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Jobbik MEP Gyöngyösi: Can corrupted Hungary escape EU judgement?

Laura Codruţa Kövesi Hungary European Public Prosecutor's Office

Remarks from Jobbik MEP Márton Gyöngyösi:

We witnessed a long-awaited event on 1st June: the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) finally began its operation to protect EU monies. One may say it was high time, but we wouldn’t be living in the European Union if there wasn’t yet another twist in the story: Member States were not required to join, and the Orbán government, which had built up a dictatorial regime through tapping into EU funds, refused to participate.

They could hardly have found a more suitable person than Romania’s former chief of anti-corruption prosecution office Laura Codruţa Kövesi to head the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), as she has already proved her capabilities beyond doubt. It must have taken a significant amount of courage for her to combat Romania’s most influential politicians in a sphere that is often euphemistically called “Byzantine” on account of the critically dangerous chains of corruption developing there. Not only did Kövesi combat the people who had caused serious damage to the Romanian state, but she put them behind bars, too, one after the other.

We might as well go as far as to say that if she could stand her ground so courageously in such an environment, the management of the EPPO will almost be like a walk in the park for her.

As a matter of fact, Luxembourg is certainly different from Bucharest, but the challenge is still big. In cooperation with the 22 participating countries, EPPO will have to investigate such crimes in member state territories as money laundering, corruption or tax fraud, provided that the cases affect EU funds. The total value of the cases is very high: according to the known data, such frauds were committed up to the amount of €460 million in 2019 alone, and the sum is expected to rise even higher as the EU’s recovery funds are allocated.

It’s a beautiful challenge but the devil, as usual in the European Union, lies in the details: EU member states were not required to join the EPPO, and five of them did indeed decide to stay out of it. Denmark and Ireland have an opt-out from the area of freedom, security and justice, while Sweden wants to wait until next year to join in the work of the prosecution office. We must note however, that none of these three countries are famous for corruption, and they are not the main net recipients of EU funds, either. It’s more interesting to look at the cases of Poland and Hungary: neither of these countries is planning to join the EPPO at all, but they receive huge sums from the EU.

As far as Poland is concerned, the reason for the rejection is likely political: although the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) has been widely criticized for its increasingly authoritarian methods over the years, its opposition with the EU bodies is mainly ideological. All-devouring corruption has not been reported in Poland.

In contrast, Hungary’s Orbán regime has been using increasingly blatant dictatorial measures to methodically eliminate its opposition and dismantle independent institutions. Despite the façade of battling Brussels over ideological issues, the truth is that Orbán has built up a fundamentally corrupt regime that he maintains by tapping into the very EU funds he is supposed to invest into the country’s development.

In today’s Hungary, corruption is not a system error, it’s the system itself.

Not only do Orbán’s favourite oligarchs and closest allies keep lining their already bulging pockets with the EU funds, but EU monies have become a sort of currency to pay off the provincial oligarchs who deliver the votes for Fidesz by intimidating and blackmailing the local people – in return, they are allowed to use their region’s development funds for their own purposes. No wonder Orbán doesn’t even consider joining the EPPO.

Of course, the official explanation is that Hungary’s prosecution service is completely sufficient to prevent fraudulent practices. However, if you have just a minimal insight into Hungary, you are well aware that Chief Prosecutor Péter Polt is a former Fidesz member and MP candidate, who is Orbán’s political appointee and therefore doesn’t have the slightest inclination to look into the affairs of his fellow party members. (This system is so much more ingenious than Poland’s model of replacing judges, because the cases dropped in the prosecution phase will never be seen by a judge, so it no longer matters who the judge is – which clearly shows how cunning Fidesz is.)

This way however, regardless how happy we are about Laura Codruţa Kövesi’s appointment and the EPPO in general, we rightfully feel dissatisfied since the biggest thief is allowed to escape justice.

Knowing the history of European integration, it’s easy to understand why it’s so hard to step up against the blatant corruption in Hungary. The EU was basically created on the grounds of its member states’ honesty and good faith. The founding fathers and the institutionalized EU bodies could hardly have expected any country to become a member for the sole purpose of sabotaging the organization politically and shaking it down financially.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what Viktor Orbán has been doing. No matter how hard it is, it’s time for us to think about how to stop the politicians like him before it gets too late.

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Read alsoJobbik MEP Gyöngyösi: What should Europe’s position be about Belarus?

Spying scandal – U.S. security agency really spied on top European officials?

Ursula von der Leyen

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has used a partnership with Denmark’s foreign intelligence unit to spy on senior officials of neighbouring countries, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to Danish state broadcaster DR.

The findings are the result of an internal investigation in the Danish Defence Intelligence Service from 2015 into NSA’s role in the partnership, DR said, citing nine unnamed sources with access to the investigation.

According to the investigation which covered 2012 and 2014, the NSA used Danish information cables to spy on senior officials in Sweden, Norway, France and Germany, including former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and former German opposition leader Peer Steinbrück.

