Hungarian FM Szijjártó: Hungary to veto EU sanctions against Georgia officials if necessary
Hungary’s government believes the European Union’s proposal to impose sanctions on Georgia’s interior minister and two police officials is “nonsensical and uncalled for”, and will veto the motion if necessary, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Tuesday.
Szijjártó meets Georgian FM
Hungary and Georgia are both led by patriotic governments “against which the liberal mainstream has launched serious ideological and political attacks”, Szijjártó said at a joint press conference with Georgian counterpart Maka Botchorishvili, according to a ministry statement.
The minister said Botchorishvili’s first foreign visit was to Hungary, which had come at a time “when both countries constantly have to fight to preserve their sovereignty amid the current extraordinary security challenges”.
Szijjártó congratulated Georgia’s ruling party on its recent election victory, saying the electorate in the South Caucasus country had “made its will clear”.
“They elected a pro-peace, pro-family, patriotic conservative government, and as it usually happens in a case like this, the liberal mainstream got upset over this,” Szijjártó said. “Because typically, if an election is won by a conservative, patriotic party, the liberal mainstream immediately questions the democratic nature of the political system, and if it’s won by a liberal party, they celebrate the fantastic rule of democracy.”
He said the situation was the same in Georgia, arguing that if the opposition had won “Brussels would be saying that democracy has never been in better shape”. But now, he said, “they’re trying to ignore the will of the people and are questioning the outcome of the election”.
“This is a very repulsive, transparent, and now a very boring game of the liberal mainstream, which we reject,” he said.
Szijjártó expressed his support for Georgia’s European Union aspirations, underlining that Budapest would provide all the help it could to speed up the process, but Brussels’s approach, he added, was alienating the country.
He criticised a recent resolution approved by the European Parliament concerning Georgia, which, he said, took “a humiliating tone towards an entire nation”.
“We reject this… The European Parliament has a pro-war, liberal, left-wing majority which constantly attacks those who speak openly about peace,” Szijjártó said.
He also said that “minutes ago”, Brussels had put forward a proposal to impose sanctions on Georgia’s interior minister and two of its police officials.
“This is nonsensical, outrageous and totally uncalled for,” Szijjártó said. “Hungary firmly opposes placing Georgian government officials on sanctions lists, and if such a proposal is drafted, we will, of course, veto it.”
He encouraged Georgians to continue to stand up for themselves and their national sovereignty.
As regards bilateral relations, he welcomed the progress made on the implementation of a strategic partnership agreement signed two years ago.
Bilateral trade turnover is up 34 percent this year, and Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air remains a market leader in Georgia’s air travel sector, Szijjártó said. Hungarian pharmaceutical exports to Georgia are on the rise, Hungary offers university scholarships to 80 Georgian students each year, and the two countries are working to enable the central European import of green energy, he added.
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Hungarian finance minister: Budapest Declaration reaffirms importance of competitiveness
With the approval of the Budapest Declaration on the New European Competitiveness Deal in November, the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union affirmed the importance of competitiveness, Finance Minister Mihály Varga said ahead of a meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council in Brussels on Tuesday.
Budapest Declaration
Varga also highlighted the approval of the 2025 EU budget and the VAT in the Digital Age package among the successes of the Hungarian presidency.
He told journalists that the ECOFIN meeting, the last under the Hungarian presidency, would review the overall economic situation in the EU, debate the state of play of the energy taxation directive and discuss the recovery and resilience facility.
After the meeting, Varga said Hungary’s half-year EU presidency had achieved success in the endeavour to boost European competitiveness, pointing to the Budapest Declaration and the new VAT package as well as significant advances in customs reform and the capital markets union.
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Orbán cabinet: Hungary-US political relations set to enter ‘golden age’
Hungarian-American political relations are set to enter a “golden age” with the election of Donald Trump as the next US president, and relations between Hungary and the US could be better than ever before, the foreign minister said on Tuesday.
Hungarian-American political relations to have a bright future
The ministry cited Péter Szijjártó telling a joint press conference with his Georgian counterpart in response to a question about his US visit on the previous day that they had held lengthy talks with President-elect Trump, designate National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and designate Co-Chair of the Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk lasting about three hours.
