Hungary’s interest lies in Romania having a stable government, the constant development of bilateral ties and the situation of ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania improving, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Facebook on Monday.
Szijjarto said the strong showing in the Romanian general election by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) had provided an “excellent basis” for the party again to be part of the government coalition in Bucharest.
He said experience had shown that it was easier for Hungary to work with a Romanian government that included RMDSZ. “It always made it easier to achieve results that are important to both countries and both nations,” he said. “We are prepared to work together this time as well, and we wish RMDSZ and the new Romanian government coalition much success,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, Szijjártó said Barna Tánczos and Attila Cseke, who will again serve as ministers in the new government, had rightfully earned recognition during their previous tenures as ministers, adding that Hungary was “confident that they will do an excellent job this time as well”.
Marcel Ciolacu, President of the PSD, was nominated as Prime Minister on Monday by Klaus Iohannis. The head of state said that the pro-European coalition had nominated Ciolcu as head of government, and he accepted.
The coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), RMDSZ and a faction of national minorities aims to regain the trust of citizens, Hunor Kelemen said on Monday after the parties’ representatives signed the political agreement.
“We are aware that we are in a deep political crisis. This is also a crisis of trust, and the aim of this coalition is to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people, because this is the most important thing, without which we cannot get out of the political crisis and implement the necessary reforms, from which all communities, all people will benefit. That is why we have entered into this coalition, and the RMDSZ has signed the agreement,” the President of the RMDSZ said.
He added that a very well-constructed and balanced 2025 budget should be adopted as soon as possible after the winter holidays and that the elections for the president of the state should be organised as soon as possible, preferably before Easter.
UNCHAIN Fintech Festival, the most prominent banking tech conference in Central and Eastern Europe, proudly announces its 4th edition, set to take place on June 19–20, 2025, in the well-established Fintech Fortress of Oradea (Nagyvárad), Romania. The event will continue to seamlessly merge business impact with an unmatched summer festival experience, delivering cutting-edge content and invaluable connections.
Building on three years of success, UNCHAINenters a new growth phase with strengthened international partnerships. The strategic partnerships with LOT Airlines, Oradea Municipality, and Visa will boost the festival’s direct flight connections across the CEE, enhancing its accessibility and impact, and making it a significant milestone for both UNCHAIN and the region.
“Strategic partnerships drive growth and are the cornerstone of innovation in fintech. Through trusted collaborations, we aim to cultivate an industry revolution over time. Our alliance with LOT Airlines, for example, simplifies travel for participants, offering direct flights connecting all CEE capitals via Warsaw, along with exclusive perks like business lounge access. Similarly, Visa’s continuous partnership with UNCHAINunderscores their trust in the event, providing their international experts with a premier platform for learning, discovery, and innovation and turning them into genuine fintech ambassadors. Such initiatives embody our commitment to growing UNCHAIN into a truly transformative event, a vision made possible by a reinforced team focused on achieving even greater impact in the years ahead,” said Alexandra Pollack, Founder & CEO of UNCHAIN.
Photo: FB/Unchain
A Thriving Network at the Core
The strength of UNCHAIN lies in the network it creates and fosters. To enhance this, the UNCHAIN team consolidates by welcoming David Pollack, an expert in international projects development & financial markets, as a permanent member and growth driver. This renewed team will focus on expanding the community of business and industry advisors, ensuring a comprehensive representation of the region’s diverse fintech landscape. Their mission remains steadfast: to unite the CEE fintech ecosystem, amplify its collective voice, and encourage business growth.
David Pollack, Head of Growth & International Development at UNCHAIN, remarked: “Next year marks a strategic leap for UNCHAIN. We’re cementing the event’s foundation with robust partnerships but also with an elite advisory network that spans all major CEE markets. I am excited about the influx of financial institutions, regulators, innovators, and startups who will enrich the event through their knowledge, ideas, and collaboration.”
UNCHAIN’s Role in Regional Fintech
As the benchmark for fintech and financial services events in the CEE, UNCHAIN is dedicated to driving regional innovation through cooperation, resource access, and elite networking.