Asked for comment on the DR report, a spokesperson for the German chancellery said it only became aware of the allegations when asked about them by journalists, and declined to comment further.

Denmark, a close ally of the United States, hosts several key landing stations for subsea internet cables to and from Sweden, Norway, Germany, Holland and the UK.

The internal investigation in the Danish Defence Intelligence Service was launched in 2014 following concerns about Edward Snowden’s leaks the previous year revealing how the NSA works, according to DR.

In Washington, the NSA did not immediately reply to a request for comment and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) declined to comment. A spokesperson for the Danish Defence Intelligence Service declined to comment.

“It is grotesque that friendly intelligence services are indeed intercepting and spying on top representatives of other countries,” Steinbrueck told German broadcaster ARD. “Politically I consider it a scandal.”

Sweden’s Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told Swedish SVT broadcaster that he “demanded full information on these things.” Norway’s Defence Minister Frank Bakke-Jensen told broadcaster NRK that “take the allegations seriously.”

A decision in August last year to suspend the head of the Danish Defence Intelligence Service and three other officials from their posts following criticism and accusations of serious wrongdoings from an independent board overseeing the unit, centered around the 2015 investigation, according to DR.

The Danish government said last year it would initiate an investigation into the case based on information from a whistleblower report. That investigation is expected to be concluded later this year.

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Only 33% of Hungarians believe that Hungary is a democracy

Poland Hungary democracy

According to a recent survey, only 33 per cent of Hungarians are satisfied with the level of democracy in the country.

The survey looked at people’s perceptions of democracy in 53 countries, involving about 50,000 people. The survey was commissioned by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, writes 444.hu.

One of the key findings of the poll is that democracy remains popular.

At the same time, controlling the coronavirus pandemic was less effective in democratic countries than in less democratic countries. At the start of the pandemic, during the spring of 2020, roughly 70 per cent of the participants were satisfied with their government’s epidemiological measures in both democratic and less democratic countries. This satisfaction decreased in both measured groups; however, in countries with weaker democracies, it decreased by only 5 per cent. Only 51 per cent of those living in democracies were satisfied with the epidemiological measures taken by their government in 2021. There is also a big difference among continents, as

45 per cent of Europeans and 75 per cent of Asians are satisfied with the epidemiological activities of their government.

The poll asked which great power people fear threaten democracy in their own country. It may be surprising that respondents consider the United States to be the greatest threat to their country’s democracy (44%). The US is followed by China (38%) and Russia (28%). The operation of tech companies (48%) poses a greater threat to democracy than any of the three great powers.

An interesting contradiction is that 81 per cent of respondents think democracy is important, but just over half of the participants think that democracy works in their country. The most satisfied countries are Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, and China. In these countries, 71 per cent of respondents think that the democratic functioning of their government is adequate.

Hungary, Poland, and Russia are at the other end of the satisfaction list.

In these countries, only 33 per cent of respondents believe that their country is operating democratically. At the bottom of the list are also Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela. Despite the fact that Gergely Gulyás declared that “Hungary is a model democracy”, his  statement does not seem to be matching Hungarian citizens’ opinion.

Tourism to restart? Here are the details of next year’s Wizz Air flights

travel, sight, trip malta

Soon, you will be able to book tickets for the summer of 2022 as well.

Airlines are gearing up for the revival of tourism: we have already written about British Airways’ return to Budapest, Ryanair’s announcement of 4 new routes from the Hungarian capital, and Air France’s summer schedule, including 14 flights per week from Budapest to Paris. Wizz Air is not an exception: they are planning to operate at 60-80% capacity this summer but could ramp it up to 100%, if necessary, said chief executive József Váradi at a conference which we covered in this article.

Wizz Air might not have announced any new routes from Hungary for 2021, but they have thought of those who are itching to book a flight but cannot (or do not want to) travel this year.

As vg.hu writes, Wizz Air has recently published their 2022 summer schedule. In their press release, they highlight that those travelling from Hungary to Greece or vice versa will have an easy time: the airline will offer flights from Budapest to 9 Greek destinations in total, including Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and the new addition, Chania in Crete. (Greece could also become even more popular among Hungarian travellers as they have announced that they will accept all types of vaccinations.) Flights to and from Portugal and Malta are also included in the schedule, while those who would prefer to discover Northern Europe will get to choose between Stockholm, Malmö, Göteborg, and Reykjavík. The Icelandic capital will be connected to Budapest by two flights every week.

According to travelo.hu, tickets for next summer’s flights will be available from 22 May, except for Wizz Discount Club members, who already have access to them. In their press release, Wizz Air also said that

they will place great emphasis on protecting the health of their passengers and crew by using an effective in-flight air circulation system

in addition to the compulsory safety measures and on-board protocol. Despite the financial difficulties of the past year, they wish to provide an opportunity for everyone to travel at an affordable price.

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Read alsoWhere to travel with the Hungarian immunity certificate?

