Russia

Russia’s influence growing in Hungary?

PM Orbán and Putin Russian gas

Opposition LMP considers “Russia’s growing influence” in Hungary to be “increasingly risky”, and has made proposals for Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, Örs Tetlák, a member of the party’s board, said on Friday.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Tetlák said that since 2010, Hungary had become one of the most important European allies of Putin’s Russia. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the government has even strengthened those ties, rather than loosening them, he insisted. Tetlák slammed ruling Fidesz for “vetoing sanctions on KGB agents”, destroyed cooperation with other countries of the Visegrád partnership, and supports Putin’s war by buying expensive and risky Russian energy.

He said Russian influence had reached such proportions that when the operation of the International Investment Bank was threatened, another covert organisation appeared immediately. Russian oligarchs also consider Hungary a safe place, Tetlák added. They set up companies here, with some of them barely concealing a Russian secret service connection. Yet, the government will not order an investigation, instead, it vetoes EU support for Ukraine “in a kind of cheap political blackmail”.

LMP proposes that the foreign minister should request from President Katalin Novák the documents that she received from the Polish president on how other countries have replaced Russian energy with alternative sources.

Suspicious: Intelligence links found in four Russian companies operating in Hungary

ruble russia

In the wake of the war in Ukraine, there has been a notable increase in Russian business activities within Hungary. While many companies aim to safeguard their assets, an investigation by Szabad Európa has revealed connections between several companies and intelligence services/political circles.

The newspaper’s findings indicate that as of March this year, Hungary was home to a total of 674 Russian-owned companies.  97 of them have been established after the Ukrainian conflict broke out. According to Alexey Morozov, managing director of Starimpex Hungary Ltd, the most significant change observed is the increased desire of individuals from Russia to relocate to the European Union, Telex reports.

Hungary as best choice

Previously, Hungary was not a preferred destination for Russian businessmen, although they did invest in properties. However, the current scenario is different. Those arriving from Russia are fully committed to settling down within Hungary. Notably, they aim to dissociate from the ongoing political situation as most of them strongly oppose the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

Furthermore, the paper received insights from a source within the start-up sector. They highlighted the growing challenges of managing business finances from Russia. Some Russian banks impose strict limitations on international transfers, with certain banks even prohibiting them altogether. This situation underscores the increasing necessity for establishing EU-based companies.

Spy links

Szabad Európa shed light on an intriguing company called ITK System. This enterprise holds a license from the Russian secret service and specialises in developing IT encryptions. Notably, the individual who owns the company seemingly has connections to the secret service.

The newspaper also reported on IRIAS Hungary, a mysterious “research institute” suspected of lobbying for involvement in the construction of Hungary’s second nuclear power plant, Paks II.

Additionally, DGK Navigation Ltd, a Hungarian company engaged in drone development, caught attention due to its owner’s dubious activities in both Hungary and Russia. The owner’s other enterprise, Gyronav, focuses on manufacturing precision gyroscopes and navigation systems vital for drone operations.

In April, the International Investment Bank, also known as the spy bank, withdrew from Hungary. Furthermore, the bank’s three executives found themselves on the US sanctions list. A comprehensive investigation by Direkt36 explored how the head of the Russian bank in Budapest attempted to protect his offshore billions before the imposition of sanctions.

Hungarian government to remove special taxes in 2024

The government is planning to remove the “extra tax burdens” on the banking sector, the finance minister told an annual meeting of the Hungarian Banking Association on Friday.

Mihály Varga praised Hungary’s banks as “performing well in a worsening international environment”. The economy could not operate without a suitable banking sector, while banks could not be profitable without a well-performing economy, either, he added. Hungary’s high employment rate indicates that the economy could stand the test of war times, he said, adding that the goal was to maintain the economy’s activity in future.

Concerning banking, he said that the sector’s capital adequacy ratio was twice as high as the required minimum, while the loan/deposit ratio was also better than the European Union average.

The government has considered the windfall profit tax as a temporary measure and will remove it as earlier pledged. He added, however, that “full consolidation” of the economy still required bank financing. He also asked banks for their partnership in working out a solution for phasing out the special taxes.

Varga said the government expected a “higher growth” next year, with average inflation of 6 percent and deficit below 3 percent.

Referring to Ukraine’s blacklisting Hungary’s OTP Bank as a supporter of Russia, Varga said the government was standing by Hungary’s banks, adding that OTP had not violated any international rules and had “clearly refuted Ukraine’s false arguments”. “We will do everything to make Ukraine withdraw its groundless and unacceptable measure,” he said.