“Of course we also congratulated the president-elect because this was the first in-person meeting between the prime minister and the president-elect since the election,” he added.
“The prime minister and the president-elect maintained relations also during the time when Donald Trump was not the president, during the election campaign, and they have talked on the phone several times since,” Szijjártó said. “It is completely natural that they hold consultations regularly.”
Szijjártó said that what further increased the importance of the meeting was that as a result of the transformation of the global economy, digitalisation and AI could play crucial roles in determining a country’s future place in the global economy. Musk and the global empire of companies linked to him play a serious role in spreading new technology, he added.
Szijjártó also said that currently there was an opportunity for better than ever political relations to develop between Hungary and the US.
He added that it was important that until January 20, 2025, nobody in the US or Europe should make irresponsible decisions that could make it impossible to create peace and that would set off irreversible developments.
Considering that the war is still ongoing, the efforts of Hungary’s peace mission must be enhanced, he said. “Last week the prime minister visited the Holy Father. I was in Moscow, in Washington, and held meetings in Malta. Now we travelled to Florida with the prime minister and at least two more events will take place this week that form part of the peace mission, one tomorrow and another one the day after tomorrow,” he said.
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French newspaper predict Orbán’s downfall: Is Hungary on the brink of change?
An analytical piece in the French conservative daily Le Point offers a fresh perspective on Viktor Orbán’s current challenges, asserting that the Hungarian Prime Minister is navigating one of the most turbulent phases of his political career.
According to the article, opinion polls, economic difficulties and domestic and foreign policy challenges are all contributing to Orbán’s sharp decline in popularity. The article draws data from a recent survey by Medián, which shows that the opposition Tisza Party led by Péter Magyar, has gained a significant lead over Fidesz.
Public opininon: A change brewing?
According to Index, the French newspaper cited Medián’s survey, which showed that the Tisza party already leads Fidesz by 11 percentage points among voters who are sure of their vote. In recent weeks, Fidesz’s support has plummeted from 32% to 27%, a significant drop. At the same time, the opposition party has consolidated its lead, which could pose a serious challenge to Orbán’s fourteen-year rule. The paper emphasised that the scale of the change increasingly suggests that Hungarian voters are ready to turn away from the current government.
Orban’s government is also under pressure in its relations with the EU. The newspaper speculates that Hungary could lose up to EUR 1 billion in EU funds by the end of the year if it fails to implement reforms demanded by Brussels. The article details that these reforms concern transparency in public procurement, the fight against corruption and compliance with conflict-of-interest rules. The freezing of EU funds, which currently stand at around EUR 16 billion, could put Hungary under severe financial pressure.
The French newspaper also pointed out that Hungarian voters’ political choices are currently heavily influenced by the economic difficulties they face in their daily lives. Following the record 17% inflation in 2023, figures dropped to 4% in 2024, against an EU average of 2.3%. The European Commission forecasts that Hungary’s public debt could reach 74.3% of GDP this year, driven by low GDP growth and a high budget deficit. These indicators paint a negative picture of the state of the economy and undermine the government’s economic performance.
A new opposition: Péter Magyar and the Tisza Party
Le Point has a special focus on Péter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza Party, who was once a close ally of Viktor Orbán but has now become one of his main political opponents. Péter Magyar’s strategy differs from previous opposition approaches: rather than focusing on rule of law issues, he is drawing attention to the decline in Hungarian living standards and public services. In his speech to the European Parliament, for instance, Magyar compared Hungary’s minimum wages with those of other countries in the region, highlighting the weaknesses of the government’s economic policies.
The state of the Hungarian health sector emerges as a pressing concern in Le Point’s analysis. Péter Magyar delivered a scathing critique of the system’s deficiencies, highlighting that one in three Hungarians under the age of 65 faces significant challenges due to a shortfall of 40,000 nurses. Hospitals often lack essential supplies such as disinfectants and cleaning agents, underscoring the sector’s critical condition. Furthermore, the emigration of young people—central to Péter Magyar’s broader critique—has profound implications not only for Hungary but also for several countries across the region. However, the potential social and economic repercussions are particularly acute for Hungary.