Swedish-Hungarian economic, defence cooperation thriving, says Minister Szijjártó

linde szijjártó

Hungarian-Swedish cooperation has been especially successful in the economy and defence sectors, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday, after talks with his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde.

Szijjártó told a subsequent press conference that trade between the two states surpassed 2 billion euros last year, and is showing a 32 percent growth in 2021. The 225 Swedish companies operating in Hungary employ some 15,000 people, and invest more and more into research and development, he added.

During the coronavirus pandemic, five Swedish companies invested some 7 billion forints (EUR 19.2m) and preserved 4,300 jobs in Hungary, while participating in the government’s economy protection action plan, Szijjártó said.

As both countries are members of the European Union and Sweden developed close cooperation with NATO, “it is not an exaggeration to call that country an ally of Hungary,” he said.

Regarding defence cooperation, Szijjártó noted that

Hungary was using Gripen aircraft for its own air defence and to aid the Baltic states and Slovenia.

Meanwhile, 23 Swedish troops are serving in an international cargo unit in Hungary, he added.

Linde’s visit is the first by a Swedish foreign minister to Hungary in nine years, Szijjártó noted. Bilateral talks are especially important since the two governments see certain issues differently, he said.

Sweden is currently giving the presidency of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and Hungary will take over that of the Council of Europe (CoE) next month, Szijjártó said. The two positions will be especially important “at a time when tensions are growing between the East and the West,” he said.

The Hungarian CoE presidency will focus on the protection of national minorities,

he said. Hungary supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity but will not accept infringements to Hungarian minorities’ rights during the fights in the eastern parts of the country, he said, and expressed hope that the OSCE will strive to ensure international rights.

Linde underlined the importance of open dialogue which enabled the two politicians to discuss issues such as the rule of law, and the state of human rights and gender policy in Hungary.

She noted

the 100th anniversary of Hungarian-Swedish diplomatic relations last year.

Linde praised strong business and defence ties between the two countries.

She said that both the OSCE and the CoE were “vital” in preserving Europe’s security and welfare, adding that the Treaty on Open Skies, which enables the joint unarmed aerial surveillance of its members, should remain in force.

Linde said that the talks had also touched on issues regarding migration, climate change and the EU’s enlargement policy.

Linde is scheduled to meet representatives of civil organisations later in the day.

“It is no secret” that the Swedish government sees certain issues differently from Hungary’s, she said.

Ericsson in EUR 8.3m expansion of R and D hub

ericsson

Ericsson Magyarország is implementing a 3 billion forint (EUR 8.3m) expansion of its R and D hub in Budapest using a 600 million forint non-refundable government grant, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday.

The Swedish telecoms giant’s development involving cloud-based multimedia systems will create 200 jobs, he told a press conference. As a result, Hungarian engineers and IT experts will leave their mark on the global development of the IT and telecoms industry, he added.

Ericsson has been present at every first step taken in the history of Hungarian telecommunications, Szijjártó said. One of the company’s globally important R and D hubs is in Budapest, employing over 2,000 people, he added.

He also noted that Ericsson already operates 85 5G networks around the world and will soon start the initial phases of 6G network development.

Some 80 percent of the company’s revenues result from exported services, which shows that developments made in Budapest are internationally competitive, he added.

Hungary-Sweden bilateral trade increased by 32 percent in the first quarter of this year, with over 700 million euros worth of Swedish capital invested in Hungary, he said.

He also said that the strategic and structural transformation of Hungary’s higher education was under way, and some 1,500 billion forints will be spent on university development. Government spending on R and D is increasing an annual 25 percent this year, he added.

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Read alsoNokia to cut up to 10,000 jobs over next two years

IKEA owner sets aside 4 billion euros for green power projects

IKEA Hungary Budapest

Ingka Group, the owner of most IKEA stores, has earmarked 4 billion euros ($5 bln) to invest in wind and solar projects, and possibly also in energy storage, hydrogen fuel development and charging infrastructure.

Companies of all kinds are increasing their investment in a lower carbon future in response to investor pressure and as momentum builds ahead of the next round of U.N. climate talks to be hosted by Britain later this year.

Ingka, the main franchisee to brand owner Inter IKEA, has over the last decade spent 2.5 billion euros ($3.0 billion) on wind and solar power. It said in January its energy production exceeds the total used at stores and warehouses.

The earmarking of 4 billion euros “marks the next step towards 100% renewable energy across the value chain,” it said in a statement on Tuesday. It did not give a time span.

“The investments will focus on adding wind and solar projects in new countries, and the company will also consider new types of investments in areas such as energy storage, hydrogen fuel development and charging infrastructure,” it said.

IKEA aims to be climate positive – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than the entire IKEA value chain emits, from raw material production to customers’ disposal of their furniture – by 2030.

Inter IKEA has said the 2030 target translates into a cut of at least 15% from baseline year 2016 to 20.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. In the 12 months through September 2020 they totalled 21.2 million tonnes.