Banking Association head Radovan Jelasity said the sector was stable, but added that banking taxes were “disproportionately high”. “These burdens hinder operations and force the sector to take non-market reactions”. The sector needs more market, higher predictability, and an early removal of the extra taxes, he said. The association expects minimum growth this year and is working to avoid recession; the extra taxes are posing an “increasing problem” because clients will leave and seek foreign banks, he added.

The government can continue relying on Hungary’s banks; they will continue working “to benefit the Hungarian economy”, Jelasity said.

Energy pipeline between Hungary and Ukraine breaks down

electric power transmission line

On Thursday, a power transmission line between Hungary and Ukraine broke down, according to the Ukrainian Energy Ministry.

In a post published on Telegram, the ministry said that the electricity grid had been hit in the previous night’s bombings on 18 May. This resulted in more than 20 municipalities without power. As they wrote, the Russians struck more than 20 settlements across the country, including power grid facilities, which were damaged, Index reports.

In the meantime, a pipeline linking Hungary and Ukraine has also been shut down.

The post said that it was later discovered that the pipeline had been damaged on the Hungarian side and that repairs were underway. The exact location and nature of the damage was not mentioned, so it is not known whether it was a malfunction or whether it was deliberate.

Read more about the tense situation between Hungary and Ukraine HERE, HERE and HERE.

Featured image: illustration

Hungarian EU Commissioner: Whoever wants to be an EU ally should not go to Russia

lavrov_szijjártó_foreign_minister_moscow

Olivér Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Policy, said on Wednesday that “the allies of the European Union do not visit Russia”. Of course, this was not meant for Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was meant for Milorad Dodik, leader of Republika Srpska.

Allies of the EU do not go to Russia…

Olivér Várhelyi warned on Wednesday that “the allies of the European Union do not visit Russia.” Várhelyi was referring to the fact that Milorad Dodik, the leader of Republika Srpska, has announced that he will travel to Moscow next week to discuss economic cooperation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Reuters reports.

“We need Bosnia-Herzegovina to be our ally,” Várhelyi said at a press conference in Sarajevo. In response to a journalist’s question, he said, “our allies are not going to Russia, that is my message. Those who want to be our allies should not go to Russia.”

…except when it’s us

As Telex writes, Várhelyi’s statement may come as a surprise in light of the fact that it is the members of the Hungarian government who have visited Russia several times since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war. Among the EU ministers, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has been to Moscow particularly often in the past year.

Bosnia and Herzegovina applied to join the EU in 2016 and was granted candidate status in December last year. The application followed concerns that the Russian-Ukrainian war could destabilise the Balkan region.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts to join the EU

Várhelyi participated in a high-level political forum in Sarajevo. There, he outlined the steps Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to take to join the EU. The Hungarian Commissioner praised the swift formation of the new Bosnian government after the general elections last October and the speedy budget preparation, Telex writes. Várhelyi also said that he welcomed the commitment of stakeholders to implement the reforms agreed when Bosnia and Herzegovina was granted candidate status and that Bosnia and Herzegovina “shows a very clear commitment as a European ally”.

Von der Leyen: Ukraine should stop oil deliveries to Hungary – UPDATE: EC: fake news

Europan Commission Ursula von der Leyen

News portal index.hu reported an account that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had proposed to Ukraine that it “stops oil deliveries to Hungary” through the Druzhba pipeline.

Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has stopped direct negotiations with Ukraine’s Ukrtransnafta, alleging that the company had “blackmailed” its Hungarian partner, Index said on Wednesday.

Citing leaked documents of phone taps by the US secret service, Index said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in February that the Druzhba pipeline, a crucial element of Hungarian energy supplies, should be “blown up”, because the country was “pro-Russia“.

A cabinet member, asking not to be named, told Index after the article was published that the government was “outraged” by the words attributed to Zelensky. The cabinet member added the fact that Hungarian OTP Bank was now also on a list of sanctions “makes matters worse”, adding that Hungary has blocked the use of the EU’s peace funds as a result.

The pipeline delivers 8 million tonnes of Russian oil to Hungary every year. Stopping deliveries would deal a serious blow to the country, Index said.

Ukrtransnafta CEO Volodymyr Tsependa on Monday sent a letter to MOL, saying that Ukraine found Hungarian steps to stem the glut of Ukrainian grain into the country too harsh.

