Minister: Hungarians fulfilled anti-Soviet uprising’s goals three decades later
Hungarians fulfilled the goals of the 1956 anti-Soviet uprising three decades later: to live in freedom and peace, and to grow in safety in an independent state, the head of the prime minister’s office said on Thursday.
Gergely Gulyás told an event commemorating the uprising at the Hungarian embassy in Vienna that 1956 was a milestone in Hungary’s national development which strongly determined what people thought about important values.
“October 1956 is the story of courageous Hungarian men and women, young and old, poor and rich; when a nation said enough is enough, when the residents of a country went into armed rebellion against Soviet suppression to regain control of their future,” he said.
Gulyás said a conflict currently flaring up again in the Middle East was threatening another global crisis, and Europe had every reason to fear that masses illegal migrants may again turn up. We wrote about the Budapest Israeli ambassador’s message HERE.
“Events of the past decade clearly showed that the European Union’s solutions were not always good in a crisis situation, and instead there may be good solutions at national level,” he said, adding that instead of being federal and centrally regulated, Europe needed effective cooperation between the elected leaders of European states.
“Common values must be preserved, and when it comes to matters we disagree on, we must exercise tolerance,” he added.
Gulyás said Hungarian-Austrian relations had deep historical roots and the two nations shared a past going back a thousand years, which had seen “great heights and great depths”.
The outbreak of the 1956 revolution in Budapest caused a unique wave of sympathy and solidarity in Austria, and support and help from the Austrian people had had a profound effect on Hungarians who still remembered it today, he said.
He thanked Austria for helping Hungarians fleeing the country after the 1956 uprising was crushed.
Meanwhile, Austria disconnected Hungarian trains from western network – Read more HERE
Record number of Hungarians study abroad, here’s why
In 2022, more than 16,000 Hungarian students went to university abroad. The main reasons behind this decision are better quality education and better career prospects.
The number of young Hungarians studying abroad has continued to rise. Most of them chose Western European institutions, according to a recent survey by Engame Academy.
At least 16,233 Hungarian students studied abroad, an increase of almost 3% compared to last year.
The main reasons why students choose to study abroad included higher quality education, better career prospects later on, and more modern learning methodologies and tools. In addition, language learning, independence and the domestic economic and political situation.
Austria is the leading destination country, followed by Germany and the Netherlands. The United Kingdom came fourth, followed by Denmark and the United States.
In Austria, free education and proximity are the main attractions. But the biggest change has been in the Netherlands, where the proportion of Hungarians has risen by 64% in two years. Here, there is a wide choice of English-language courses, ten Dutch universities are among the top 200 in the world, and it does not cost significantly more than in Hungary.
The head of education at Engame pointed out that further rearrangements are expected in the field of international higher education, so it is necessary to start preparing as soon as possible if you want to study abroad. “You should start from the 9th or 10th grade, for example by strengthening skills such as language skills, critical thinking, teamwork, which are essential for successful admission,” Népszava quotes Rita Nádas.
Hungary beats the whole of Central Europe with its motorway network
Hungary has caught up with Austria in one crucial aspect, as it now boasts the most extensive motorway network in the region, although there remains room for improvements.
Hungary trails Austria
While Hungary’s economic development still lags behind that of Austria, our nation can take pride in its motorway infrastructure. According to the latest 2021 data from Eurostat, Austria has 1,749 kilometres of motorways, while Hungary has constructed 1,850 kilometres of dual highway.
Hungary has placed significant emphasis on infrastructure development in recent years, as reported by vg.hu. As a result, Hungary has not only surpassed Austria but also currently leads the entire region.
Is Hungary a motorway superpower?
Examining Hungary’s neighbouring countries, we find that Croatia has built 1,316 kilometres of motorways, Slovakia 849, Slovenia 616 and Romania 931.
These figures reveal that Central and Eastern Europe lags behind Western countries, a discrepancy that stems from economic and developmental disparities. The economic advantages of motorway construction are still debated in many places. However, it’s worth noting that developed Western European countries, such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, maintain motorway networks one and a half to two, or even three times denser than Hungary.
While Hungary has 20 kilometres of motorway per thousand square kilometres, Germany boasts 37, and Denmark and Spain maintain 31. The Benelux countries, in particular, excel with 58 kilometres of motorway per thousand square kilometres in Belgium and 67 in the Netherlands. To put this in perspective, the Netherlands, covering less than half the area of Hungary, counts nearly 1,000 kilometres more motorways.
