The National Economy Ministry called communication by the Austrian owner of SPAR supermarkets in Hungary on government measures to bring down inflation “malicious” and “false” in a statement issued on Monday.
The ministry noted that government measures requiring big supermarket chains to comply with price caps on staples and offer regular discounts had helped reduce double-digit inflation to 3.7 percent in February, while revenue from a windfall profit tax on the retail sector had been channeled into a fund to keep household utilities prices down.
The ministry acknowledged that SPAR “disagreed” with those measures but said its behaviour ran “counter to the interests of Hungarian consumers”.
The ministry said SPAR’s “attacks” against the government were driven rather by the “loss-making position” of its local business which had “fallen behind the competition”.
“Instead of taking steps to boost its efficiency and competitiveness…[SPAR] is spreading baseless fake news,” it added.
“Only companies that comply with the law and take into consideration the interests of local consumers, by offering them products that are of good quality at good prices, can stay in Hungary,” the ministry said.
As we wrote earlier, the supermarket chain SPAR intends to file a complaint with the European Union concerning a special tax imposed by the Hungarian Government, details HERE.
A 56-year-old Hungarian man is under suspicion for attacking his bosses with a knife at a petrol station along an Austrian motorway on Saturday.
Reportedly, the two Hungarian owners of a transportation company drove from Hungary to the site for a scheduled meeting with their 56-year-old employee, concerning alleged internal disputes, as per an article in Heute.
However, the meeting did not turn out as expected by the father-and-son duo. Amidst the altercation, the younger of the bosses left their car in the petrol station’s car park, only to be struck and stabbed by the suspect wielding a knife.
Noticing the incident, the elder owner sprang into action. Allegedly, the suspect yelled at the older man before stabbing him. The 34-year-old man then rushed to his father’s aid and hit the suspect with his torch.
The suspect was not alone; he and his son got into the truck and fled north, prompting the petrol station attendant to alert the authorities. The police eventually apprehended the 56-year-old man, and the two victims were taken to hospital.
The 62-year-old man suffered severe injuries and had emergency surgery overnight, but his life is no longer in danger. The 34-year-old man sustained minor injuries and was discharged following treatment.
Upon interrogation, the suspect admitted to the crime.
The CEO of SPAR Austria, Hans Reisch, told an Austrian news outlet that PM Orbán wanted one of his relatives to invest in the company. That is how the Hungarian government wants to take ownership of the second-biggest food chain in the Hungarian market, Mr Reisch added. As a result, they started to take out capital from Hungary.
Orbán family wants to invest in the second-biggest food retail firm in Hungary
According to economx.hu, a Hungarian business-focused news outlet, SPAR modified its operation to protect itself from PM Orbán and his oligarchs. They decided to take some of their capital to Switzerland from Hungary.
The Salzburg-centred company gave some of the management rights of their North Italian, Slovenian, Croatian and Hungarian subsidiaries to their Swiss subsidiary. In a Friday article in Lebensmittel Zeitung, an Austrian food news outlet, Hans Reisch said the Orbán cabinet harasses their company with extra taxes and price caps. Therefore, they submitted a complaint to the European Commission and modified the operation of their Hungarian subsidiary to protect it from “Orbán’s hands”.
Photo credit: Daily News Hungary
Mr Reisch said Orbán asked them to let one of his relatives into the Hungarian branch as an investor. The long-term plan – the Austrian CEO added – is to take ownership of SPAR Hungary. He added it is not a unique problem. Last year, the European Commission highlighted in a report that Hungarian oligarchs obtained lots of foreign companies. Furthermore, the number of foreign market players complaining about the Hungarian authorities’ infringements and intimidation is growing continuously.
Here are SPAR’s extraordinary measures
Mr Reisch said they divided the Hungarian company into two parts to avoid a possible loss. They took property- and building management, retail and logistics rights from their Hungarian subsidiary and gave them to their Swiss company. Furthermore, the supermarket business is attached to their Austrian company, with which they can save EUR 10 million per year.
Photo: Daily News Hungary
Foreign companies like Lidl, Spar, Tesco, and Auchan dominate the Hungarian food retail sector. The Hungarian government raised its excess profit tax on retail companies from 4.1% to 4.5%. As a result, the income of the Hungarian subsidiaries fell considerably.
SPAR complained to the European Commission
As we wrote in THISarticle, the Austrian chain filed a complaint against the Hungarian government at the European Commission, saying Orbán’s tax policy violates EU laws, specifically regarding the free movement of goods. Austrian economy minister Martin Kocher and foreign minister Alexander Schallenberg supported the move.