According to Index, Tsependa also said they had received “a message from Ursula van der Leyen and others suggesting that crude deliveries to Hungary should be halted if this is how Hungarians approach things.” Tsependa added that he was ready to negotiate.

The article said that MOL saw this as blackmail and it would not negotiate directly with the Ukrainian company.

“There is no direct information on whether Ursula von der Leyen or others have really sent such a message to Ukrtransnafta; it is much more likely that the letter to MOL was sent on the instruction of domestic political actors,” Index said.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has been steadily increasing its transit fee for Russian oil to Hungary, it added.

MOL turned to Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Tuesday and briefed him about the letter. Ukraine’s ambassador to Budapest has also been contacted, Index said.

European Commission: This is entirely fake news

“This is a fake news. President von der Leyen has never been in contact with the CEO mentioned in the articles and has never proposed any action on the Druzhba pipeline to anyone.” This is what the European Commission’s delegation in Hungary told Telex in response to the question whether Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had indeed advised the Ukrainians to stop the Druzhba pipeline to Hungary.

President von der Leyen’s own press office sent an almost verbatim response: “President von der Leyen has never made such a recommendation on the pipeline and has never been in contact with anyone on this issue.”

Harsh criticism from Ukraine: Orbán is being dragged by the Kremlin

PM Orbán and Putin Russian gas

Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov said in a podcast that ” according to the logic of Viktor Orbán, who is being dragged by the Kremlin, the EU is financing the war in Ukraine.” He believes Orbán has been reprimanded by the Kremlin, perhaps personally by Putin.

“According to the logic of Viktor Orbán, who is being dragged by the Kremlin, the EU is financing the war in Ukraine”, Index quotes Oleh Zhdanov’s comments during a podcast of the Ukrainian military expert.

Oleh Zhdanov was presumably reacting to an earlier comment by PM Orbán. Speaking on Kossuth Radio in mid-April, the PM said that Ukraine does not exist financially (read our article about it HERE). He added that the running of the country at war is financed by European citizens, including Hungarians.

“Viktor Orbán did not back down from voting for the 11th package of sanctions against Russia, and got a reprimand from the Kremlin, perhaps personally by Vladimir Putin,” the portal quotes Zhdanov as saying.

“The Hungarian Prime Minister’s logic is: the EU is helping Ukraine in the war, therefore the EU is financing the war. But sanctions against Russia, which is attacking Ukraine, are wrong because they are damaging the Hungarian economy,” Zhdanov added.

US intelligence leaks: Zelenskyy planned to sabotage Hungarian industry

Zelensky Orban

New details have been released about the US intelligence leak that occurred a few weeks ago. The US intelligence service seems to have eavesdropped on several of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s private conversations. One of the recordings mentioned the sabotage against an oil pipeline that delivers crucial resources to Hungary.

The fresh leaks talk about numerous of the Ukrainian president’s plans, which could intensify the conflict even further. For instance, Zelenskyy was recorded saying that the Ukrainian army should occupy Russian towns along the border. This move would aim to increase his country’s leverage in the war. He also suggested using long-range missile systems to attack military targets within Russia’s borders, writes Világgazdaság.

Pipeline sabotage

According to the leaks, in a February meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko, the Ukrainian president suggested blowing up the Druzhba pipeline that runs through the territory of Ukraine and supplies Hungary with much-needed oil imported from Russia. His reasoning behind this drastic measure was that this would “ruin the industry of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán”.

According to the notes of the intelligence officers, however, this was just a sudden impulsive thought and not an elaborate plan. At this time Zelenskyy has been dealing with a year of constant war and was indignant at Hungary’s behaviour regarding the conflict. This is the reason why he was caught contemplating such dramatic measures. Ultimately, it was deemed a personal note made out of anger, not an action he actually planned on committing.

Possible implications

If Ukraine did sabotage the pipeline, that would have drastic consequences not only for the country’s relations with the West and NATO but also for the economy of Hungary. So far Zelenskyy and his government have enjoyed widespread support from the overwhelming majority of Western states. If he was to start implementing decisions that could negatively affect members of the NATO alliance, this could easily change. The last time a similar event happened was in September 2022, when unknown perpetrators blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.