In response to these challenges, Viktor Orbán may increasingly pivot away from negotiating with the European Union and instead seek alliances with the United States, notably with Donald Trump. According to Le Point, this strategic shift could gain momentum as the next general election approaches, driven both by mounting domestic political pressure and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding EU funding.
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Two Hungarian politicians named on Politico’s list of the 28 most influential people in Europe
Two Hungarian politicians have made Politico’s 2025 list of Europe’s 28 most influential figures. Viktor Orbán ranks fourth in the “dreamers” category, while Péter Magyar secures sixth place among the “disrupters.” As Magyar rises as a challenger to Orbán’s long reign, the tension between the “challenger” and the “globalist” is shaping Hungary’s political future.
Two Hungarian politicians on Politico’s list
Politico has unveiled its 2025 list of Europe’s 28 most influential figures, highlighting two Hungarian politicians. As Telex reports, Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s Prime Minister, is ranked fourth in the “dreamers” category, surpassing prominent figures such as Kaja Kallas and Andriy Yermak. Meanwhile, Péter Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, earned sixth place among the “disrupters,” a group that includes Raffaele Fitto and Marine Le Pen. The rankings, which categorise politicians as “doers,” “disrupters,” or “dreamers,” underscore the growing influence of Hungarian politicians on the European stage. The full results of the list will be revealed on Tuesday evening.
The challenger vs the globalist
Péter Magyar was labelled “the challenger” as he is emerging as a key challenger to Viktor Orbán’s long-standing rule. Magyar, from a political family, has steadily built momentum, particularly among progressive urban voters and conservatives in rural areas, a stronghold of Orbán’s support. However, his challenge lies in balancing this appeal without alienating his base in Brussels, as Orbán uses state power, from the media to the judiciary, to undermine him.
Meanwhile, Orbán, labelled “the globalist”, is striving to reshape Europe’s political landscape through international alliances and his ideological influence in Brussels, where he has successfully mobilised conservative forces, especially with the backing of Donald Trump’s re-election. This growing network positions Orbán as a key player in linking Washington and Europe’s advancing conservative movement.
Magyar was quick to comment on Politico’s choice, in a Facebook post he writes:
There’s going to be a problem… Along with Al Capone of the Carpathians, I was included in Politico’s list of the 28 most influential European politicians as a challenger in the disrupter category. This year, the hereditary commissioner of Hatvanpuszta has been included in the globalist category in the “dare to dream big” category. Just don’t end up a nightmare, Prime Minister…
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Government county commissioner tells Budapest Mayor Karácsony to ‘comply with law’
The government commissioner of Budapest has told the city’s mayor, Gergely Karácsony, to comply with the law and desist from pushing through an “unlawful budget”.
Government commissioner calls on Karácsony
Botond Sára said in a video uploaded to Facebook that Karácsony should refrain from pressing ahead with his “next unlawful measure”, accusing him of working to push an “unlawful budget” through the city assembly, saying “he doesn’t want to pay the 50 billion forints” [EUR 121.3m] in solidarity tax “that poorer localities are entitled to”.
“This is no solution to the municipality’s plight, which is close to insolvency,” Sára said. He said Karácsony was “playing for time” and this would worsen the city’s already difficult situation. “Of course, we will challenge [any] unlawful decision.”
In response, Karácsony said in a post on Facebook that a government office challenge against the Budapest budget would put the municipality’s operations at risk.
“This means, no less, that the government wants to force the city into insolvency,” he said.
He said the government office was running afoul of a municipal court decision that said “over-taxing Budapest is tantamount to confiscation”. “The government insists on taxes which the Constitutional Court has said are contrary to the right of local authorities to financial autonomy enshrined in Hungary’s Fundamental Law,” he said.
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Hungarian defence minister: ‘Blackmailers’ failed to thwart operation of Defence Purchase Agency
“Blackmailers” have failed to obstruct the work of the Defence Procurement Agency (VBU), the defence minister told parliament’s defence and law enforcement committee on Tuesday, adding press reports suggesting that procurements had faltered as a result were wrong.