According to economx.hu, the loss of Spar in 2023 was EUR 47.8 million. In 2022, it was only EUR 32.8 million.
Ursula von der Leyen. Photo: facebook.com/EuropeanCommission
SPAR confirmed to Magyar Nemzet, a government-close media outlet, that all the foreign retail chains active in Hungary have already complained because of the excess profit tax in Brussels.
SPAR is the fifth biggest employer in Hungary with 14,000 employees. It operates two logistics centres, two meat-producing plants, an additional plant, and 368 shops. Another 273 places are part of their franchise network. SPAR’s earnings before interest and taxes were EUR 120 million in 2023.
Will Spar leave Hungary?
Mr Reisch said they would not like to give up their Hungarian subsidiary “because their situation is very comfortable” here. Their wealth reaches EUR 180 million in Hungary, and they invested EUR 2 billion here. Therefore, they would fight instead.
The Hungarian government wrote a laconic answer concerning the issue to telex.hu. They said the European Union found their retail excess profit tax lawful. “Those are the facts. Every other statement is ungrounded”, the Orbán cabinet added.
UPDATE
Government rejects SPAR’s ‘false claims’ regarding measures to bring down inflation, details HERE
Read also:
Major international food chain to take legal action against Hungarian Government – Read more HERE
Pricing paradox: Hungarian food costs less abroad – HEREis why
Traffic information service Mavinform, citing German railway company Deutsche Bahn, said on the MÁV Group’s website on Monday that travelers should expect longer travel times in the case of several international train services running through Hungary due to a rail strike by German train drivers.
The strike from Tuesday 2am until Wednesday 2am will affect the Budapest-Stuttgart-Budapest, Budapest-Vienna-Salzburg-Munich-Budapest, Budapest-Berlin-Budapest and Budapest-Hamburg-Budapest services, Mavinform said.
Tickets purchased by March 11 for train services running to, from or via Germany on March 12 can be refunded free of charge.
As we wrote earlier, there are more trains to commute between Budapest and Vienna; details HERE.
From 4 April, four more RegioJet trains will commute between the Hungarian capital and Vienna, the Austrian one. Ticket selling for the new trains started today.
According to iho.hu, 724 thousand passengers used the Prague-Budapest line in 2023. That is an 11% rise compared to 2022. Demand is high for the Vienna-Budapest line as well. Therefore, four RegioJet trains will be launched between the two capitals each day after 14 April.
More trains to commute between Budapest and Vienna
In Hungary, the trains are scheduled to stop at Budapest Déli, Kelenföld, Győr and Mosonmagyaróvár train stations. From Vienna to Budapest, they will leave at 7.34 a.m., 10.27 a.m., 2.34 p.m., and 5.27 p.m. In the opposite direction, they will commute at 7.45 a.m., 10.58 a.m., 2.45 p.m., and 6.45 p.m. The travel time is 2h 31 mins.
RegioJet believes they will offer high-quality service for an acceptable price. Passengers may choose from four classes: budget, standard, relax, and business.
Prices start from EUR 9 in the budget class and from EUR 15.9 in the business class where you can sit in a cabin of four couches drinking prosecco for free.
Read also:
High-speed railway to link Budapest and Athens – Read the details in THISarticle
Brutal record delays at Hungarian State Railways: 5 years and 8 months in 2023 – Read more HERE
The Gold Train began one of the most adventurous journeys in Hungarian history on 23 January 1945. The Hungarian National Bank’s 30 tonnes of gold reserves, large foreign currency reserves and deposited valuables and documents (such as King Matthias’ Corvinas) were attempted to be evacuated to the West by the Szálasi government (Government of National Unity, a Nazi-backed puppet government of Hungary) to escape the advancing Soviet Red Army.
Ferencné Tóth Mária Stark, who was among the passengers of the legendary Gold Train as a small child, shared her personal story with Növekedés.hu.
Historical background
Gold Train, on the day of opening the Money Museum, Budapest, Hungary. Statue by Gábor Miklós Szőke. Source: Elekes Andor/Wikimedia Commons
On 19 March 1944, German troops invaded Hungary. On 15 October, the Arrow Cross Party took power in the country and established the coalition Government of National Unity on 16 October.
László Temesváry was appointed head of the Hungarian National Bank (MNB), and the Soviet advance soon led to negotiations on the export of Hungarian gold reserves to the West, Növekedés.hu recalls.