On the absolute scale, Spain surprisingly leads in terms of total motorway length, with 15,860 kilometres by 2021, followed by Germany with 13,155 kilometres.
Further expansion on the horizon
Although Hungary takes the lead in the region, there is still room for improvement at the EU level. In terms of land area, Hungary can easily accommodate an additional 1,000 kilometres of motorways. While not all will be built immediately, according to the plans of the Hungarian Concession and Infrastructure Development Company, another 272 kilometres are certain to be constructed. This suggests that by 2030, Hungary’s motorway network could exceed 2,000 kilometres in length.
Hungary’s and Austria’s tourist hotspot Lake Fertő in grave danger
This week, an advisory group from the UNESCO’s cultural organisation visited the site of the Lake Fertő investment on the Hungarian-Austrian border, which has been the subject of a serious debate on both sides for quite some time. UNESCO claims that if the construction projects, which have commenced on both sides of the lake, are carried out as planned, they may result in Lake Fertő losing its World Heritage title. As a consequence, regional tourism could also decline. Furthermore, both countries’ reputation could be seriously damaged.
The fate of Lake Fertő
According to Szabad Európa, in addition to government members, the delegation also met with civilians fighting for the protection of Lake Fertő. The company responsible for the investment ceased to exist at the end of last year, which resulted in the project being taken over by the Ministry of Construction and Transportation in January. The representatives of civil organisations, the Friends of Lake Fertő Association and Greenpeace on the Hungarian side, WWF and Allianz For Nature on the Austrian side and government representatives from Hungary all gathered to discuss the issues. In addition to the environmental activist groups, locals also protested against the investment, which started four years ago and had cost billions of Hungarian forints.
The civilians voiced their problems that a previously popular part of the lake is no longer accessible to them due to the investment projects. Moreover, fishermen and sailors also face issues when attempting to access certain areas of the lake. The head of the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, János Lázár, has announced, that due to economic reasons, the planned project will only be partially realised. According to Gyula Major, the president of the Friends Of Lake Fertő Association, the government delegates promised that “everything will be nice and good from now on”, and that they would initiate a dialogue between the government and civilians regarding the endangered lake.
Read also: Visit Lake Balaton this autumn for low prices!
All words no action?
The members of the ministerial delegation encouraged the interested parties and activists present to feel free to contact them in case they have any questions. In addition, they assured them about their support in trying to reach a mutually beneficial agreement for all parties concerned. The delegation also said thank you to the civilians for their tireless work so far. However, Major Gyula’s question, which inquired about the exact elements of the partial implementation, has not yet been answered. According to the president of the association, the delegates suspected that this part of the work was still in the discussion stage. The person in charge of the Greenpeace biodiversity campaign on the rehabilitation of the shore of Lake Fertő, Katalin Rodics, said that even if the project is ceased entirely, it does not mean that nature can take over anytime soon as no one will break up the concrete that has already been laid. Rodics believes the machines used for removing the concrete would cause even more damage to the environment.
On the Austrian side, fierce criticism was raised about the potential construction of a hospital. In connection with the investment, our neighbours also pointed out the possible hazards the project would pose on the nearby wetland protected by the Rámszari Convention as well as to the confluence of settlements near the lake shore.
Read also: Lake Velence could completely disappear by 2050
Author: Annamária Mikó
BREAKING: Hungarian researcher wins this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics
Ferenc Krausz, Pierre Agostini and Anne L’Huillier shared the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics “for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter”.
Ferenc Krausz was also the winner of the 2022 Physical Wolf Prize, which he shared with Anne L’Huillier. He is an external member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Germany, Telex reports. He has previously been awarded the Gábor Dénes Prize.
BREAKING NEWS
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2023 #NobelPrize in Physics to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier “for experimental methods that generate attosecond pulses of light for the study of electron dynamics in matter.” pic.twitter.com/6sPjl1FFzv— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 3, 2023
Ferenc Krausz, a Hungarian physicist born in Mór, obtained a degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Hungary in 1985 and a degree in physics from ELTE TTK in parallel, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences writes. He received his doctorate from the Technical University of Vienna in 1991, where he later worked as an associate professor and then professor.
In 2003, he was appointed Director of the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching, Germany, and since 2004, he has been Head of the Department of Experimental Physics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich.
Ferenc Krausz has also acquired Austrian citizenship, and has been a member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences since 2003, and an external member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) since 2007.