Hungarian defence minister talks about ‘blackmailers’
Socialist lawmaker Tamás Harangozó and Jobbik MP László György Lukács initiated the hearing of defence minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky and Norbert Tajti, the director-general of the Military National Security Service, pointing to press reports that the VBU had suffered an “unprecedented attack constituting a severe risk to national security”. Harangozó complained that the committee had not been briefed on the attack.
Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa noted that the national security committee has been briefed on the case.
Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that cyberattacks were a frequent occurrence, and the group that attacked VBU had recently obtained similar data from the authority’s Czech counterpart. As an independent company, VBU is responsible for the security of its own IT system, which was not connected to that of the Armed Forces, the Defence Ministry or the Military National Security Service, he said.
This, the defence minister added, was a guarantee that no data pertaining to military capacity or national security had been divulged.
An assessment of the exact data stolen is under way, he said, adding that the data on procurements leaked so far had been in the public domain before the attack.
“The government neither negotiates with criminals nor pays them,” he said, adding that an international investigation is under way. He noted that he had also launched an inquiry and removed the then-head of the agency. The new head of VBU, Major General Attila Simon, has a background in special operations, he added.
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Hungarian national economy minister sees rebound in 2025 – UPDATED
National Economy Minister Márton Nagy said 2025 would be a “rebound” year of “economic recovery”, supported by a “peacetime budget”, testifying before parliament’s economy committee on Tuesday.
National Economy Minister expects economic recovery in 2025
Nagy said the government had responded successfully to the crises of the past five years: the pandemic, the energy crisis caused by the war and the economic downturn in Germany.
In light of the changed economic circumstances, the government has launched an economic policy action plan, founded on a policy of economic neutrality, that aims to aid the domestic recovery and lift GDP growth over 3pc from 2025, he added.
Nagy said that action plan would pump HUF 1,400bn into the business sector and leave households with more than HUF 2,800bn.
Nagy said tourism and retail data indicated a recovery of domestic consumption in 2024 that would continue in 2025. He added that real wages could grow 9pc this year, while the employment rate stood at 84pc, close to full employment.
Nagy said the construction sector would bounce back, with an order stock up 40pc and government measures set to lift the housing market. He added that home builds could double to 25,000 next year, still under the 40,000-unit potential of the local construction sector.
Nagy blamed Berlin’s overly disciplined fiscal policy and spending on ideologically important goals, rather than economic development, for the downturn in Germany. He added that the German government’s decision to roll back EV subsidies was also damaging.
Fielding questions, Nagy said dormitories with capacity for 13,000-20,000 students could be built in a student quarter in a brownfield area in the south of the capital. The government aims to keep the number of beds reserved for foreign students under 30pc, he added.
Nagy said the state would recoup the price it paid for a controlling stake in Liszt Ferenc operator Budapest Airport in 15 years.
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FM Szijjártó calls out journalists, politicians ‘who spread fake news’ in Hungary
Péter Szijjártó has told journalists and politicians who “spread fake news” of a plane landing in Budapest should show self-restraint, saying the reports were completely untrue and could put Hungary in danger in the current febrile atmosphere. “Some politicians pounced on this news and created a huge fake news tsunami from it,” the foreign minister said.
Szijjártó warns about the dangers of fake news
Szijjártó said “political profiteering” from the fake news soon caught hold in Hungary, according to a ministry statement on Tuesday.
Fake news connected to the “struggle” in the Middle East “involving terrorist organisations” could put the whole country “in very serious danger”, he said, adding that the false reports started spreading on Sunday and peddled distortions over the evacuation of Hungary’s embassy in Syria.
The Syrian embassy in Budapest could have been targeted by terrorists, he said, adding that it was also possible that terrorist attacks may be mounted against Hungarian interests, people and communities “anywhere in the world” if they terrorists were to act on information that “justify their way of thinking”.