Alexandru Chira, Director General at Visit Oradea, stated: “The success of the UNCHAIN Fintech Festival highlights not only the remarkable potential of Central and Eastern Europe’s fintech ecosystem but also the importance of public sector involvement in driving innovation and collaboration. Events like this provide the economy with access to essential networking opportunities and relevant industry insights, fostering growth and development. Oradea is proud to play a pivotal role in creating the infrastructure necessary to support and nurture initiatives like UNCHAIN. Visit Oradea will continue working alongside the festival’s extraordinary project team to bring together regional leaders from fintech, regulators, banks, startups, and academia. We remain committed to contribute to their vision of fostering a collaborative spirit that will resonate across Europe.”
Photo: FB/UNCHAIN
2025 Agenda Highlights
The upcoming edition boasts an expanded agenda, with more enhanced targeting of content. The main stage will transform into a general assembly focused on policy and public sector topics, while the sub-stages will further deliver exceptional quality content.
Digital Banking, with focus on the rise of neobanking and how AI implementations shape the financial ecosystem;
Payments, with focus on Cross-Border and P2P (Peer-to-Peer) models;
Regulation & Compliance, Security being the main topic of discussion in nowadays’s changing digital landscape.
All this will be matched by a lively expo & networking area, enhancing visibility and improving connectivity for the partners
The organizers expect over 120 global speakers from 40 countries, with insights on emerging trends, plus participation from 700+ delegates and 350+ companies. With 70% representation from the financial sector, UNCHAIN is the definitive platform for impactful fintech dialogue.
Bankers, fintech creators and enthusiasts that want to meet global leaders, discover innovative solutions, and expand their network should seize the opportunity to join the most dynamic fintech event in the CEE. Immediate registrations will benefit from the Super Early Bird Offer — 750 EUR, meaning an exclusive 40% discount until January 31st.
See you all at this summer’s UNCHAIN Fintech Festival on June 19-20, 2025, for unforgettable moments.
An exhibition dubbed Timisoara 1989, commemorating the anniversary of Romania’s democratic revolution, opened at the Hungarian National Museum on Wednesday.
Speaking at the exhibition’s opening, János Nagy, the leading state secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, said that 35 years ago Romania’s freedom “started from a small parish” in Timisoara (Temesvár). He said László Tőkés and the Timisoara rebels had become “examples of courage and heroism”. “In 1989 two peoples, two nations, fought for freedom and central Europe together,” Nagy said.
The exhibition, which features 21 photography tableaux, 90 contemporary photo reproductions and enlargements of 12 contemporary documents, runs until Jan 15.
Every Hungarian vote in Sunday’s general election is needed following the first round of the Romanian presidential election, as achievements could otherwise be jeopardised, Zsolt Semjén, the deputy prime minister, said in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) on Wednesday.
Hungarians, he said, “should get out to vote” whatever the case rather than weighing up the Romanian political palette in the first place.
If the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) were not present in the Romanian parliament, Hungarians in Transylvania and Hungarian-Romanian relations would have to contend with “unforeseeable and tragic consequences”, he told journalists after addressing the inauguration of the renovated headquarters of the Kriza Janos Ethnographic Society.
RMDSZ leader Hunor Kelemen said a high turnout was expected in Sunday’s elections, which is why it was so important to mobilise Hungarian voters.
A parish house built with support from the Hungarian government was inaugurated by the Eusebius of Esztergom Roman Catholic Parish in Targu Secuiesc (Kézdivásárhely), Romania, on Saturday.
The Hungarian government provided 135 million forints (EUR 330,000) for the investment which was also supported by the county and municipal governments, local companies and parishioners.
Photo: FB/Miklós Soltész
Speaking at the inauguration, Miklós Soltész, the state secretary for religious affairs, said the Hungarian government partnered with churches to build and renovate places of worship, schools and parish houses for parishioners and future generations, preserving and passing on the faith.
Photo: FB/Miklós Soltész
Photo: FB/Miklós Soltész
Photo: FB/Miklós Soltész
Photo: FB/Miklós Soltész
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No issue is more important in Europe today than demography, Speaker of Parliament László Kövér said in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár), in north-western Romania, on Friday, adding that the key question was whether Hungarians, Romanians and Europeans in general could populate the continent.
Kövér told the opening worship service of the festive synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Romania that while the question of who had arrived first in Transylvania was a “constant debate between Hungarians and Romanians”, the most important question was “who will survive on this land”.