As a result of their research, the world’s first attosecond light pulses were produced and measured by Ferenc Krausz’s group in the early 2000s.
The three winning researchers will share a total of SEK 11 million (HUF 368 million, EUR 946,630). The prize will be awarded on 10 December, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the founder of the prize.
Read also:
Important change: Austria to disconnect Hungarian trains from western network two days later
Contrary to the original plans, westbound Railjet express trains will not be cut off in Vienna on Monday and Tuesday, Mávinform reports, according to information from the Austrian railway company on Sunday evening.
Until Wednesday, Railjet trains from Budapest-Keleti station to Munich via Vienna every two hours between 7:40 and 15:40 will continue to operate on the full route, without changing trains in Vienna.
As we wrote earlier, ÖBB announced earlier that from 2 October to 26 October, several Railjet express trains from Budapest and beyond Vienna will operate on a shorter route, only to the Austrian capital. The Austrian company explained the decision by the delays caused by the renovation of the main line in Hegyeshalom. The measure affects multiple routes to German and Austrian cities. Details HERE.
European neo-Nazis to hold rally in Hungary in October
A three-day networking congress of European neo-Nazi organisations is scheduled to take place in Sopron from 6 October. Locals are organising protests, while the mayor has issued a statement clarifying that there is zero tolerance for all forms of anti-Semitism. All the while, local hoteliers are explaining themselves to their guests, saying that they are not aware of any such event.
The Austrian press had already reported in May that Europe’s neo-fascists were organising their 1st Gerd Honsik European Congress in Sopron. Nevertheless, the news blew the fuse in the city this week after an anti-fascist blog post about it appeared online. The residents of Sopron were practically united in their outrage, with the unexpected event even bringing the city’s Fidesz leadership together with the opposition, Telex reports.
Far-right groups coming from all over Europe
According to the information available on the telegram channel of Infokanal Deutschösterreich (German-Austrian Information Channel), which the newspaper cites as one of the organisers’ sites, far-right groups will gather in the western Hungarian city between 6 and 8 October. Although the detailed programme and the exact location are only available via email, it is clear from the information so far that the three-day event, which costs EUR 25 and is open to the public, will include lectures by Der III.Weg (Germany), the Nordic Resistance Movement (Scandinavia), Casa Pound (Italy) and one of the founding leaders of the Nouvelle droite/New Culture.
What are neo-Nazis doing in Sopron?
This is not the first time since the regime change that they have chosen to meet in the city. In the early 2000s, they met at a “musical gathering” in Harka, near Sopron. Moreover, the man after whom the far right named their congress, Gerd Honsik, had lived in the town for years.
Gerd Honsik’s father died in WWII, and his mother raised him in a “patriotic spirit”. He was, in fact, considered one of Austria’s best-known Holocaust deniers. The Austrian neo-Nazi was jailed several times. At the age of 70, he was released early from his last prison sentence, and shortly afterwards moved to Sopron, Hungary. The city’s proximity to the border and Vienna may have prompted his choice. He died there in 2018.
Hungarian press was brimming with reports that the neo-Nazi martial arts gala, European Fight Night would be held in the Hungarian capital. The event in question caused a lot of tension at the time as well, so the venue had to be changed. The new location was Csókakő, where the local authorities didn’t know what and who they had agreed to host.
Read also:
- Secret neonazi festival held in Hungary?
- Commemorations to be held on WWII anti-Soviet defenders of Budapest in Buda Castle
Another reason why Hungary may be considered a friendly location is because of the international meetings of the Day of Honour (Tag der Ehre in German). Every year in February, the European Nazis hold an international meeting (considered important by them) in Buda Castle, where far-right groups commemorate the joint breakout attempt of Hungarian and German troops on 11 February 1944.
By invitation only
Registration for the congress in Sopron was open until 22 September and the invitation was available on their Telegram channel. The exact location of the meeting, which is scheduled from 6 October to 8 October, is only revealed to those who buy a ticket. The site is no longer available. Several hotels in Sopron complained that they keep having to explain themselves: no, they were not aware of a neo-Nazi conference on their premises on 6 October.
Mérce wrote that Fidesz mayor Ciprián Farkas distanced himself from the far-right event. While the opposition Momentum party in Sopron is organising a counter-demonstration in front of the hotel where the event is supposed to take place on 7 October. They call on the mayor to prevent the conference.