Measures to reach the target range from reducing carbon already emitted, such as through buying and sustainably managing forests, to supporting suppliers in switching to renewable energy.

Ingka, the world’s biggest furniture retailer, this month announced its first renewable energy investment in Russia, in solar parks with capacity to power all IKEA stores, and part of its shopping malls, in the country.

Rainbow Shopping Bag IKEA
Read alsoIKEA takes a stand (again) supporting the LGBTQ+ community in Hungary

The Association of Hungarians in Sweden supports diaspora Hungarians

Daily News Hungary

Árpád János Potápi, the state secretary for Hungarians across the border, on Saturday thanked the Association of Hungarians in Sweden (SMOSZ) for its support of diaspora Hungarians.

Addressing the organisation’s online leadership election congress, Potápi noted that SMOSZ had been helping coordinate the everyday lives of Sweden’s 35,000-strong Hungarian community since 1974. It is thanks to the association that Hungarians in Sweden have preserved their traditions, culture and language, and act as a bridge between Sweden and Hungary, and the Carpathian Basin as a whole, the state secretary said.

Potápi thanked SMOSZ chairman Szabolcs Bihari for the organisation’s decades-long work and support for Hungary whenever it was on the receiving end of “unfair attacks”.

“This past year, the pandemic has shown us that the truly strong Hungarian communities have persevered, and are now perhaps even stronger than they were before the pandemic,” Potápi said.

“It is important that they know that Hungary counts on all Hungarians and all Hungarians can count on us, too.”

Potápi noted that many of the state secretariat’s programmes have either had to be cancelled due to the pandemic or moved online, while some, like the Korosi Csoma Sandor Programme aimed at building ties between diaspora communities, have been delayed.

He called on those Sweden Hungarians who have not yet registered to vote in Hungary’s 2022 general election to do so by December.

Nokia to cut up to 10,000 jobs over next two years

building nokia

Nokia on Tuesday announced plans to cut up to 10,000 jobs within two years to trim costs and invest more in research capabilities, as the Finnish telecoms group seeks to step up its challenge to Sweden’s Ericsson and China’s Huawei.

After taking over the top job last year, Chief Executive Pekka Lundmark has been making changes to recover from product missteps under the company’s previous management that hurt its 5G ambitions and dragged on its shares.

He announced a new strategy in October, under which Nokia will have four business groups and said the company would “do whatever it takes” to take the lead in 5G, as it banks on also capturing share from Huawei.

Lundmark is expected to present his long-term strategy, discuss action plans and set financial targets during the company’s capital markets day on Thursday.

The company said in a statement it expects about 600 million euros ($715 million) to 700 million euros of restructuring and associated charges by 2023.

“Decisions that may have a potential impact on our employees are never taken lightly,” Lundmark said in a statement. “My priority is to ensure that everyone impacted is supported through this process.”

Nokia currently has 90,000 employees, and has cut thousands of jobs following its acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent in 2016.

It expects the current restructuring to lower its cost base by about 600 million euros by the end of 2023. Half of the savings are expected to be realised in 2021.

“These plans are global and likely to affect most countries,” a Nokia representative said.

“In Europe, we have only just informed local works councils and expect the consultation processes to start shortly, where applicable.”

France, where Nokia cut more than a thousand jobs last year, was excluded from the current restructuring.

The savings programme is bigger than expected but what is interesting is that it will not actually result in lower costs, said Sami Sarkamies, an analyst with Nordea.

“The company is shifting focus from general costs to research and development which is expected to result in growth and better margins in the future,” he said.

Nokia plans to increase investments in research and development and future capabilities including 5G, cloud and digital infrastructure.

Under Lundmark’s predecessor, Nokia had slashed its profit outlook and halted dividend payouts, after product missteps knocked more than a fifth off its market value.

In February Nokia forecast 2021 revenue to fall to between 20.6-21.8 billion euros ($25-26 billion) from 21.9 billion euros in 2020.

While both Nokia and Ericsson have been gaining more customers as more telecom operators start rolling out 5G networks, the Swedish company has got an edge partly due to it winning 5G radio contracts in China.

Nokia has not won any 5G radio contract in China and had also lost out to Samsung Electronics on a part of a contract to supply 5G equipment to Verizon.

Nokia shares were down marginally in morning trade.

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Hungarian woman escaped with her daughter from Sweden, now she is wanted!

Viktória got away from her life in Sweden and her violent Swedish husband to find safety for herself and her daughter. But now she is wanted for abduction.

Abuse among family members, whether committed by a man or a woman, is still a serious and very much unsolved issue. In Hungary, a study last year showed extremely surprising results concerning the issue, however, it can happen in any country, no matter how developed and safe it is. 

Viktória just wanted to start a new life with her daughter, so they moved back to Hungary from Sweden last year. She wanted to get as far away as possible from the father of her child, who has been convicted for abuse in his country several times. However, as Viktória left Sweden without the authorisation of the father and thus took away Szaffi from his dad,

the local authorities issued a European arrest warrant to capture her.