The consequences of such an attack would be disastrous for the Hungarian industry and economy as well. Eight million tonnes of Russian oil flows through the Druzhba every year from Russia to Hungary. If this abruptly came to a stop, that would bring an end to one of the country’s most significant energy supply routes. The pipeline’s capacities would be near impossible to replace in the short term, which would cause the industry of the country to come crashing down.

Russians owe billions and a Budapest palace to Hungary: will they return them?

PM Orbán and Putin Russian gas

The Russian-led International Investment Bank (IIB) received HUF 74 billion (EUR 200 million) from the Hungarian government as capital when Budapest joined the institution. Furthermore, it was given the Chain Bridge Palace to serve as headquarters. The 3,200 sqm palace is one of Budapest’s most expensive building located at the Zero Kilometre Stone. Its value is around HUF 6-7 billion (EUR 16.2 – 18.9 million). But will the Russians give the money and the palace back?

The government takes it lightly

Hungary decided to leave the International Investment Bank in April, following American threats and NATO pressure as well as the travel ban of the bank’s Hungarian vice-chairman, Imre Laszlóczki. Szabad Európa wrote that more sanctions can be introduced against multiple Hungarians thanks to a new US law.

After Hungary announced its decision, the bank said it would cease operations in Hungary. However, it owes a huge sum to Hungary, Blikk wrote. In addition, they have to leave the Budapest palace. IIB told the Hungarian tabloid that they aimed to establish contact with the government concerning the two issues but they have received no reply. The minister in charge said they have given a verbale notice to the bank.

Zoltán Vajda, a Socalists MP, asked Márton Nagy, Hungary’s Economic Development Minister, about the bank’s plan regarding the Chain Bridge Palace. Mr Nagy replied that “it belongs to them, and they can sell it to whomever they want”. The building is one of the most expensive in the capital at the Buda bridgehead of the illustrious Chain Bridge. Below you can see a photo:

The bank cannot sell the palace

The Hungarian state theoritically has the option to purchase the palace. Since IIB is in financial trouble, they may sell it back to Hungary. Mr Vajda said Fidesz politicians did not mention the Hungarian state’s purchase option. The economic development minister said the bank might sell the building to whomever they want, but that is untrue. Vajda hopes nobody will take it below the price.

Blikk asked the government whether Hungary has the chance to reobtain the invested capital from the bank (approximately 200 million euros). Furthermore, they also inquired whether the government intends to repurchase the palace. But they have not received answers. Vajda believes the administration should take the issue more seriously.

The IIB is leaving the Hungarian capital with the help of an international removal firm. The flags have already been removed from its facade. The replacement of the staff will be carried out soon. Concerning the Chain Bridge Palace, the bank said it was in their ownership, and the Directorate would make a decision later on.

They added there were no ongoing talks concerning any issues between the bank and the government because the administration did not establish contact with them. The USA and other Western powers have condemned the IIB and the Orbán cabinet’s decision to join the bank. Hungary granted immunity for the staff and many believe the bank helped Russian spies to work undercover.

Featured image: illustration

Hungary’s OTP Bank outraged that Ukraine listed it as international sponsor of war

Hungarian billionaire EU funds

In a statement on Friday, OTP Bank rejected the accusations of Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency (NAZK), which placed the Hungarian bank on its list of “international sponsors of war” on May 5.

OTP emphasised that it condemned all aggression against a sovereign country, including the one committed against Ukraine, and expressed its commitment to supporting Ukrainian citizens and the country’s economy. In addition to maintaining continuous service and lending activities, OTP has helped Ukraine with humanitarian aid worth a billion forints and provided long-term accommodation and care to hundreds of war refugees in Hungary.

In response to the Ukrainian anti-corruption agency’s argument that OTP Bank plays an important role in the Russian economy, the bank said that it had a market share of 0.17 percent in Russia. International banks and other companies with a significantly larger local presence were not included on the NAZK list, which in itself questions the credibility of the decision, OTP notes in the statement.

OTP Bank also dismissed the accusation that it conducted activities in the occupied territories of Ukraine, and said that it operates in full compliance with local and international legislation in all its markets, including sanction regulations. Accordingly, it duly and immediately terminated all its activities in the occupied territories in 2014.

As regards the accusation that OTP Bank provides “preferential loans” to members of the Russian armed forces, OTP emphasised that the Russian Federation stipulates to all financial service providers in a law that those participating in the “special military operation” must be exempt from loan repayment and interest payments until December 31, 2023. After that date, repayment will continue. OTP Bank does not provide new loans to members of the armed forces either under preferential terms or in any other way, the bank said. In response to the Ukrainian argument that OTP Bank recognised the “people’s republics of Luhansk and Donetsk”, OTP stated that — in line with the position of the European Union and Hungary — it never recognised the independence of these areas in any form.