BREAKING: Austria detaches Hungarian trains of Western railway network
ÖBB, the Austrian railway company, is to detach all Hungarian direct trains from the Western European network because of the excessive delays. The firm warned the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) multiple times, but they could not solve the problem. Therefore, all passengers must get off the trains in Vienna and embark on another. The measure affects multiple routes to German and Austrian cities.
According to Dávid Vitézy, Hungary’s former transport secretary and PM Orbán’s distant relative, the reason why Austria detaches all Hungarian trains from the Western railway network is the pathetic operation of MÁV. As we wrote earlier, János Lázár, Hungary’s transport and construction minister, ordered a quick railway renovation on the Budapest-Vienna line between Biatorbágy and Szárliget.
However, we wrote HERE that the total closure of the aforementioned segment will only happen between 27 October and 17 November. Before and after that, one of the two railway lines is operable. Therefore, international trains could have commuted between Budapest and Linz, Salzburg or Munich.
But MÁV was unable to operate the international trains without delays in the first two weeks of the closure. ÖBB warned the Hungarian partners several times, but the state-owned railway company could not solve the problems. As a result, they announced today unilaterally that they detach all Hungarian trains from the Western European railway system. That means the direct connection between Budapest and Munich, Linz or Salzburg ends. Passengers will have to change trains in Vienna. That is because Austria wants their trains to commute, sticking to their timetables.
Read also:
- Further adjustments at MÁV: several railway timetables to change – Read more HERE
- Budapest–Belgrade railway in big trouble, PM Orbán travels to Bejing to find a solution
Mr Vitézy argues it is surprising that MÁV could not operate international trains (1 in every hour) on the line while no other trains are commuting there. All other trains are currently substituted by replacement buses. He believes that MÁV did not intend to solve the problem or neglected to do so. He added that the institutional and professional control over MÁV ceased.
According to the statement of ÖBB, Budapest trains will not commute to Munich, Linz or Salzburg from Monday (2 October) and this will remain in effect until 26 October.
Dangerous murderer caught in Hungary
A Budapest court on Thursday ordered a Turkish national facing murder charges to be handed over to the Austrian authorities.
According to charges backed by a European arrest warrant, a person died after the male suspect fired three shots at his black BMW car in the car park of a shopping centre in Wiener Neustadt on the night on 24 September. When the suspect tried to cross the Hungarian border at Röszke, border guards seized a Walther pistol loaded with two rounds and further 35 rounds of ammunition.
The Turkish suspect had no permit to own a firearm or to transport it through Hungarian territory, the court said in a statement. The Hungarian authorities launched proceedings against the man whose arrest was ordered by the Szeged County court on Sept. 26. Today the Municipal Court ordered the suspect’s simplified extradition in a binding ruling.
Read also:
- VIDEO: Corrupt border policemen caught by Hungarian Counter Terrorism Centre
- Hungarian horror slaughterhouse: Rusty saw, bloody floor – Read more and check out the 18+ video HERE
Hungarian State Railways announce total closure of Budapest-Vienna line
János Lázár, Hungary’s construction minister, ordered the renewal of the railway line connecting Budapest with Vienna as soon as possible. Work started rapidly, but it seems it will result in the total closure of the line.
As telex.hu wrote today, work could only be started with the manpower and machinery of the Orbán-close Lőrinc Mészáros’s V-Híd. They are a subcontractor of the consortium of two Chinese and one Mészáros company carrying out the Belgrade-Budapest railway upgrade. As a result, work halted there.
The first phase of the Budapest-Győr-Vienna railway line reconstruction will last until 27 October. However, after that, the line will be closed for traffic between Biatorbágy and Szárliget. A partial rail line closure started this Monday.
The Hungarian State Railways promised they would share a new timetable and all the needed information with the passengers two weeks before the start of phase 2.
Read also:
- New timetable: travelling between Budapest-Austria changes, travel times increase
- Budapest’s Nyugati railway station got a prestigious film award
MÁV apologised for the inconvenience and thanked passengers for their patience. They said the total closure will last until 17 November. That is because they will replace not only the rails, but also the railway embankments. Therefore, they must do dirt work, which makes it impossible to hold up safe railway traffic on the line. After the reconstruction, the railway line connecting Hungary with the West will serve passengers at 140 km/h speed.
The third reconstruction phase will be between 18 November and 9 December, during which the other rail track will be renewed. As a result, traffic will continue on one line just like until 27 October.