“I met my daughter’s father in 2012 in Sweden and we got married in March 2013. When we learnt we were going to have a baby, we were very happy. However, my happiness vanished when Samin slapped me in the face twice when I was 7 months into pregnancy” – said Viktória to blikk.hu.

After Szaffi was born, the incident happened again on several occasions, making the mother realise what kind of man her husband really is.

“She was only 10 months old when he beat me up so badly that I ran away with her and for 3 months we were hiding at an organisation protecting women.

I was alone with my baby, I could not work and I felt very guilty that because of me my child would grow up in a broken family. I was willing to work out my relationship with my husband.”

However, nothing has changed between the parents; the maltreatment did not stop.

“He pulled my hair, slapped me, bit my face and beat me up with a baking tin.”

In 2015, after another attack she had to endure from Samin, Viktória ran away again and got protected by the same organisation for one and a half years. Her husband was sentenced but only to conclude social work. Then in 2017, they got a divorce and Szaffi’s permanent address became that of her mother’s, with the condition to share custody with the father.

Then a year later came another shock came when child protection services called Viktória to tell her that Szaffi had witnessed her father beating up his Italian partner. For a while, Samin could only see her daughter under controlled circumstances.

“When they could meet a little more freely, I saw Samin being violent with her, too.

He threatened and pulled her several times which left marks on my little daughter’s body.

Samin also expected Szaffi to live according to the Muslim religion.” –  explained the mother.

Viktória returned to Hungary last summer with her daughter. Her ex-husband has been harassing her ever since, even her relatives in Sweden. To top it off, in his country Samin acquired complete custody over their daughter and as a consequence of taking Szaffi to Hungary away from her living environment,

a European arrest warrant was put out on Viktória for kidnapping her daughter.

Her lawyer, Dr József Molnár told Blikk that so far the father has not asked for the extradition of his daughter.

“If he does, we will start a lawsuit and prove why it would not be a good idea to give the little girl to her father. Our claims are strengthened by the fact that even though Sweden issued the European arrest warrant, the Hungarian authorities, after examining the situation, have not validated the warrant.” – added the lawyer.

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Read alsoHungarian government supports penal code amendment concerning child abuse

What inspired a Swedish brother and sister to produce wine in Hungary?

Villa Sandahl

The taste of the Rhine Riesling produced on the beautiful landscape of Badacsony is so heavenly that the special wine has been awarded several domestic prizes so far. But what is the secret of the divine flavour and what inspired a Swedish brother and sister to produce wine in Hungary?! Now, it all comes to light.

The four special Rieslings of Villa Sandahl are grown in the unique climate of the Rhine and Moselle areas, with its constantly humid and cool weather, which is not the first thing that comes to mind about the volcanic soil of Badacsony and its dry and warm weather. This region inspired the Swedish brother and sister, Christer and Thord Sandahl, who decided to spend their retirement years making special wines in a truly challenging climate.

As the Hungarian news portal Turizmus Online reports, all this happened in 2003, when the siblings hiked from Budapest to the landscape of Badacsony, visiting wineries, and after getting there, they decided that this was the place they were looking for. In 2004, they bought only 3 hectares of vineyards, which was continuously expanded until it reached its current size of 10 hectares. Today, the vineyard produces 10-15 bottles of wine a year. In the meantime, an excellent professional team was established, led by the Hungarian chief winemaker, Zsolt Palkó.

Within the framework of a virtual wine tour, the wine expert and his Swedish partners presented their most delicious wines.

Gourmands could choose among the following special Rieslings:

  • Rabbit Periscope Rhine Riesling – this mid-category wine among the four Rieslings has been chosen as the best at the Grand Prix awards in the category of dry white wines. The award-winning Riesling was harvested in 2017 and bottled soon after. According to Zsolt Palkó, this wine represents best the style of their winery, their unparalleled, unique Rhine Riesling line that can be given as a gift with confidence to anyone, without even knowing that person’s taste in wine. We can never go wrong with a Rabbit Periscope.
  • Rare Peak: a real top-ranked wine from 2019 that was created after an unforgettable October harvest.
  • Crystal Cut from 2017 is also a top-ranking Riesling, with a honey-sweet flavour and a 14.5% alcohol content, as a result of late harvest.
  • Oh Deer – the funny name speaks for itself, along with its label in which a deer falls from the depths on the road sign as a warning. The salty, yet slightly fresh Riesling was harvested in 2018.

Read also: Get to know the most famous wine of Lake Balaton and where you can taste it

The Swedish owner, Christer Sandahl, revealed that without national and international awards, it is difficult to successfully promote a small winery.

After the Rhine Rieslings won two prestigious Hungarian awards, the demand for their wines – produced with German technology –  increased significantly not only in their own webshop but also at Hungarian wine companies and sales points.