Szijjártó called on “Hungarian journalists and all Hungarian politicians to exercise self-restraint … and try to behave a little responsibly”.
Luckily a tragedy had not occurred this time, “but it could have”, he said.
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PM Orbán meets Trump, Musk in Florida
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met US President-elect Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, on Monday. Elon Musk and Michael Waltz also attended the meeting, the PM’s press chief said.
FM Szijjártó accompanied PM Orbán
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó and 4iG chief executive Gellért Jászai was also present, Bertalan Havasi said.
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Hungarian FM Szijjártó discusses situation in Syria with Israeli counterpart
FM Szijjártó discussed the situation in Syria with Gideon Sa’ar, his Israeli counterpart, on Monday, underlining that both countries’ interests lay in peace in the Middle East.
FM Szijjártó talks about the situation in Syria
“Our interests lie in ensuring that no extremist ideology or extremist group can take control of the region or any of its countries,” Szijjártó said on Facebook after talks with Sa’ar.
“We were also in agreement on the need to devote special attention to respecting the rights of religious groups and minorities and to their security,” he added.
Szijjártó said Hungary was paying especially close attention to the situation of Christian communities, providing them with humanitarian aid, and expected the international community to ensure that the rights of religious minorities are respected.
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Orbán cabinet sends letter to EP groups on Hungary’s exclusion from Erasmus scheme
Balázs Hankó, the minister for culture and innovation, has sent a letter to leaders of European parliamentary groups urging them to “take a stand” regarding the exclusion of Hungarian students from the EU’s Erasmus program.
“It’s time the European parliamentary groups took a stand” and ended the “discrimination” against Hungarian university students, Hankó told a press conference in Budapest on Monday.
Hankó noted that it it has been two years since “Brussels unlawfully excluded Hungarian students and Hungarian researchers” from the Erasmus and Horizon programmes. A year ago, the Hungarian government the European Commission its amendment proposals aimed at resolving the issue, and last month parliament passed a law that settles the conflicts of interest of university foundations’ board members, he added.
“We now have to take another step, and it’s time the European parliamentary groups took a stand,”
the minister said, adding that he sent letters to the group leaders.
He said the EP groups should clarify what they mean by non-discrimination “when they deny Hungarian students their entitlement” to participate in the Erasmus program.
He said Hungary also wanted to clarify the issue of autonomy, insisting that Brussels believed it meant removing university rectors and professors from foundation boards and allowing NGOs to select their replacements.
Hankó noted that in addition to the steps taken by the Hungarian government, six universities have filed a lawsuit against the EC over the matter.
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Budapest University of Technology and Economics’s ownership shift: Could this be a threat to the university’s autonomy?
Erasmus, Horizon programs returns to Hungarian universities?
Euronews: European Commission critiques Hungary’s fiscal plans for lacking crucial details
Hungary’s fiscal strategy has drawn sharp criticism from the European Commission for lacking crucial details and relying on questionable data, as tensions grow between Budapest and Brussels over economic governance and compliance with EU rules.
Fiscal strategy under scrutiny
As Euronews reports, Hungary’s fiscal strategy has come under scrutiny for lacking crucial details and relying on questionable data, according to European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis’ letter sent to Finance Minister Mihály Varga. The letter, dated 5 December, highlights concerns over Hungary’s unrealistic economic forecasts submitted to Brussels, which are essential for evaluating its medium-term fiscal plans. Dombrovskis emphasised that key elements of the plan are either absent or require significant refinement, complicating the European Commission’s ability to complete its assessment.
Critique on Hungarian economic growth
The Commission also criticised discrepancies in Hungary’s data on economic growth, inflation, and interest expenditure, urging better alignment with EU methodologies. The analysis aims to detail how Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government intends to achieve fiscal balance after pandemic-induced spending relaxations. However, the EU’s evaluation may be delayed beyond the current 12 December deadline, potentially extending into January, due to the extensive gaps in the submitted information.