Ministry official: migration shows no signs of easing
The migration wave shows no signs of easing, with the Hungarian authorities having prevented 125,000 people from crossing the country’s southern border illegally so far this year, a senior interior ministry official said at a farewell ceremony to a Hungarian police contingent on Tuesday.
The contingent being dispatched to serve in Serbia for the next month will also be protecting the Hungarian people, State Secretary Bence Rétvári said, sending off the latest group of officers.
He noted that Hungarian authorities thwarted on average 485 illegal border crossing attempts per day throughout this year so far with the number of violent acts totalling 168 at the country’s southern border.
Without Hungary’s help, the migration pressure on both Austria and Slovakia would be significantly greater, Rétvári said, relaying the Serbian authorities’ thanks for Hungary’s assistance.
He said the fact that migrants and people smugglers had been forced out of the better guarded areas was proof that border protection was working.
Read also:
New timetable: travelling between Budapest-Austria changes, travel times increase
The timetable on the Budapest-Tatabánya-Győr-Hegyeshalom-Austria main railway line will change from 18 September due to the reconstruction work on the line.
According to Pénzcentrum, the first phase will concern the segment between Biatorbágy and Szárliget. Based on the plans, it will last until 26 October. Therefore, passengers should expect longer travel times and replacement buses in some segments.
Only one train will commute on that segment every hour, providing an uninterrupted travel option between Budapest and Austria in each direction. But it will not stop between Kelenföld and Tatabánya stations. During the morning rush hours, some G10 trains and passenger trains will run on their full routes:
- the G10 train (4919) from Győr to Déli station, originally departing from Tatabánya at 5:34 AM
- the passenger train (9309, 9307) from Hegyeshalom to Keleti station, originally departing from Tatabánya at 6:29 AM and continuing at 7:29 AM
- at night, the G10 train (9318) from Keleti station to Győr, originally scheduled to depart at 21:40, will also run its full route.
Read also:
- Huge trouble at Hungarian state railways: line cancellations may occur with MÁV’s response
- Complaints: Hungarian national railways MÁV on the edge of collapse – Read more HERE
Travel times increase significantly
No other trains will run the whole route. Therefore, express replacement buses will carry passengers between Tatabánya and Budaörs. Sopron and Szombathely InterCity trains will travel only to Tatabánya, from where you can reach Kelenföld with replacement buses. HERE you may find more information on the Hungarian State Railways’ (MÁV) official website.
According to turizmus.com, passengers should calculate with a 20-30 mins more travel time concerning domestic trains. Meanwhile, international travellers should add one hour.
Two new border crossings to open in Hungary
An agreement has been signed by Hungary and Romania to open two new border crossings, between Kübekháza and Beba Veche (Óbéba), and between Magyarcsanád and Cenad (Csanád), the foreign minister said on Friday.
The ministry cited Szijjártó as telling a joint press conference with Sorin Grindeanu, the Romanian transport minister, in Timisoara (Temesvár) that the two countries were linked “by a million ties”.
“The more physical links created between each other, the better and more successful cooperation can develop,” he added.
Under the agreements, the crossing between Kübekháza and Beba Veche will be opened in two years’ time and the crossing between Magyarcsanád and Cenad will involve the reconstruction of a bridge on the Maros river which was blown up in 1940, he added.
He noted that two motorway links between Hungary and Romania are also being built, scheduled to be opened in 2025 and 2030, respectively, eventually increasing the number of crossings to 16. If Romania were allowed to join the Schengen zone, this number could increase to 26 in short order, he added.
A meeting of the two countries’ transport working teams has been called for the end of September, he said.
Szijjártó asks Austria not to block Romania’s Schengen accession
Peter Szijjártó has made a “firm request” to Austria not to block Romania’s accession to the Schengen zone.
Speaking in in Timisoara on Friday, the foreign minister told a joint press conference with Romanian Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu that ten roads connecting the two countries are open one day a week because Romania has been blocked from Schengen membership, the ministry said in a statement.
Szijjártó said he “firmly asks our Austrian friends” not to “obstruct Romania’s accession” to Schengen in the autumn and the decision should be based on facts.
Hungary’s national interest was for Romania to join Schengen as soon as possible, he added.
“Romania is our third most important export market and a popular investment location for Hungarian capital,” he said, adding that national minorities also live in each other’s territory.