One of the prizes is the previously mentioned Grand Prix – considered to be the most prestigious award of Hungarian wines -, with which Hungarian wine experts rewarded their middle-class Rhine Riesling, and the other was the recently obtained Par Excellence Award of the Hungarian Sommelier Association. This award can be given to the Hungarian companies that produce wines at a consistently high level, thus contributing to the improvement of the quality of domestic beverage consumption and the development of the quality of Hungarian restaurant culture.

Villa Sandahl wine
Christer and Thord Sandahl. Photo: Villa Sandahl, Badacsony, Hungary

The goal of the Sandahl siblings is to make world-famous wines in their winery in Badacsony. According to the owners, thanks to the special Rhine Riesling grown and harvested in their vineyard, there is a good chance that this goal will be successfully achieved.

Read alsoAmazing success! Hungarian sparkling wine is now one of the best in the world

Soon: Scandinavian Film Festival in Budapest

scandinavian film festival

Between October 22-28th Budapest will host Scandivavian film festival. The program will feature award winning movies and documentaries from Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Art+ Cinema hosts the Scandinavian Film Festival for the seventh time now. As part of the festival, the finest Nordic films will be screened in two cinema halls at Art + Cinema (1074 Budapest, Erzsébet krt. 39.) for a week.

The program is enriched by pre-premiere screenings, feature films, documentaries, and meet and greets.

The Scandinavian Film Festival is supported by NKA, Danish Film Institute, Norwegian Film Institute, Swedish Film Institute, Swedish Institute, Skandináv Ház, Europa Cinemas.

?????? ?????: 900 HUF (Lugosi cinema hall), 600 HUF (Kertész cinema hall)

Tickets are available on the webisite, and in the Art+ Cinema.

Program of the festival

Hungarian and Swedish education compared

What is culture? It has many sides and meanings. One way to describe culture very well is to say that it’s everything that is not made by nature. There are huge differences between countries. Are there any cultural differences between Hungary and Sweden? These countries are neighbors and they are both parts of Europe, but still. Christmas is celebrated the same in some countries but does that mean that Sweden and Hungary are naming them alike?

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We believe that Christmas is the holiday which is considered to be one that many countries celebrate. To start talking with cultural differences, let’s discuss how these counties are enjoying their holidays. There are some quite big differences when it comes to how we celebrate our traditions. One thing that almost every country has is being in a circle of family and friends and having a good time.

Hungarian Education

Education is the most important part of our lives. Maybe not the most important because it’s different for everyone. Do people in Hungary see it as an important thing as Swedish people? Are there any big differences between these two countries?

Hungarian school is very strict. They have a turn rate of work with a lot of homework. They are ashamed if they are not prepared or forget their homework at home.

And if they are not good at learning, they don’t tell that to anyone. The students have big respect from their teachers and vice versa. After the teacher-student relationship and everyday routine of going to schools, if they need somewhere or go somewhere, the formal connection goes away and the friendly attitude is taking the place. They never say anything against the teacher just because they really respect and love them. The athletes are busy with fitness training and they are really having fun while doing that. They don’t have as many programs in a secondary school as schools in Sweden.

Common classes are mathematics, social science, science classes, and language classes. Swedish schools don’t provide lunches in school because children learning there either bring food from home or they live near the school. They have two breaks between spring and fall.

In Hungary, you start school at the age of six and graduate at around 18. They have four levels. These levels are:

  1. Pre-school
  2. Primary education
  3. Secondary school
  4. University or College

After the three first steps, one can choose to keep studying at a university or start working. Attending school is free of charge, but if you choose a private school then you need to pay for it.

Pre-school – is to prepare children from 3 to 6 to schooling and developing. It is the parents’ decision when they want to send their children in Preschool. The sixth-year should be attended by all children because it is the last year. They need to get ready for school.

Primary education – is mandatory for everyone between six and sixteen years old. At primary school, they are starting to get grades from 1 to 5, where 1 means failed and 5 is excellent. It’s really important to have good grades because they need them to move on in the next grades. Hungary doesn’t seem to have a problem with education since around 90% of pupils are passing all the exams and completing their 8-year primary education. If one fails, then they need to repeat school years.

Secondary school – is during 4-5 years and you have a chance to get qualifications for a certain job. 80% of all the pupils who attend secondary school continue to secondary education because it is like preparing to study further. Here you also are getting the examination as proof for studying further.

University and college – are two choices one makes if they want to study further. Until 1998 all who liked to learn needed to pay money for it, but as for now, it is free of charge to get a University or college degree. So, This is the country which gives the opportunity to enter deeply into your studies.

Youth

The education system in Swedish is well developed. That’s why many fields are so popular and well equipped here. People who are studying in Swedish are mostly very famous in their fields and some of them are even known worldwide. The fact that healthcare is largely tax-funded and their duties are very diverse, many people are choosing to work and become professionals in this sphere. These people also take care of people with physical disabilities or psychological disorders and they provide them with big support and love. The psychology faculty in Sweden is far more superior and focuses on a lot of different specific parts of it. One of the most specific ones is addiction studies, which usually focus on a person’s disposition to gamble a lot. And since the majority of Scandinavians are working in the gaming industry, they even have this particular degree.