Hungarian government wants to protect president who deported Ukrainian children from sanctions

Rustam Minnikhanov

In the latest round of sanctions, the European Union would sanction 71 individuals who actively support Russia’s war against Ukraine. But Hungary would remove three people from the list. One of them is a man who helped deport Ukrainian children.

Newest Sanctions

In the latest round of sanctions, the European Union would sanction 71 individuals who actively support Russia’s war against Ukraine, as proposed by High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. Hungary would, however, remove three people from the list, according to independent sources, Szabad Európa reported.

The three persons whose sanctioning Hungary would not allow are as follows:

Russian Deputy Minister for Defence

Deputy Minister of Defence Tatiana Viktorovna Shevtsova is responsible for the budget and financial activities of the Russian Ministry of Defence. This means that she decides on the salaries of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine and the financing of the war. This is Josep Borrell’s justification for sanctioning her. The United Kingdom, Canada and Australia have already put Shevtsova on the sanctions list.

Head of Belarusian Railways

Vladimir Mikhailovich Morozov is the head of the Belarusian Railways. The company provides the link between Russia and Belarus, and as such is helping Russian war logistics, says the reason for the sanctions. Canada already has Morozov on its sanctions list.

President deporting Ukrainian children

Rustam Nurgaliyevich Minnikhanov is the president of Tatarstan, one of the Russian republics. In his role, he facilitates the illegal and forced deportation of Ukrainian children to camps in Tatarstan, including the Miras camp in the Zelenodolsky District. This is a violation of the rights of Ukrainian children and of Ukrainian law, the High Commissioner said in his statement. Minnikhanov was previously placed on the US sanctions list.

Not the first time not agreeing with sanctions

Similar attempts have been made by the Hungarian government in the past. Last summer, there was a furore when, in the face of a Hungarian veto, the EU finally refused to put Patriarch Kirill, a staunch supporter of Putin and war, on the sanctions list.

The government has also tried to get several Russian oligarchs removed from the EU sanctions list. However, these attempts have failed.

MEP Gyöngyösi: It’s time for a Zeitenwende! – VIDEO

gyöngyösi

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In a debate with Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, MEP Márton Gyöngyösi (Non-attached) recalled the one-time success of the West German Ostpolitik vis-a-vis Russia and the socialist bloc. Yet, according to the Hungarian MEP, now it is time to change, and as Mr. Scholz has already declared the famous Zeitenwende concerning Russia, a new approach is necessary towards politicians, like the Hungarian Prime Minister, who disrupt the EU from the inside.

 

Disclaimer: the sole liability for the opinions stated rests with the author(s). These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Parliament.

Hungarian extremist politician makes outrageous statement about Ukraine on banned Russian TV

Dóra Dúró

Dóra Dúró, vice-president of the Hungarian party Mi Hazánk, gave a controversial interview to the Russia Today TV channel, in which she stated that Ukraine must give up territories for peace.

Anti-Ukrainian statements

Dúró’s interview with Russia Today, which is banned in the European Union, can also be viewed on the official Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) YouTube channel. The Hungarian politician reiterated her statement to the Russian newspaper Izvestia that Ukraine’s accession to NATO without the risk of a full-scale conflict can only be achieved if Russia approves the move.

Now she has made even more head-scratching statements. According to Dúró, “Ukraine must give up its territory for the sake of peace, and Europe must not subordinate its own interests to those of the United States.”

Ukraine responds

Dóra Dúró’s words have sparked outrage in Ukraine. For instance, Oleh Nikolenko, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, reacted by exclaiming that Ukraine has the sovereign right to freely choose its security options.

Olena Kondratyuk, Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament, stressed that Ukraine does not need Russia’s permission to join NATO. “And I would like to remind Dóra Dúró, who made this statement, that Europe is a place where borders and sovereignty are respected,” index.hu quotes her as saying.

Dóra Dúró’s name also appeared on the website of Ukraine’s enemies. The database, called Mirotvorec, is also referred to as a death list.

Russian tourists completely disappeared from Hungary

Russians visa Hungary

Since the outbreak of the war, the number of Russian tourists in Budapest has decreased significantly. According to the Association of Hungarian Tour Guides, Russians can only come to Hungary with a transfer due to the sanctions, so the journey is much longer and more expensive.

