact on wildlife in the Tatras and criticised it as excessive.

Read also: Watch Mihály the bear roam in Hungary’s Bükk Mountains – VIDEO

Why are bear attacks increasing in Europe?

The rise in bear attacks across Europe can be attributed to several factors, as encounters between humans and bears have become more frequent. The main reasons include:

1. Growing bear population: Conservation efforts over recent decades have led to an increase in bear populations in many European countries. Countries like Romania, Slovakia, and Italy have experienced a rise in bear numbers, which increases the chances of encounters with humans.

In Romania’s Szeklerland, bears are a significant problem. Hunting companies in Covasna County have been granted permits to shoot 54 bears this year under the new bear culling law, with a similar quota allocated for next year.

2. Human expansion: As human settlements continue to expand through urbanisation, agriculture, and tourism, natural habitats are being encroached upon. This forces bears to move closer to inhabited areas in search of food, increasing the likelihood of human-bear interactions.

3. Changes in food sources: Bears are often drawn to human waste, especially when it is easily accessible. Poorly secured rubbish and food waste can attract bears into towns and villages, creating dangerous situations as bears become habituated to human presence and food.

4. Climate change: The effects of climate change, such as reduced food availability in natural habitats, may force bears to travel greater distances in search of sustenance. This increases the chances of encounters with humans, particularly in areas popular for outdoor activities like tourism.

5. Tourism and outdoor activities: With more people venturing into forests, mountains, and protected areas for hiking, camping, and foraging, the likelihood of crossing paths with bears rises. These activities can increase the danger, especially when bears are searching for food or protecting their young.

Managing human-bear conflicts requires a delicate balance between conservation, public safety, educating communities, and protecting bear habitats.

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Wolf seen in Hungarian forest – VIDEO

Budapest among Europe’s pet friendly capital cities!

October 15, 2024

FM Szijjártó: We have again completed a successful evacuation operation

Hungary has successfully concluded an evacuation operation with the help of its Slovak friends, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Saturday afternoon, adding that the details are being disclosed only now as that is the general rule for security reasons.

In a post on Facebook, Péter Szijjártó noted that the plane Slovakia dispatched to Lebanon as part of the operation left that country’s air space with nine Hungarian citizens and a Lebanese family member on board in the morning hours on Saturday.

“The plane landed first in Cyprus and in these moments is in Bratislava, so all of them are now safe,” he said, noting that in an operation earlier, at the beginning of August, several Hungarians wanting to leave Lebanon had been taken home with a plane of the Hungarian armed forces.

“With a view to the escalation of the situation in the Middle East, this time we again offered our help to all Hungarians staying in Lebanon, ten of whom registered themselves, so we and our Slovak friends have agreed that they would ensure seats to the Hungarians on their plane,” the foreign minister said.

“Such a cooperation is not unprecedented since we, whenever possible, always offer seats on our evacuation flights to neighbouring countries and EU member states who generally use the possibility,” he said.

Szijjártó said in the recent operation the evacuation of the Hungarians carried out by Slovakia had been coordinated by Hungary’s diplomatic mission in Beirut. Hungary’s consuls were there in Larnaca and Bratislava to meet them and provide them every assistance, he said.

Pointing out the risk of the situation’s escalation in the Middle East, the foreign minister asked Hungarian citizens to avoid travelling to the region.

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Surprising? Slovak plane evacuates Hungarians from Lebanon, says FM Szijjártó

October 6, 2024

Surprising? Slovak plane evacuates Hungarians from Lebanon, says FM Szijjártó

Further Hungarian citizens will be evacuated from Lebanon with a Slovak plane, in line with an agreement between the two countries, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Budapest on Friday.

Szijjártó said the number of Hungarians in Lebanon was in the hundreds, with 233 “in the embassy’s field of vision”. Most of them live in Lebanon, and 22 have registered for consular protection, as citizens staying in Lebanon for a shorter time, for holidays, work or other reasons, Szijjártó said.