“It’s time for Romania, let our Austrian friends not get in the way!” – Szijjártó writes:
Read also:
Significant delays: Train speed limited on Budapest-Vienna line due to poor track condition
Due to the poor condition of the track, a temporary speed limit had to be introduced on the section between Biatorbágy and Szárliget. This could extend the journey time by up to 20 minutes, the Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) admitted. This section represents one sixth of the Budapest-Vienna main line.
Deteriorating track conditions
Journey times on the Budapest-Hegyeshalom-Rajka line have increased significantly following the introduction of a speed limit on the Biatorbágy-Szárliget section from Thursday. The line is one of Hungary’s most important main railway lines, line 1. MÁV was asked about the reasons by hvg.hu. The portal was told that on this section, “the age of the track has exceeded its design life several times over”.
They also wrote that “the deterioration has been accelerated by the heavy rains this summer and the heat of recent days.”
The only way to guarantee traffic safety
According to MÁV, they have a detailed plan to solve the problem. The company is working with the Ministry of Transport to resolve the situation. In the meantime, temporarily, “as in the case of overheating of the rails on other sections of the Hungarian fixed rail network, additional speed restrictions are the only way to guarantee traffic safety”.
Therefore, on the Budapest-Győr-Hegyeshalom line between Biatorbágy and Szárliget, a temporary speed limit of 100 km/h has been introduced on both tracks. This may increase the running time of trains by 5-10, sometimes 10-20 minutes, MÁV admitted.
Noone maintained the track
The NGO Közlekedő Tömeg also wrote about the state of the main railway line 1 and the speed reductions. They stressed that “Vienna will soon not only be impossible to catch up with, but also to reach by train”. They also cite the 29-kilometre Biatorbágy-Szárliget section as an example, which represents one sixth of the Budapest-Vienna main line.
They say that, according to their information, no one has thought to maintain the railway track here for the last 40 years. Thus, the wooden bolts that fixed the rails to the reinforced concrete ‘sleepers’ have simply crumbled away.
In the video below, you can virtually travel along the entire Line 1 (Budapest Keleti – Hegyeshalom) in 4K resolution:
Read also:
Orbán meets former Austrian chancellor charged with perjury
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks with former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz at his office in Budapest on Monday, the prime minister’s press chief said.
Orbán and Kurz discussed bilateral relations and possibilities for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war, MTI reported.
They also discussed topical issues in European public life and the political representation of national and Christian values, particularly with regard to next year’s European Parliament elections.
According to Euractiv, former conservative Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been charged with perjury following allegations that he may have been lying to a parliamentary investigation panel.
Orbán in agreement with Kurz:
In the picture, “Hungarian-Austrian summit” is written, despite the fact that Kurz is no longer the chancellor of Austria.
Austrian-Hungarian border closed: ombudsman intervenes
The ombudsman for fundamental rights has asked his Austrian counterpart to find a solution acceptable to both Hungarians and Austrians concerning the use of a road linking Ágfalva and Schattendorf (Somfalva).
Ákos Kozma has written to Gaby Schwarz, the head of the Austrian ombudsman’s office, his office said on Tuesday. This was in reaction to Hungarian citizens having contacted him about the closure of the road connecting the two villages, Kozma said in a statement.
They complained that the local council of Austria had initially blocked vehicle use on the road built with European Union co-financing in the morning and evening hours, preventing Hungarians travelling to Austria for work by car. Since March 1, the road has been fully blocked for vehicles, the statement said.
Read also:
- New clashes expected with Austria because the government would like to oust foreign companies from Hungary in a specific sector. Read more HERE
Since July 1, the Schattendorf local council again allows the use of the road but only on the basis of individual requests, against a fee, it added. The restrictions on Hungarians citizens’ use of the road may constitute a breach of the right to free movement of persons and labour, a fundamental EU right, so Kozma has asked Schwarz if her office had examined the measures introduced by Schattendorf. If no such examination has been started, the Hungarian ombudsman will ask his Austrian counterpart to launch one, the statement said.
Hungarian public transport companies ensure you get home smoothly after Sziget Festival
The relevant statement was shared by the MÁV-Volán Group, the Hungarian company responsible for public train and bus traffic.
The statement published on mavcsoport.hu says that both branches expect an increased traffic load in the next two days after the closing day of Europe’s largest pop festival, Budapest’s Sziget. Therefore, they will add more carriages to the Eurocity trains commuting between Budapest and Vienna. Furthermore, Citadella Intercity to Ljubljana will also operate with additional carriages.