The answer to this question, he said, would be provided by demography. The speaker said ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania were loyal to both the state of Romania and the Hungarian nation, and thereby strengthened ethnic peace in Romania and regional political stability.
Speaker Kövér’s address in Kolozsvár. Photo: MTI
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“Mango, let’s give credit where it’s due!“, La Blouse Roumaine wrote in an Instagram post after it became obvious that the Spanish (Catalan) fast fashion brand used a complex folk embroidery pattern developed by the Hungarian community living in the Kalotaszeg region.
“The stunning embroidery featured on your jacket is rooted in the rich traditions of the Hungarian community from the ethnographic region of Ţara Călatei – Kalotaszeg, in Transylvania, Romania. While you’ve noted the jacket is “designed in Barcelona” and “Made in China,” the cultural origin of this intricate design deserves recognition”, La Blouse Roumaine wrote.
“Írásos” is a unique embroidery of Kalotaszeg. The wide stitch, like a cord, draws lively lines, forming decorative patterns such as tulips and roses, leaves and birds.
“Traditional art should be appreciated and credited, especially when it comes from living communities that have preserved these beautiful techniques for generations. We hope you can celebrate the heritage of Kalotaszeg /Țara Călatei by giving credit to this unique cultural treasure!”, they concluded.
Kalotaszeg embroidery. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Kalotaszeg is a region in Romania’s western parts inhabited by a solid Hungarian majority. Its unique embroidery, folk dances, and folk music are part of the cultural heritage of the Hungarians.
We wrote more about the traditional Hungarian folk costumes in THISarticle. Want to read about the folk dances around Kalotaszeg? Click HERE.
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Hungary’s government bears responsibility for the fate of Hungarian communities beyond the border, Balázs Hankó, the minister of culture and innovation, said on Saturday in Odorheiu Secuiesc (Székelyudvarhely), where he inaugurated a new building of a Reformed Church school.
Its aim is to foster the survival and development of these communities and nurture the intellectual and spiritual unity of the nation, he said.
Balázs Hankó, Minister of Culture and Innovation, speaks at the opening ceremony of the joint academic year of the Transylvanian and Partium Reformed Colleges in the downtown Reformed Church of Odorheiu Secuiesc on 21 September 2024. Photo: MTI/Kiss Gábor
At the opening of the school year of the Romanian Reformed schools in the city of Szekler Land (Székelyföld), Hankósaid Hungarians in the motherland and beyond were part of a nation “that has stood proudly in central Europe for more than a thousand years”.
The nation parts were linked by “a common history and culture”, and they would also “build the future together”. Kelemen Hunor, the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), also attended the ceremony.
The CSWWC is the most professional, focused and selective competition for all serious-minded, quality-conscious Champagne and Sparkling Wine producers. Therefore, it is a great honour for the 4+1 Hungarian wineries to have won gold and silver medals with several products in the 2024 world championships. The +1 stands for a Hungarian winery in Romania’s Transylvania region, a territory populated by more than a million indigenous Hungarians.
Puskás, Rubic’s cube, Hungarian wine
If a foreigner were to name some typical Hungarian things, one would probably say Puskás, the footballer, the Rubik’s cube, or the ballpoint pen. But sooner than later, you will find the Tokaj or Balaton wine regions on that list since Hungary’s sparkling wine products are increasingly acknowledged worldwide.
Thus, it may not be surprising that 4+1 Hungarian wineries won gold and silver medals in the world’s most prestigious wine contest, the CSWWC, short for “Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships”.
The judges. Photo: CSWWC
Of course, Hungary could not precede countries like France, Italy or Spain, dominating the contest in terms of the number of their entries, the diversity of entries and medals won. But we preceded India and China, the world’s two most populous countries, and Portugal, a traditional winemaking great power.
Hungarian winery from Romania exceptional
Furthermore, from Romania, only a Hungarian winery could win medals. The Carassia Sparkling Winery (Kárásztelek, Szilágy County, Transylvania), bagged four gold medals on this year’s CSWWC. You may check out the details of the winning products by scrolling down in the long chart of the winners HERE.
Located in the Crișana Region (Körösvidék in Hungarian), which is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in Transylvania, the Carassia Sparkling Winerycovers a 22-hectare south-faced territory. It was planted in 2011, sits on clay-rich soil, and was built from the ground up for sparkling winemaking, and it is managed from pruning to harvest accordingly.