The German leadership aimed to have the assets housed in several parts of the German Reich. If implemented, this would most likely have led to Hungary’s national treasures falling into German hands for good. However, the bank’s employees resisted political pressure.
In December, the Gold Train set off from the bunker in Veszprém with the heroic employees of the MNB to deposit the “nation’s gold” in Spital am Pyhrn in Austria after a cold and fearful Christmas in Fertőboz.
The train rolled out of Fertőboz station on 23 January and arrived in Spital am Pyhrn on 25 January, where the treasures were stored in the crypt of the local Benedictine monastery.
On 7 May 1945, Spital am Phyrn was occupied by American troops. US soldiers took the Hungarian gold reserve to Frankfurt am Main, where it was stored in the basement of the German central bank.
In June 1946, negotiations took place in Washington to return the valuables held in Spital am Phyrn and Frankfurt am Main to Hungary.
The Hungarian delegation was led by Prime Minister Ferenc Nagy. The US finally agreed to repatriate the Hungarian gold reserve and other valuables. This gold reserve was the collateral for the newly introduced forint.
The illustrated story of saving Hungary’s gold (unfortunately, only in Hungarian):
Narrative history – the memories of a passenger of the Gold Train
The father of Ferencné Tóth Mária Stark was an employee of the Hungarian National Bank, first as a cashier in Budapest, then in Szeged, and finally in Târgu Mures. Mária was born in Târgu Mures.
She was three months old when they had to leave Târgu Mures.
To escape the approaching Russians, her father and his colleagues used a truck to rescue the bank ledgers. Her mother and Mária were first taken to Dej, and finally, the family met in Csesznek.
“In Veszprém, the valuables were hidden in a bunker under the castle and we knew we were going to Austria by train. We also knew what the cargo would be,” Mária told Növekedés.hu.
The Germans were in front of them, the Russians behind them. When the train left Fertőboz, Russians had not yet arrived, but the bombing was already in full swing. Everybody knew what danger they were in.
A cold and fearful Christmas in Fertőboz
The passengers spent Christmas in Fertőboz. The children were accommodated in first-class coaches. The people of Fertőboz provided them with food. At Christmas time, they were the ones who put up a Christmas tree for the children in the wagon. While they were waiting, there were several bombings, so they hid in the wagons. They had nowhere else to go.
Mária is still afraid of thunder to this day.
According to Mária, they were made very welcome by the locals in Spital am Phyrn.
When we arrived by train, there was a good metre of snow. The bank workers, including my dad, were using sledges to haul the 33 tonnes of gold and other valuables down to the basement of the monastery,
Mária shared.
On the way home
Mária and her family came home with the last consignment in October 1946. They already had their train tickets and boat tickets to Argentina; however, the trip was cancelled because her father said,
I’m Hungarian, I want to go home.
After they came home, her father was fired from the Hungarian National Bank in 1948.
“This is a very sad memory for me,” Mária said. They had to move out of the flat they had been living in, and they exchanged it for a small flat. Her mother worked as a caretaker and her father as a conductor.
Mária has personally experienced discrimination in Hungary. In 1957, they moved to Sopron. After high school, she wanted to go to university. However, the headmistress in Sopron told Mária to “not even try” because she was a “Westerner”.
To this day, it still hurts me that I didn’t get to go to university because I went abroad as a baby. But my father instilled in me that I am Hungarian, so I belong here.
The number of Hungarians in Austria has surpassed the milestone of 100,000 individuals. In this article, we delve into the potential factors driving this significant increase.
Growing number Hungarian presence
As we previously reported, Hungarians rank second only to Germans as the largest group of guest workers in Austria. The country primarily fulfils its labour demands from two primary sources: Germany, boasting a population of 83 million, and Hungary, with just under 10 million inhabitants.
Recent data reveals that as of 1st January, 107,347 Hungarian nationals were residing in Austria, marking an 8 percent increase from the previous year. 24.hu notes that the majority of them are concentrated in Vienna. Moreover, the granting of Austrian citizenship to Hungarians has seen a remarkable five-fold surge over the past decade, with nearly 400 individuals naturalised in 2023 alone.
What attracts Hungarians to Austria?
Austria is increasingly recognising the influx of Hungarians and is consequently expanding training opportunities to facilitate employment prospects. For instance, the Austrian Association of Waste Management Companies has introduced Hungarian-language training courses tailored for forklift operators.