If it’s necessitated, MÁV also promised to launch KISS trains between Budapest and Hegyeshalom, Hungary’s main border crossing to Austria. Said trains will depart from Keleti Railway Station with a scheduled stop at Kelenföld Station. Moreover, MÁV will employ more staff to provide information to festivalgoers travelling home from Budapest.
Read also:
- Sziget Festival in trouble: government office investigation over LGBTQ video
- VIDEO: Government will shut down Sziget Festival due to LGBTQ propaganda?
Train, bus, suburban railway, HÉV takes you home after Sziget
Meanwhile, MÁV-HÉV will also increase its capacities in Budapest to help people leave the venue of the festival, the Hajógyári Island. Trains will leave every ten minutes towards downtown, even at nighttime. In the direction of Szentendre, that will be 60 minutes since traffic will be considerably lower. Furthermore, the HÉV security crew will do its utmost best to help passengers navigate through Budapest’s transport network. The modified schedule will remain in effect until 2pm today. You may use HÉV trains in the direction of downtown with your Sziget CityPASS by Budapest Card. You can also plan your journey with the BudapestGO app. However, if you’re heading towards Szentendre, you have to purchase additional tickets on the MÁV app or in the ticket offices of MÁV-Start and BKK.
Travellers aiming towards Austria might want to consider other options than Railjets too, since this high-speed rail service operates with limited number of seats. MÁV recommends intercity trains to Szombathely and Sopron as well as the suburban S10 train.
Government ousts foreign companies in this sector in Hungary
G7, a Hungarian economy news website, said the Hungarian government found its autumn enemy in the business world. From September, the Orbán administration will take further steps against foreign building material manufacturing companies. The aim is to force them to leave Hungary.
According to G7, that is why the Orbán administration introduced two years ago the so-called mining royalty and extended it this year. In May, they gave the state pre-emption rights for several building materials. Finally, in July, they fined several foreign players in the sector with a carbon-dioxide quota tax.
Hvg.hu wrote that a new bill is in the pipeline, which would give pre-emption rights to the state for not only some building materials but also the companies producing them. Based on the legislation plan of the construction and transport ministry, they will start negotiations about the draft in October. However, the parliament will probably not accept the bill this year.
The draft does not contain it but the government expressed multiple times that they aim to make dominant German and Austrian companies in the construction material production sector leave Hungary. The long-term goal is to carry out construction projects with Hungarian building materials, with the contribution of Hungarian companies. Thus, the profit would be generated for Hungarians. But even János Lázár, the minister responsible for the area, did not mention the Hungarian workforce.
We wrote HERE about the government’s ambitious plans to ease employing hundreds of thousands of guest workers because too many Hungarians work in Austria, Germany, or the United Kingdom and with such low salaries, there is no chance to convince them to come home. Probably that is why Wizz Air is expanding Eastwards and launches regular flight to e.g. Central Asian metropolises.
Foreign companies are already making losses
Mr Lázár said they would like to help Hungarian companies gain market advantage and buy up their foreign competitors. German press also wrote about the Hungarian government’s intentions. In April, Der Spiegel wrote the era of cooperation between the Orbán government and the German companies was over (you can read about it HERE). They quoted a Christian democratic politician, Günther Krichbaum, as saying that the Orbán government tries to reach its goals using mafia methods. First, the administration introduces rules making losses for foreign companies. Then government-close oligarchs appear and make an offer you cannot resist.
The paper mentioned two examples. One is the Duna-Dráva Cement Ltd (owners: Heidelberg Materials and Schwenk Zement), and the other is the E.ON. The owners of the former said they were ready for the fight in a hostile environment. However, the Hungarian government has strong cards in the game, and they utilised some already:
- From July 2021, companies purchasing for higher prices than the government determined must pay a so-called extra mining royalty taking away 90 percent of their “extra” profit.
- In February, they extended that scheme to brick, ceramics and tile manufacturers.
- In May, the Orbán cabinet introduced pre-emption rights for the state concerning 15 products. Thus, foreign companies cannot export them and can get the price difference in court.
- In July, the government introduced a retroactive CO2 quota tax most foreign companies must pay.
As a result, the profit of the foreign companies began to fall quickly, most companies made even losses. G7 even shared a telling chart about that process. For example, Zalakerámia (in Austrian ownership) already talks about sending away some of its employees.
Interestingly, one of the results is that production has been falling since January. But the government is committed to winning the so-called “cement war”, and expects fierce attacks from Austria and Germany.