So, there are even psychologists who are working with people who are dependent on online gaming or gambling.

According to a popular Norwegian gaming website named Norskecasino.casino – they and many other companies’ requirement is to hire a person with a degree in addiction studies.

Sweden really beats the rest of the world on healing people’s problems with dependencies. There are some online gambling web pages in Sweden and they are well regulated, but there are many online casinos where age limit and several vital details are not set correctly. Actually gambling is a problem in Hungary too. But both these countries are dealing with online casinos in very smart ways. There are fast measures and very little amount of people are really depending on casinos. For example, Sweden has behavioral tests for youth and people with gambling problems. If one will overline the limit, they really can get back to normal in a very short amount of time.

The differences

Hungarian school steps and Swedish school steps are almost the same. There are only a few differences – In Sweden,  preschools attend only one year. In Sweden, there are also a lot more choices when it comes to choosing the subject or profession. The biggest difference is the attitude between teachers and students. There is a more friendly relationship there then a formal one. The Hungarian schools start more seriously in earlier years than in Sweden schools. Physical education is also more fun in Sweden – It is a big time for school to play around and enjoy themselves. In Sweden, there is also a dining room where pupils are getting free food.

No Nobel Banquet in 2020 due to pandemic

Daily News Hungary

There will be no Nobel Banquet in Stockholm City Hall this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Swedish media reported on Tuesday.

The Nobel Foundation’s outgoing Executive Director Lars Heikensten was quoted by the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter as saying that the Nobel Prizes will be announced as usual in October, but the festivities in December will be severely limited as a result of the pandemic.

“The traditional banquet in Stockholm City Hall, which is normally broadcast live on SVT on December 10, will be canceled and the concert in the Concert Hall will probably be performed without an audience,” Heikensten told Dagens Nyheter.

Heikensten cited two main reasons why the banquet is canceled — it’s not workable to gather so many people crowded next to each other and the pandemic makes it uncertain whether laureates and others can travel to Sweden.

He added that the award ceremony would not be as usual either this year.

The Nobel Foundation has not yet decided how the award ceremony will be on Dec. 10, the report added.

Every year in October, the Nobel prizes are announced and in December, a series of activities are held with a climax on Dec. 10, the Nobel Day, when five Nobel Prizes (Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature and Economics) are awarded in the Concert Hall in Stockholm, followed by the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm City Hall.

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WOW! IKEA’s second life for furniture program is already available in Hungary!

ikea second life for furniture

From June 15, IKEA’s give the furniture a second life initiative is available even in Hungary. The program aims to provide an opportunity for the people to sell their second-hand but still safe and well-preserved furniture to the company. The first store where customers can turn in the issue is the one in Soroksár.

Based on what IKEA writes about the program on its website, they would like to offer their new service to those who would like to give a second chance to their furniture and extend their lifespan while contributing to the idea of ​​sustainable development at the same time.

How does this new system work?

Firstly, you have to send a description of the IKEA furniture, making sure that it is on the list of products they collect. Furthermore, you have to attach at least four photographs of the product and decide which IKEA store you can later bring the furniture – in this respect, in Hungary, you can only choose Soroksár yet. It is important to document all defects of the furniture 

Secondly, the company will propose a price after they decided that it is worth to buy. However,

their offer will only be around 30 pc of the original price.

Finally, if you agree you have to bring the assembled furniture into one of the department stores and they will resell it for the same price they bought. Moreover, those who return their furniture get a discount card of equal value for IKEA purchases.

According to portfolio.hu, to the buyer of the second-hand product, IKEA gives 1-year warranty except for the errors already known at the moment of the purchase. The Swedish company

buys only IKEA furniture

since they can only guarantee the safety of those products.

For now, they buy back furniture in the following categories:

  • sofas and couches
  • coffee tables
  • bookshelves and storage systems
  • home office furniture
  • chairs, tables, mirrors
  • children furniture
  • outdoor furniture
  • PAX wardrobe systems
  • big bedsteads

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the procedure was introduced in November 2017 and, so far, it has been functioning well. The stores there are about to sell 11 thousand pieces altogether.

COVID-19 deaths exceed 5,000 in Sweden as the country lifts travel restrictions

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The COVID-19 death toll has exceeded 5,000 in Sweden, according to statistics from the Swedish Public Health Agency on Wednesday.

With 102 new deaths reported in the past 24 hours, a total of 5,041 people have died of COVID-19 in Sweden, showed the statistics.

Meanwhile, coronavirus infections increased by 1,239 cases compared with the previous day, taking the country’s total to 54,562.

The number of people who were and are treated in intensive care in Sweden stands at 2,322.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced it would partially amend its international travel advisory at the end of June.