The products. Photo: CSWWC
“The grape varieties have been chosen based on the terroir and the mission of the winery, that is, to produce high-quality sparkling wines with traditional methods. The Pinot Noir is the flagship variety (10 ha), the backbone of our sparkling wines. It adds depth, complexity and body to the sparkling wines in blends, fruitiness for rosé sparkling, and it is mirroring the terroir as petillant and still red wine, as well. The indigenous feteasca regalia (Royal Maiden) used for petillant wines and Rhein Riesling for crispy still wine are also part of our 22-hectare vineyard”, they wrote on the winery’s official website.
Hungarian wineries on the top
From Hungary, the Sauska Winery won only gold, bagging two with their Sauska NV Brut Magnum and Sauska NV Brut. The Sauska 2017 Furmint Brut took home a silver medal. The winery is located a few kilometres from Mád and is part of the Tokaj Wine Region. We wrote about their new, ultramodern winery in THISarticle. Read about what you should know about Sauska products HERE.
The new, ultramodern winery. Photo: Sauska/FB
Three more Hungarian wineries returned from the London championships with silver medals. The Hungaria won two silvers (Hungaria NV Grande Cuvée Brut and Hungaria NV Sauvignon Blanc & Zenit Brut Limited Edition). The Kreinbacher Estate bagged silvers for their Kreinbacher Birtok 2019 Extra Brut Magnum and Kreinbacher Birtok 2017 Égoïste Magnum. The latter covers 60 hectares of the slopes of the sole volcanic hill of Somló. “In addition to the main Somló grape varieties such as Juhfark, Furmint, Olaszrizling and Hárslevelű, Syrah and Chardonnay were also planted, which also found their home here”, they wroteon their website.
Unforgettable experience
While Kreinbacher’s history started in 2002, Hungaria Sparkling Wine is the fruit of over 60 years of compassionate professionalism and daring experimentation. “This product is distinguished from other sparkling wines by its ability of continuous renewal. Sparkling wines produced under the auspices of the brand established in 1955 have always been of exceptional quality, which is guaranteed by the accumulated professional knowledge and skills of the brand owner Törley Group”, they write on their website.
Finally, the Szentpéteri Winery won two silvers with their Szentpéteri Borpince 2020 Chardonnay Methode Traditionelle and Szentpéteri Borpince 2021 Methode Traditionelle Sparkling Wine. The winery is close to Kiskőrös, covers 65 hectares and is proud of an experience gained by three generations. “We aim to make varietal, premium wines while providing value for money and to make thrilling, special wines for our customers. Besides these we wish to contribute to the reputation of the Kunsági wine area and to provide an unforgettable experience for our visitors”, they stated on their website.
The 14th Hungarian Days cultural festival will be held in Brasov, in Transylvania between 15 and 22 September featuring 50 programmes, the organisers said.
Hungarian Days festival starts tomorrow
The largest cultural festival of ethnic Hungarians in the region’s south will open with a mass on Sunday morning to be followed by an opening gala presenting as guest of honour, the István Pál Szalonna and Band folk music group.
The world-renowned 100-member Gypsy Orchestra will give a concert on 21 September on the main stage set up at the city’s central square.
The festival’s schedule includes public interest programmes such as a scientific conference and roundtable discussion focusing on the 800 years of the Transylvanian Saxons’ autonomy and privileges granted to them by King Andrew II. Other events include podium discussions about Hungarian-Turkish ties and the situation of print media.
The festival will also screen Lajos Koltai’s film Semmelweis, Hungary’s submission for consideration for nomination for an Academy Award in the best international film category this year.
Other programmes include a makers’ market, wine-tasting, folk dance workshops for children, a guided city tour and a veteran and retro car show.
Thanks to the financial support of the European Union, a 19th-century Hungarian castle will be reborn in Transylvania, Romania. Romania’s EU funds have not been frozen due to rule of law concerns, while Hungary has been struggling for years to get its EUR billions from Brussels, albeit without significant success.
The Teleki Castle of Komlód is in an awful state with a dangerous roof and tilted walls. But help is on its way. Thanks to EUR 4 billion from EU non-refundable funds, the castle will be renovated by 2028 and open to the public as an exciting cultural centre.