Russian tourists do not come to Hungary anymore

At the beginning of 2022, the number of hotel guest nights of Russian tourists in Budapest reached the pre-covid level. By the beginning of this year, however, it had decreased to barely a tenth of the previous year. According to the data of the National Tourist Information Center, this is the trend throughout the country.

A particularly large decline can be observed at Lake Balaton. Compared to 2019, the number of Russian guest nights at Lake Balaton decreased to one-twentieth. Russian tourists are also missing from Hévíz, where they used to make up a significant part of the guests. There, they are trying to replace the missing Russians from other countries.

Why have the Russian guests disappeared?

The loss of guests is very noticeable, since the Russian guests spent 10-12 nights with us in Hévíz, and they are well-spending guests, so they used the services, not only in their accommodation, hotels, private accommodations, but also outside the city, Gábor Papp, the mayor of Hévíz, told RTL.

According to the Association of Hungarian Tour Guides, fewer people are coming due to the difficulty of air transport. Last February, the EU banned all Russian airlines and private planes from its airspace.”The direct flight between Budapest and Moscow has stopped, you can only get here by taking very long detours. Recently, tourists mainly come to us from Buaku and Istanbul, but they can also come via Dubai, Belgrade and Astana,” explained tour guide Júlia Sarlai, one of the leaders of the Association of Hungarian Tour Guides.

The situation is similar in whole Europe

Because of the transfers, the flight was not only longer, but also much more expensive. According to Júlia Sarlai, the situation is similar to that in Hungary throughout Europe: the number of Russian tourists has decreased by 90-95 percent. According to the Hungarian Tourism Agency, with the outbreak of the Ukrainian-Russian war, the decrease in Russian visitor traffic can be felt especially in the spa towns.

MEP Gyöngyösi: Time to focus on Sudan

africa
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MEP Márton Gyöngyösi’s (Non-attached) thoughts via press release:

Sudan, one of the largest African countries has recently seen clashes breaking out between the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group created by former head of state Omar al-Bashir back in 2013, and the armed forces of the current president who also began his military career under al-Bashir.

 The tension between the parties is rooted in ethnic as well as generational conflicts. It is difficult to see the end of this confrontation, especially because Sudan lies in the focal point of geopolitical interests.

The region is characterized by a marked presence of Russia’s Wagner Group as well as the Chinese government, which already established strong positions and significant business interests in this African country.

If the intensifying clashes lead to an extended civil war, we will likely feel the effects of it here in Europe, too. If Sudan gets destabilized even more than it is now, the situation may cause yet another refugee crisis, especially if Moscow follows its usual agenda and uses the refugees to incite strife in Europe.

Although the European public is understandably focused on the Ukraine conflict at the moment, it is high time for the EU to take a more active role in shaping the future in Sudan, not just because Ursula von der Leyen promised a more active foreign policy and greater attention to African relations, but also because remaining passive in an increasingly polarizing world may easily lead to our continent’s downfall.

Disclaimer: the sole liability for the opinions stated rests with the author(s). These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Parliament.

Do Hungarians support the sanctions? The answer might be surprising

budapest people hungarians demographic

The majority of Hungarians reject the European Union’s current policy of sanctions, according to a fresh survey by the Szent István Institute commissioned by the NézÅ‘pont Institute.

Fully 54 percent of the survey’s respondents completely disagreed and 17 percent somewhat disagreed with the European Union‘s response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, its sanctions and weapons deliveries. Meanwhile, 9 percent said they strongly agreed and 13 percent said they somewhat agreed with the EU’s responses.

In a breakdown of responses by age group, the Szent István Institute found that the economically active respondents in the 40-49 and 50-59 age brackets were the most strongly opposed to the EU’s responses to the aggression of Russia.

Altogether 35 percent of Budapest respondents rejected sanctions and weapons deliveries, compared with 55 percent of respondents based in other cities and 62 percent of those living in villages.

Meanwhile, the survey found that 51 percent of Budapest residents trusted that the EU was capable of protecting its citizens, compared with 43 percent of those living in other cities and 44 percent of those who live in villages.

In terms of age, trust in the EU was highest among 18-29-year-olds (56 percent) and lowest among 50-59-year-olds (37 percent). Altogether 11 percent of respondents did not or could not answer the question.