Hungary already evacuated 18 Hungarians, 7 minors among them, early in August, he said.

This time, ten people said they needed help in getting home, he added. They will come home with a Slovak plane. In similar situations, Hungary has also offered help to other European countries, he said.

Slovak plane evacuates Hungarian nationals — Photo: FB/Szijjártó

The concrete time of the flight will be communicated to the evacuees privately for security reasons, Szijjártó said. The plane will land in Bratislava, he added.

“I would like to ask every Hungarian citizen to avoid the region when travelling… If they find themselves in trouble in Lebanon, please contact the consulate’s emergency number or the embassy,” Szijjártó said.

Read also:

ECtHR ruling: Hungary unlawfully detained, mistreated Iranian Christian, must pay compensation – read more HERE
Foreign ministry calls on Hungarians to leave Lebanon – details in THIS article

October 4, 2024

Rising food prices in Hungary spark concern, many shop abroad for groceries

shop, old lady, romania, cheaper cost of groceries

Hungarians are facing a sharp increase in food prices due to government price freezes. As costs double compared to six years ago, some are shopping in Slovakia for cheaper goods, though not all items offer significant savings.

Index reports, that according to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, a noticeable increase in the price of basic food items occurred between June and July. Flour prices rose by 38.1%, sugar by 13.9%, and cooking oil by 9%. These increases were the result of price freezes and compulsory measures introduced by the Hungarian government. The Hungarian Competition Authority also investigated the price hikes, as reported by RTL Híradó, overall, experts say that food prices increased by approximately 2.7%.

Compared to 2017, prices in Hungary have risen more sharply than elsewhere in the European Union, according to Péter Szász, an analyst at Portfolio. He explained, “now that the government has fully removed these restrictive measures this summer, the prices of products previously under price freezes have typically surged.”

groceries shopping home delivery food prices — Illustration: Pixabay

By 2023, food prices in Hungary had doubled compared to six years earlier, and the increases were already accelerating before the Russia-Ukraine war. Meanwhile, the average rise in the European Union was around 40%. Szász pointed out that the energy crisis, war, supply chain issues, and weather conditions have impacted the entire European market. However, Hungary has experienced especially high food inflation, with prices exceeding a base increase of 40%.

Two years ago, György Matolcsy, the governor of Hungary’s central bank, stated that price freezes contribute to inflation. He argued that they make substitute products more expensive, such as fat being used instead of oil. Matolcsy said, “price caps cause a loss of 3-4%, meaning an inflation surplus, so all price caps should be removed immediately.”

Is it worth shopping abroad due to rising food prices?

Kaufland, food prices — Photo: Wikimedia Commons /GD137NB

A few months ago, the Slovakian Kaufland began attracting Hungarian shoppers with a special offer magazine in Hungarian, featuring prices in forints, as we previously reported. Telex compared prices between Tesco in Győr and Kaufland in Nagymegyer.

They write, for example, that white flour costs more than double in Hungary compared to Slovakia, and a 350-gram jar of jam with 75% fruit content is one-third of the price in Slovakia. Due to high excise duties, spirits are traditionally cheaper in neighbouring countries, with a litre of Jägermeister costing nearly half of its price in Hungary. Other notable price differences include laundry detergent, where the price gap ranges from 35% to 21%, translating to savings of HUF 1000-2500 (EUR 2.5-6.3). Even a short trip across the border could save significant money, with a bottle of olive oil alone saving HUF 1500 (EUR 3.8).

However, Telex also noted certain items are not worth buying abroad despite the rising food prices in Hungary, such as flour, potatoes, sugar, dairy products, pork legs, and chocolate.

In summary, the portal suggests that while bulk weekend shopping in Slovakia might not lead to significant overall savings, certain products offer enough of a price difference to make it worthwhile, especially if purchased in large quantities.

Read also:

Temporary relief: inflation in Hungary eased in August – Read here
Hungarians go shopping abroad because Hungary became too expensive – Read here

Featured image: depositphotos.com

September 18, 2024