According to Magyar Építők, the castle of the Teleki Family in Transylvania’s Bistrița-Năsăud (Beszterce-Naszód) County was built in Baroque style. Emil Radu Moldovan, the head of the Council of Bistrița-Năsăud County, wrote on his official Facebook page that he had signed the relevant agreement with an EU agency. The renovation’s deadline is 2028.
The Hungarian castle almost collapsed
The Teleki Castle of Komlód is an outstanding example of the Transylvanian Baroque style. However, its state has deteriorated in the past few decades. Therefore, in 2020, the county’s general council started an emergency preservation to protect it from collapsing. A protective ceiling defends the unroofed building from rain and further devastation.
Source: FB/Emil Radu Moldovan
Its revamp has been included in the county’s development strategy for a while and has been among the general council’s priorities. However, they could only acquire EU money for the project this year.
After the restoration, they plan to create a cultural centre in the building and beautify the area around it, as well.
The historic Wesselényi family built the castle
The original castle was built by István Wesselényi and his wife, Polixénia Daniel, in 1756 in Baroque style. Sadly, István died only one year after they finished the building. The coat-of-arms of the Wesselényi and Daniel families above the entrance is the masterpiece of Anton Schuchbauer. The well-known sculptor from Kolozsvár (Cluj Napoca) finished the relief in 1786. The one-storey castle has 14 rooms and an 8,000 sqm inside garden. It also has an immense cellar.
Source: FB/Emil Radu Moldovan
In the 19th century, the castle switched hands and became the property of another historic Hungarian family in Transylvania, the Teleki family. The family even “gave” a prime minister to Hungary, Pál Teleki, who served between 1920-21 and 1938-41 as head of the Hungarian government. Following the Hungarian attack against Yugoslavia to liberate local Hungarians and reconquer Hungarian territories lost after WWI, Teleki committed suicide.
Communist Romania nationalised the castle after WWII. Afterwards, offices and a grain store operated inside. After the fall of Communism in 1989-1990, its ownership passed to the county council. They tried to sell it in 2015 for EUR 110 thousand but could not find a buyer.
Source: FB/Emil Radu Moldovan
Source: FB/Emil Radu Moldovan
In 2016, experts gave only years until the final collapse of the castle building. Its roof collapsed before, and there were talks about static problems.
Hopefully, the renewed castle will welcome visitors from 2028.
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The last three and a half decades have seen a “revolution of national cohesion”, the head of parliament’s foreign affairs committee said at the Tranzit Festival in Tihany, at Lake Balaton, on Friday.
“Revolution of national cohesion” in Hungary
At a panel discussion on the unification of the nation following the transition to democracy, Zsolt Németh said Hungarian politics had “questioned the status quo that essentially said it was impossible to build any sort of political, economic or cultural structure on national cohesion and a unified Hungarian nation”.
He said one important step in this had been the establishment of the Hungarian Permanent Conference (MÁÉRT) during the first government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Afterwards, he added, there had been “countless political, economic, educational, church and civil structures built on this sense of national cohesion”.
“That’s why we can consider the last 35 years a revolution of national cohesion,” Németh said, underscoring the need to “find the opportunities with which we can continue on this path”.
Peace, economic stability, prosperity needed
Miklós Panyi, state secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, said that the favourable international environment and external circumstances also contributed to enabling Hungary’s policy for ethnic minorities. “It offered a path” that provided an opportunity in bilateral relations to incorporate such issues as minority protection and local ethnic Hungarian community affairs, he added.
Panyi said peace, economic stability, prosperity and good bilateral relations will be needed in the future, as well as strong local ethnic Hungarian representation and a strong motherland that can maintain a strong support system in ethnic minority policy.
Head of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians Bálint Pásztor said certain initiatives in Hungary’s policy for ethnic minorities had originated from Vojvodina Hungarians, citing the demand for dual citizenship as an example.
Árpád Antal, a senior politician of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania and the mayor of Sfantu Gheorghe (Sepsiszentgyörgy) said the developments since 2010 successfully strengthened Transylvanian Hungarians’ self-confidence and added that demographic indicators have also been favourable.
The Hungarian government will provide 560 million forints (EUR 1.4m) for the refurbishment of another property belonging to the Hungarian Sapientia University of Transylvania, Culture Minister Balázs Hankó said in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár), in north-western Romania, on Friday.