Strict debt and deficit limits
The EU imposes strict debt and deficit limits on member states under its Stability and Growth Pact, though enforcement has historically been lenient. These rules, aimed at preventing economic crises like Greece’s in 2007-8, were suspended during the pandemic and energy crisis but have been reinstated this year. Hungary’s delayed fiscal plan submission meant it missed November’s assessments, unlike most other member states. Exceptions were made for five nations, including Germany and Belgium, facing political disruptions. Of 21 assessed plans, only the Netherlands failed, criticised for its projected deficit increase driven by tax cuts and higher public investment.
Meeting Brussels’ fiscal demands often stirs domestic political tensions, as seen in France where Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government collapsed over resistance to his deficit-reduction plan. Meanwhile, Hungary faces its own challenges after six contentious months chairing the EU Council. Budapest has blocked sanctions against Russia, defied EU court rulings on asylum rights, and faced suspended EU funds as a result of its actions.
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Hungary’s public administration is an example to Congo, DRC minister said
Hungary’s public administration is an example to Congo, Guy Loando Mboyo, the DRC’s minister for regional planning, said in Budapest, adding that his country had learned much from studying the Hungarian model and sought to deepen cooperation.
Speaking on Thursday at the press conference with Csaba Latorcai, parliamentary state secretary of the public administration and regional development ministry, the minister noted that the vast territory of Congo only since 2007 had come under unified public administration system, and the country was keen to get Hungarian help in finalising DRC’s regional development plan.
He praised Hungary’s “single-window” one-stop-shop for the public to manage various documents such as IDs and passports, including a mobile version of the single window, as well as its motorway vignette and toll system. Whereas DRC already operates digital administration, only a small proportion of the population can use it, so it needs serious development, he added.
Mboyo also mentioned other areas of potential cooperation such as higher education scholarships, research development, the development and financing of independent regional development projects, environmental protection, and accessing special European Union funds for sustainable development.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the beating heart of Africa
Latorcai said he presented to his counterpart Hungary’s Competitive Districts scheme and how regional development guidelines can be determined by involving regions in need, as well as government support for specific programmes that help them catch up and make them competitive.
Hungary, he added, was glad to share its experiences and cooperation would soon be extended to several areas of economic life.
“The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the beating heart of Africa,” he said, adding that the Hungarian government, as part of its policy of opening up to the South, wanted to get involved with DRC’s fast-growing economy, “which represents a huge potential for the whole of Europe”.
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Hungarian 4iG, OTP Bank performs well in Albania
National Economy Minister Márton Nagy met with a number of Albanian ministers and the governor of Albania’s central bank during a visit to Albania on Thursday, his minister said in statement on Friday.
Nagy met with Blendi Gonxhja, the minister for economy, culture and innovation; Petrit Malaj, the finance minister; Anila Denaj, the minister for agriculture and rural development; and Gent Sejko, the governor of the central bank.
The sides discussed bilateral economic ties, areas in which cooperation could be enhanced, and the state of Albania’s European Union integration.
Hungarian-Albanian ties are strong and there are over 20 state, intergovernmental or interministerial agreements between the two countries, the ministry said. Cooperation between the waterworks companies of Budapest and Tirana is “stable, fruitful and constructive”, it added.
The government offers 20 scholarships a year to Albanian students to enroll at Hungarian universities. The advancement of bilateral ties have also been supported by a direct Wizz Air flight between Budapest and Tirana launched with the support of the Hungarian government in 2021, the ministry said.
Last year, bilateral trade between Hungary and Albania reached EUR 130m. Hungarian-owned OTP Bank Albania is the country’s fifth-biggest credit institution in terms of total assets, while Hungary’s 4iG leads the mobile and fixed-line telecommunications markets.
Hungary backs the EU integration of Albania and the Western Balkans, Nagy said, adding that it was in the EU’s interest for those dynamically expanding economies to join as soon as possible.
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Orbán cabinet worried about the EU’s cybersecurity
EU cybersecurity agency ENISA must help to strengthen EU institutions and member states, especially given current cybersecurity challenges, Zoltán Kovács, the state secretary for international relations and communications, said before a transport, telecommunications and energy council meeting in Brussels on Friday.