By various independent metrics, Austria boasts a higher standard of living compared to Hungary. Its GDP, GDP per capita and wages surpass those of its western neighbour, while experiencing lower inflation rates. Furthermore, the adoption of the euro ensures greater purchasing power, offering better value for money compared to reliance on the Hungarian forint.
In terms of prosperity, Austria, particularly Vienna, outshines Hungary’s neighbouring countries, with a significant portion of Hungarians proficient in German. This linguistic advantage minimises communication barriers, distinguishing Austria from Croatia or Slovakia.
The ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict may also have contributed to the surge of Hungarians relocating to Austria. The geographical distance from Ukraine provides a sense of security for those residing in Austria. Additionally, the Austrian government’s stance on the conflict and its relations with Russia, in contrast to the Fidesz-led Hungarian government, could influence migration decisions.
New Austrian labour market data have been published. It is striking that Austria generates its demand for foreign labour from two main sources. One is Germany, with 83 million people, and the other is Hungary, with just under 10 million people.
The Austrian social security authorities have published the latest January statistics on foreign workers in Austria, Világgazdaság reports. It is important to note that the Österreichische Sozialversicherung only counts registered full-time employees.
The data show that in the first month of 2024, a total of 980,567 foreigners were working in the Austrian labour market. This is a considerable number, given the fact that Austria has a population of around 9.1 million. This means that one in nine people in the country is a foreign national.
Last January, the figure was only 948,013. This means that in the space of a year, the number of Austrians in the registered international workforce has increased by about 3.5%.
Hungarian workforce in Austria
Pixabay
It is striking that Austria generates its foreign labour demands from two main sources: Germany (with 83 million people), and Hungary (with just under 10 million people). As of now, Austria employs 127,170 German workers. Right behind them are Hungarians, with 124,820 people. This means that Hungary, with eight times fewer inhabitants, provides the same number of workers to Austria as Germany, Világgazdaság writes.
Comparing the 124,820 Hungarian workers to the total number of foreigners registered in Austria, one in eight of them are Hungarian citizens. This comes as no surprise as there are plenty of examples of headhunting firms recruiting Hungarian workers specifically for jobs in Austria.
The January figures are somewhat unfavourable from a Hungarian labour market perspective as they demonstrate that 1,788 Hungarians went to work in Austria in the space of a month from December to January.
The full picture also includes the fact that between August and November last year, around 8,000 Hungarians left Austria. At that time, 126,656 were still staying in Austria towards the last month of summer, but this had fallen to 118,930 by the end of autumn.
Can Hungarians be lured back home?
It’s always difficult to predict, but based on the experience of previous years and the seasonality of the Austrian labour market, it is expected that the number of Hungarians working in Austria will continue to rise in the coming months. What is more, it cannot be ruled out that by spring, they will form the largest foreign worker community in the neighbouring country (ahead of the Germans).
According to Világgazdaság, these workers would have plenty of room in the Hungarian economy, which is facing a severe labour shortage. Attila Gazsi, deputy chairman of the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (VOSZ), told Portfolioin early February that “the key to making the labour market more dynamic is to lure Hungarian workers working abroad back home”.
In Austria, a 15-year strategy aimed at expanding the rail network has been presented, with the primary objective of reducing journey times to the benefit of both Hungarians and residents of Hungary.
The draft “Target Network 2040” includes 67 projects with a total cost of around EUR 26 billion, according to Andreas Matthä, CEO of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB).
ÖBB’s main goal is to drastically cut down travel time. One of the projects, for instance, would be to extend the Innkreisbahn in Upper Austria, potentially enabling a journey from Vienna to Munich in a mere two and a half hours.
Another important aspect of the strategy involves enhancing the integration of Vienna Airport within the transportation infrastructure. This enhancement could pave the way for a Vienna to Budapest connection in under two hours.
Beyond Hungary, ÖBB is fostering connectivity with neighbouring nations. Efforts such as the proposed Graz to Maribor link in Slovenia, promising a swift 45-minute journey, underscore this ambition. Moreover, closer ties with Croatia are also on the agenda.
Furthermore, freight transport would also become more competitive by making the rail network suitable for longer and heavier trains. The projects include, for example, the construction of a new Bosruck tunnel on the Pyrhnbahn railway line, which could be adapted to accommodate trains weighing up to 1,600 tonnes, according to tuzismus.com.
However, “Target Network 2040” is not set in stone but serves as a strategic roadmap. Specific plans will be communicated in the framework plans published every six years. Another pivotal objective of the scheme, apart from reducing journey times, is to increase the proportion of public transport in Austria’s passenger transport from 25 to 40 percent by 2040.