The ministry had previously advised against all non-essential international trips up until July 15, but on Wednesday announced new directives that mean the general travel advisory will be extended until Aug.31, with the exception of ten European countries, which Swedes will be free to travel to from June 30.

“There has been a positive development in Europe,”

Foreign Minister Ann Linde said at a news conference on Wednesday, adding that the ten countries for which the travel advisory will be lifted have also opened up for entry for Swedes and other EU nationals.

That means “insecurity factors for Swedes are minimized,” according to a ministry statement published on its website.

The ten countries are Belgium, Croatia, France, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.

While these countries have decided to open up for entry for Swedes, several others, including neighboring Denmark and Norway, have closed their borders to Swedes or required Swedes to self-isolate upon entry.

“The great insecurity regarding global travel remains,” the Foreign Ministry statement said. “Closed borders or significant restrictions on entering or leaving the country, quarantine rules and curfews are a continued reality in large parts of the world. Disruptions to international passenger travel remains.”

The travel advisory against non-essential travel, including recreational trips, does not constitute a legal ban on international travel.

Instead, it is up to each individual to decide for himself or herself whether or not to travel. However, it does mean some insurances will not be valid while abroad and that Sweden cannot guarantee access to consular assistance.

On June 13, the Swedish government changed recommendations for domestic travel, saying that citizens are allowed to move about freely around the country, as long as they are symptom-free. At Wednesday’s news conference, Linde stressed that the same recommendations for social distancing, regular handwashing and remaining indoors at the slightest sign of flu symptoms also apply when Swedes are abroad.

Finland to ease border controls with 6 countries, Sweden excluded

helsinki cathedral

Finland announced on Thursday that it would ease border controls with Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the three Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from next Monday. However, Finland still abstained from wider relaxation with the rest of the Schengen area, and neighbouring Sweden was exempted from the easing.

According to the government arrangement, Finland will relax entry controls in air transport and scheduled ferry services from the six listed countries from next Monday.

The decisions also mean that Finnish residents who have gone to those countries can return to Finland without having to take a 14-day quarantine.

Border controls for arrivals from Sweden would continue. Finnish Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo said at a press conference that the COVID-19 epidemic situation in Sweden does not make it possible to ease entry to Finland, though Finland keeps evaluating the situation in Sweden.

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In a move concerning the whole Schengen area, however, Finland will allow the entry of those residents of the Schengen countries who have property in Finland or have a relationship or date with someone in Finland. Ohisalo said that border guards will accept an oral statement from the visitors about the dating, no other proof is required.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said that Finland would appreciate reciprocity in these actions. He noted that the Baltic countries had already earlier opened their borders to Finns.

Haavisto said he was expecting decisions from Norway and Denmark shortly, but Finland had already done its part now.

Haavisto said people in Finland can go to other countries than the six, at their own risk, but would face the 14-day quarantine upon back-arrival. Asked specifically about Germany, Haavisto noted that Germany is a major transit country in European transport, and thus Finland at this phase was not able to ease travel from Germany.

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In domestic rules, the Finnish government announced that outdoor events for over 500 people would be allowed from the beginning of July. However, extraordinary measures would be required, such as spacing rules for those who stand in the open.

The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) on Thursday said the infection rate of COVID-19 in Finland has remained well under one despite relaxation of some restrictions, which means the easing has not produced an infection hike in the country so far.

Jussi Sane, a senior expert at THL, stressed at a press conference that the R-rate this week is 0.7-0.8 and it is yet too early to assess the impact of the reopening of restaurants in Finland from the beginning of June. He said it has been possible to trace down all recent infection cases, and there have been no undefined chains of infection recently.

Sane urged citizens to continue to pay attention to restrictions and personal behaviour, in order to protect themselves from the virus.

As the COVID-19 restrictive measures have been gradually eased in Finland, primary schools and lower secondary schools throughout the country reopened in mid-May, though summer holiday is coming. Restaurants and cafes throughout the country were allowed to reopen from June 1, with restrictions on opening hours and the number of customers indoors at one time.

Austria set to reopen to travel from 31 countries

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Austria will reopen to travel from 31 countries including Italy and Greece from June 16 after three months of massive travel restrictions, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg announced on Wednesday.

For 31 countries, entry restrictions should be lifted from Tuesday midnight, June 16, said Schallenberg at a press conference held here on Wednesday.

This will include all European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, with four major exceptions of Sweden, Britain, Spain and Portugal.

The minister noted that the border with Spain should open again on July 1, as Spain itself has announced that it will keep its borders closed until the end of June. Sweden, Britain and Portugal are exempt from the cancellation of travel restrictions until further notice.

The border with Italy will be fully opened.

However, a partial travel warning applies to the northern Italian region of Lombardy, which is “virologically necessary,” according to Health Minister Rudolf Anschober.

He praised Italy for containing the epidemic, saying

“This is not a matter to be taken for granted. This is the result of very hard work.”