Kovács noted that ministers are assessing ENISA’s role in “the dramatically changing European cybersecurity ecosystem” in light of fresh legislative developments, adding that a new leglislative framework for ENISA would help to address numerous challenges.
Member states will relate their experiences and expectations to the European Commission during the meeting, he said.
Also, the conclusions on the European Commission’s White Paper on the development of the European digital infrastructure aiming to improve the bloc’s logistics, infrastructure and security will be presented at the meeting.
He said the European Commission should take seriously the experiences and practices of EU member states rather than proposing ideas that are hard to implement.
Kovács said that whereas digital infrastructure was a security consideration as important as the cybersecurity agency itself, it was also a key component of competitiveness, a Hungarian EU presidency priority, as “all such infrastructure ensures that industries and institutions can enhance their competitiveness”.
Regarding the Digital Decade 2030 policy programme, Kovács said that ministers were scheduled today to hold a “substantive political debate”, and ideas on boosting competitiveness, efficiency and the challenges set out in the Budapest Declaration would be important aspects of the discussions.
Ministers will have an informal lunch with the deputy secretary-general of UN agency International Telecommunication Union to discuss future cooperation and how to strengthen Europe’s place in international telecommunications developments, “an area where clearly Europe must move forward in terms of competitiveness.”
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- PM Orbán awards ‘Mr Russia’, Hungary interested in Russia’s new security system – read more HERE
- Major security risk: Hungary’s defence system compromised in USD 5 million cyberattack
BREAKING: Mystery Syrian plane landed at Budapest Airport, Assad seeking Trump’s help from Budapest?
A Syrianair jet landed at Budapest Airport yesterday evening, but no Hungarian airport employees were allowed to serve or even get close to the mystery aircraft. Instead, Hungarian media wrote that units of the elite military branch Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK) arrived to welcome the plane. News outlets suggest that President Bashar al-Assad took refuge in Hungary and would like to try to persuade Donald Trump through Orbán to provide American support for his fallen regime.
Rebel forces took Syria in just 11 days
According to Reuters, Syrian rebels took control of most of the country in just an 11-day-long campaign and occupied even Damascus last night. Crowds are celebrating the fall of the Assad family in the Middle Eastern country’s Homs, Damascus, Hama and other major cities while operations against “terrorist groups” continue.
Western powers are concerned because a globally designated terrorist group – Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – has great influence on the forming administration. However, the former al Qaeda affiliate’s leader, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, promises a smooth power transition. Furthermore, “caretaker” Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali promises that Syrians will be free to choose their leaders in an upcoming democratic election.
Syria, led by the Alawite Assad family, was a bastion for Russia and Iran in the region, so Israel, among others, felt relieved by the regime’s fall. However, President Bashar al-Assad does not wish to give up yet.
A mysterious Syrian plane landed at Budapest Airport after Damascus fell
According to Reuters, media reports talk about a mystery plane taking off from Damascus airport when the Syrian capital was taken by rebel forces. First, it flew to Syria’s coastal region, where a Russian naval base and military airport is located. Then, it suddenly took a U-turn and disappeared from the maps. Although some sources say Assad was murdered on board, Magyar Hang wrote about a mystery plane that landed at Budapest Airport on Saturday evening.
They could not trace the plane’s flight route since it appeared out of the blue on Flightradar. Furthermore, employees of the Budapest Airport were not allowed to serve the jet. However, units of the Hungarian Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK) arrived at the airport. Moreover, everybody was forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Neither Orbán nor FM Szijjártó communicated about the event yet, and their offices also remained silent to the questions of Magyar Hang.
According to Bloomberg, Assad sent Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church Ignatius Aphrem II to PM Orbán to discuss the renewed fights in Syria and the state of the Christians in the country. The reason is that Hungary is committed to supporting persecuted Christians through one of the government’s secretariats led by State Secretary for Programmes Assisting Persecuted Christians Tristan Azbej.
Bloomberg wrote that the visit had a secret aim. Assad wanted to open diplomatic channels to President Trump, asking for help through the Hungarian prime minister.
Reuters wrote that Syria’s traditional allies, Iran and Russia, are unable to provide help for the overthrown leader due to focus on other crises.