The building, a historical monument in the centre of Cluj, will serve as a accommodation for guest professors and will host specialised courses after renovation, the minister said.
“Our mission is to ensure that Hungarian youth in the Carpathian Basin can acquire competitive skills and preserve their Hungarian identity at the same time,” Hanko told a press conference at the building.
Photo: MTI
The single-storey building was purchased by the Sapientia Foundation from a grant provided by the Hungarian government in 2021.
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Joe Jonas is known for his famous role in the iconic American pop band, the Jonas Brothers, being at the peak of fame in the late 2000s. But how can he appear in a Transylvanian soldier photo dating back to the darkest days of the world’s history, World War I?
Joe Jonas, a time-traveller?
Is Joe Jonas, the eldest of the Jonas brothers a time-traveller? Not likely. But he showed up in a soldier photo displayed in a Transylvanian museum, which left some visitors baffled. As far as we know, neither of the three siblings has ever been to Hungary or Transylvania, so it cannot happen that such a costume photo was made of him with proper techniques.
Here is the photo. Click HERE for a virtual tour. Photo: PrtScr/Virtual Tour of the exhibition
One of the visitors to the exhibition was able to detect the American pop icon in one of the photos made of k.u.k soldiers, a short form of Imperial and Royal Army. He shared his experience with 444.hu, and the Hungarian news outlet asked the organisers.
444.hu asked Tamás Sárándi, the exhibition’s curator. He said the WWI photo is original. However, the original snapshot was small, and some faces were unrecognisable. Since they wanted to serve the public’s expectations concerning huge, spectacular soldier photos, they enlarged the original image. But if they only did so, the quality would have been disappointing.
Software substituted the original Hungarian soldier’s face with the oldest Jonas
Therefore, they allowed a photo editor programme to correct shaded and unrecognisable parts, 444.hu wrote.
A reader of 444.hu said such programmes try to find a similar face in their huge databank to correct the original. Some features of the Hungarian soldier were probably resembling Joe Jonas. Therefore, the programme chose the American icon to substitute the shady, blurred or damaged parts of the soldier’s face. And that is how Joe Jonas ‘was reborn’ in the WWI photo. In such processes, it is not rare that the result is another man’s face.
Sárándi said most of their visitors realise that the soldier photos have been “revamped” with modern techniques to make every detail enjoyable. But it happened for the first time that somebody could recognise a living person in the soldier photos.
Check out Joe Jonas’s TikTok channel HERE. Many say it is worth it because of the funny content he regularly uploads.
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TIME magazine has curated a list of the best places to visit in the world, and this year, an astonishing Transylvanian trail is among the top choices for tourists to explore.
TIME’s list
Lelépő reports that every year, TIME magazine compiles a list of the world’s best destinations, distinguishing between top hotels, unique accommodations and noteworthy places to visit. This year, the list includes a Transylvanian trail, Via Transilvanica, among other notable sites. Topping the ranking is Maui Cultural Lands in Hawaii, followed by the Kamba Rainforest in the Republic of Congo, the Pearling Path in Bahrain, the A EV Network in Western Australia, and Aviva Studios in Manchester.
About the Transylvanian trail
The 1,400-kilometre Transylvanian trail, known as Via Transilvanica, opened in 2022 and stretches across Transylvania from northeast to southwest. Traversing seven historical-geographical regions, including Bukovina, Szeklerland, and what used to be part of the Kingdom of Hungary, the trail showcases cultural monuments from every era.
Source: Wikimedia Commons / T.seppelt
The route can be explored on foot, horseback, or by bicycle, and features granite milestones carved by both amateur and renowned stone carvers. Each milestone reflects local motifs, with notable designs like tulips in Szeklerland. The trail’s construction was a collaborative effort involving over ten thousand volunteers from four hundred settlements across ten counties.
Pro-peace forces will sooner or later become the majority in Europe, Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, told a panel discussion at the Bálványos Summer University in Baile Tusnad, in central Romania. “Time is on their side,” he said.
He told a roundtable discussion on party politics that the Ukrainian decision to impose limitations on the amount of crude to be delivered through the country by Russian-owned Lukoil was linked to “the peace mission and Hungary’s stance on the war”.