Fully 36 percent said they were completely or somewhat satisfied with the EU’s current leadership as against 54 percent who were dissatisfied, among whom 26 percent were completely dissatisfied. Altogether 10 percent of respondents did not or could not answer the question.

The survey also found that some 40 percent of Hungarians believe Christianity is vitally important to the future of Europe, while another 40 percent consider it somewhat or very important. Altogether 10 percent said Christianity was not at all important to the future of Europe, while 8 percent said it was of little importance.

The Szent István Institute conducted its representative survey on the occasion of Europe Day.

Hungarian man threatened to set fire to the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow

hungarian embassy in moscow

A Hungarian man threatened to set fire to the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow back in 2021. His reason was that he had not received the tourist visa for his girlfriend within a short time.

Hungarian citizen threatens to commit an act of terrorism in Moscow

In October 2022, the Budapest II and III District Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against a Hungarian citizen in his 30s, a resident of Budapest of Russian descent. On 31 March, the Metropolitan Court of Budapest sentenced the perpetrator to 1 year imprisonment, suspended for 4 years, for the crime of threatening to commit an act of terrorism. The court also granted him a preliminary discharge from court proceedings.

According to the verdict, the accused called the Embassy of Hungary in Moscow several times before 7 December 2021 to arrange a tourist visa for his girlfriend, Index reports. On 7 December 2021, he visited the embassy in person. He called again, and was informed that the visa application could be done online.

Threatening to blow up a car, set fire to the embassy

After hearing the answer, the accused splashed the petrol he had brought to the scene in front of the building. At 4 PM, he threatened two employees of the Hungarian embassy over the phone to blow up a car and set fire to the embassy building if his girlfriend did not receive her entry visa to Hungary within a very short time.

The prosecutor appealed against the judgment, requesting that the accused be sentenced to imprisonment and a ban on public office. The accused and his defence lawyer took note of the decision.

Fidesz cannot stop slamming the US Ambassador: will this ever end?

david pressman us ambassador

Fidesz asks US Ambassador David Pressman to accept that Hungarians remain pro-peace, the ruling party’s communications director said in a video message on Friday.

Fidesz’ request from the US Ambassador

“Inflation caused by the sanctions, migration, child protection — these are real problems that affect that lives of Hungarians, but according to US Ambassador David Pressman, these are only fake problems,” MTI reported István Hollik as saying. “He says that we should focus on the war in Ukraine instead.”

This is the position of the American left, which Fidesz refutes, Hollik said.

“Instead of the war, we want to continue focusing on peace … our position remains unchanged: no migration, no gender, no war,” he said.

Szijjártó slams Pressman for ‘war propaganda’

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Friday slammed David Pressman for “war propaganda”, saying that the US was trying to push Hungary into a war even though the country was part of a “global pro-peace majority”.

Szijjártó spoke at a press conference held jointly with Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, responding to a question on Pressman’s statement on Thursday, which said: “While we should be focusing on the hot war on our doorstep, others are focused elsewhere on fake ‘wars,’ on culture ‘wars’.”

Szijjártó said Pressman “gets an A+ in war propaganda”. “I would like to make it clear: an ambassador is an ambassador, not a governor,” he said.

“Ambassador Pressman said we should be concerned with war … this is also clear from their posters and statements … But we want nothing to do with that, we want to concern ourselves with peace rather than war. We want peace rather than war,” he said.

Regarding Hungary’s contract on gas deliveries with Russia, Szijjártó noted that Hungary had weathered “even the hardest energy crises” without having to introduce restrictions. Energy supplies have been and will remain uninterrupted, he said.

Energy prices in Hungary are expected to fall in the coming months, he said. “Due to the pricing formula, movements on the international market usually appear in Hungarian prices with a two-month delay,” he said, lambasting the opposition for “being awash with experts on natural gas these days”.

On changes to the contract on the upgrade of the Paks nuclear plant, he said there were no structural changes in the pipeline which would impact the contractor or the project company. The current amendments are “technical changes accelerating the investment. We expect the European Union to allow the modifications to go through as they are fully compliant with EU regulations,” he said.

Pro-war?

On the contrary, it is important to mention that the “pro-war” poster campaign highlights one thing and has but one message: it is clearly and deliberately sending “the Russians” home. Just like what Hungary tried to do in 1956. The thoughts that could consider this “pro-war” or something that wants to “drag Hungary into the war” are quite far-fetched, as they are quite literally stating the opposite.