Trump’s reaction
Donald Trump reacted to the situation in his Truth Social account and what he wrote is bad news for Assad:
“Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer. There was no reason for Russia to be there in the first place. They lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine, where close to 600,000 Russian soldiers lay wounded or dead, in a war that should never have started, and could go on forever. Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success. Likewise, Zelenskyy and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness. They have ridiculously lost 400,000 soldiers, and many more civilians. There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!”
UPDATE: Fake news that a Syrian plane landed at Budapest Airport, says the airport
Budapest Airport denied that a Syrian plane landed at Budapest Airport yesterday. They added that such news could undermine public trust towards the airport, Telex reports.
UPDATE 2: Middle East Christians in Hungary’s focus, says FM Szijjártó
Hungary has a vested interest in stability in the Middle East and pays key focus to Christian communities in the region, the foreign minister said on Facebook on Sunday. Péter Szijjártó noted the government’s continued support to Christians in the region. Szijjártó said his ministry had contacted in the past few days those Hungarians living in Syria that were available, adding that none of them had so far requested assistance. The Hungarian embassy in Damascus is temporarily closed, and Hungarians seeking assistance could apply to the embassy in Beirut, which has introduced an extraordinary opening schedule, he said.
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Speaker Kövér: the new European Commission works against Europe’s interests
The new European Commission “is now promoting in Europe the interests of private powers outside Europe” leading to further “political, economic, and social destabilisation” of the community, László Kövér, the speaker of Hungary’s parliament, told a session of the Patriots for Europe European parliamentary group in Budapest on Friday.
According to Kövér, Europe is “under a symbolic political, economic, and cultural carpet bombing”, while “the threat of an actual bombing of our continent is increasing by the day.”
Kövér said Patriots were “the first hopeful green sprig on the tree of Europe pruned by harmful hands” adding that the group had “a mission from the Lord of History” to create the conditions to rebuild Europe in a political, economic and cultural sense. He said patriotic forces in Europe were “protecting common sense against abnormality, at the level of ideologies”; they were “protecting patriotism against globalism at the political level, and protecting nation states from EU federalism and against plans to build an European United States at a legislative level.”
Kövér also called for cooperation with patriots in the United States to protect “democratic states as institutions of legitimate public power” from “private powers lacking democratic legitimacy, seeking to subject democratic states in a clandestine way.”
The Patriots for Europe adopted a political declaration urging a stricter migration policy.
Kinga Gál, the party group’s vice-chair, said the issue of migration was in need of the most urgent action, adding that a “migration crisis” threatened Europe’s future.
The Fidesz MEP said that before the EP elections the “pro-migration majority” in Brussels had forced through “old, bad solutions” contained in the migration pact, which encouraged migration rather than seeking to prevent it. European migration policy must be put on a completely new footing, she said.
The Patriots for Europe’s proposals call for effective external border protection and a complete ban on illegal border crossings, she said. Only people who have the right to enter and stay in the EU should be able to do so, she added.
Mass migration the gravest threat to Europe’s future
Jordan Bardella, the group’s chair, said mass migration was the gravest threat to Europe’s future, adding that the process was irreversible and transformed nation states, with enclaves and non-Western laws “formed everywhere”.
The group adopted a joint statement on migration at the meeting. Gal said the topic was chosen because the group saw it as the one requiring urgent action the most. “There is definitely a migration crisis in Europe, and it is threatening the continent’s future,” she said. Besides effective border control, the party group has called on the regular review of refugees’ asylum status, and asylum seekers who have committed crimes or subscribe to extremist views must be expelled from the EU, she added. They are also demanding “a firm stance against civil and lobby organisations organising illegal migration to Europe”.
They are calling on the EU to refrain from stopping member states from implementing stringent immigration regulations and for an opt-out option from the EU’s migration regulations. The EU should also withdraw all sanctions against member states for measures designed to stop illegal migration, she said.
The parties rejected the EU’s migration policy and all attempts at putting political pressure on member states and leaders fighting illegal migration effectively on their own authority, she said.
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