“In just two weeks we managed to make waves causing serious problems in the entire pro-war force field. There is now an alternative strategy, represented by Hungary, and to be tabled at the meeting of European heads of state and government. This is a historic situation, and Hungary has a historic responsibility to do whatever it can for peace,” Orbán said.
The majority of Europeans want peace, European policy must change
Regarding Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “peace mission”, LMP group leader Máté Kanász-Nagy said his party was pro-peace. At the same time, he said he had not seen “concrete results” of the peace mission: “I’m not sure it has brought peace closer.”
László György Lukács of Jobbik– Conservatives said the party had always stood up for “a fair peace”. “If that is the substance of the peace mission, Jobbik will support it.”
Lőrinc Nacsa of the junior ruling Christian Democrats (KDNP) slammed Jobbik, saying that Márton Gyöngyösi, the party’s leader until two weeks ago, had “voted for 17 pro-war decisions in the European Parliament”.
Source: Facebook/Nacsa Lőrinc
Orbánsaid peace was conditional on restoring communication channels. “How do they want peace if they refuse to speak with one of the [warring] parties?” The policies of the past 2.5 years “are a dead end”, he said.
He added that the Ukrainian leadership of the western Transcarpathia region of the country would be open to cooperating with Hungary, “but Kyiv is waging war; they want to beat the Russians. Due to its pro-peace stance, Kyiv politicians have identified Hungary as a political opponent,” he said.
Central Europe now has a party family in the EU
On the matter of the “quarantining” of the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament, Lukács said no groups should be quarantined “for their role on a political side or its opinions”. “Lots of people have voted for those forces, and what happened is not right,” he said.
Orbán said that, similarly to the boycott of the EU Council meetings during Hungary’s presidency, the step was “revenge — insignificant, petty revenge”. The European People’s Party is now “as much in lockstep with the leftist mainstream as for example the Greens are,” he said. The true “logic of power”, he said, was whether a party belonged to a party family or not. “Up to now central Europe had no party family; now it has one,” he said, adding that that fact alone would boost the region’s ability to represent its interests.
Nacsa said the European Commission should “return to its original role” and to the rule of law. Instead, the Commission “is using so-called legal tools as a political cudgel” and regularly employs double standards against Hungary, he said.
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The 33rd Bálványos Summer Free University and Student Camp, better known as Tusványos, is getting underway on Tuesday at Baile Tusnad (Tusnádfürdő) in Transylvania, under the motto “On a Better Track”.
This year the event will include more than 500 programmes and 1,000 speakers on the banks of the River Olt and in sports fields.
Topics for podium discussions include peacemaking, the election year, and the Hungarian EU presidency, among others.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and László Tőkés, president of the Hungarian National Council of Transylvania (EMNT), will give speeches and do a Q and A on Saturday morning.
Tusványos also offers numerous cultural, traditional, educational and entertainment programmes, including literary and theatre events, folk music and dance gatherings.
The event’s official opening takes place on Wednesday morning.
Viktor Orbán’s speech at the festival in 2022 caused significant public outcry as he said “Hungarians are not a mixed race and do not want to become one”: read our article on it HERE.
According to MTI, citing the Romanian newspaper Economedia, the Bucharest Competition Authority has approved the acquisition of OTP Romania.
The Romanian newspaper reports that the institution announced in a statement it had obtained approval from the Romanian Competition Authority.
OTP Bank Romania has been acquired by Transilvania Bank in a transaction worth EUR 347.5 million.
The Hungarian financial institution announced in February that it would sell its stake in Romania after 20 years in the Romanian market. For more details, see: Hungarian OTP Bank leaves Romania after 20 years
However, rumours of the exit began to circulate much earlier, in autumn 2023, and it was known that the Romanian Competition Authority had put the deal on hold for a while.
OTP Bank exits Romania
After 20 years, the Hungarian bank has completely withdrawn from its neighbour. OTP Bank was the tenth-largest player in the Romanian market, with a 2.46% share.
Sándor Csányi, Chairman and CEO of OTP, briefly mentioned the withdrawal from Romania in April this year. Csányi said at the time that they were reluctant to withdraw from Romania, but it seemed clear they would not be allowed to make acquisitions, so they decided to exit.
Transilvania Bank is the market leader in the Romanian financial sector in terms of assets. The acquisition could increase the Cluj-based financial institution’s market share to 22.5%.
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