The government recognised that the capacity of the two-lane motorway is no longer enough for the increased traffic present every day. However, only a shorter segment will become a three-lane between Budapest and Bicske.
The decision is surprising because, after the 2022 landslide victory of Orbán’s Fidesz, the government announced they would scrap most of the construction and development projects concerning the Hungarian infrastructure. Therefore, they cancelled the extension of the M1 motorway connecting Budapest with Vienna, which is Hungary’s most important road.
According to hvg.hu, that changed yesterday. The Orbán cabinet revised the contract they signed with the government-close Lőrinc Mészáros and László Szíjj-owned Magyar Koncessziós Infrastruktúra-Fejlesztő Ltd. (MKIF). MKIF maintains and builds Hungary’s motorways after winning the relevant application in 2022. The business is profitable and may result in an income of billions of euros for the owners.
The government said they postponed or even cancelled some infrastructure developments in 2023 due to the economic crisis. However, they acknowledge that the M1 motorway is one of the main arteries of the Hungarian economy, so its development is a must.
Read also:
Surprising announcement: will Hungarian motorway development completely stop? – Read more HERE
How does a 1-km-long motorway section costEUR 112 million in Hungary!?
Without the development of the M1 motorway, more accidents will come
Therefore, the motorway will be extended between Bicske and Budapest. The new three-lane road will help East-West transit, transport and passenger traffic.
The M0 motorway, going around Budapest, starts near Bicske, so the development will mean that the most crowded segment will become three-lane. That is where trucks commute to the M5 (Serbia), M4 (Romania), M3 (Ukraine), M6 (Croatia), and M7 (Croatia) motorways.
According to the government, the postponement of the development may result in the increased risk of accidents in that segment and the baulk of international, national and regional traffic and transport.
Tension is rising at the Austrian–Hungarian border between Schattendorf and Ágfalva. After long months of road construction, Hungarians still cannot cross the border, making the life of commuters tough. The Mayor of the Austrian village did not keep his promise. Now, people have to travel 30 kilometres on a different route to get to work or meet their family members.
We reported HERE back in June that the border between Schattendorf (Somfalva) in northern Burgenland and Ágfalva had been closed for months due to unfinished construction. Naturally, this meant quite the challenge for Hungarian commuters who have to pass the border on a daily basis. The Mayor of Schattendorf, Thomas Hoffmann, was adamant about traffic restrictions; however, he promised that the road and the border would be open to “neighbourhood traffic” (Nachbarschaftsverkehr). For a long time, he did not share the exact rules, only the fact that there would be a toll. As it seems, he did not keep his promise.
False promises
Telex reports that the residents of Ágfalva face difficulties obtaining permission to cross the border. Even if they are willing to pay the municipality of Schattendorf, they still cannot get the permission. The Austrian border municipality took measures last year to restrict vehicular access between Ágfalva and Schattendorf (Somfalva) by installing concrete posts, requiring the fulfilment of specific criteria and the acquisition of a sticker for authorised use. Last year, the municipality reasoned with keeping traffic safe with these measures, but it seems they may just want to keep Hungarian commuters away.
As it seems, reasons like working in a nearby Austrian village or having family members there are not valid enough to get permission. The situation means a daily challenge to many Hungarians, as the distance between the two villages would be only 2 kilometres, but by taking another route, it grew to 30 kilometres. According to a villager, it used to take her 10 minutes to cross the border, while now, after the unfair measures, it takes her 75 minutes. Only a few lucky ones had the chance to buy the sticker for authorised use of the road for EUR 160. Less fortunate ones only received a rejection. However, they were suggested to walk, ride a bike, or even a motorbike in order to cross the border freely.
Seeking legal action
Some villagers have addressed a letter to the Mayor of Schattendorf, but Thomas Hoffmann is keeping his silence on the matter. A law firm has taken the issue to court recently. Their main argument is that the arbitrary restrictions on transit violate fundamental EU rights. The case has now been ruled at first instance in the Eisenstadt court. While it does not favour the Hungarians, more legal options are still open. According to the law firm, it is quite clear that the sinking pillars closing the border are a barrier. In addition, the measures are not aimed at ensuring traffic safety but at keeping Hungarian commuters away.
A Hungarian man living in the 4th district of Budapest threatened to carry out a terrorist attack and burn down Vienna.
The 27-year-old man sent multiple letters to the police of Győr and threatened to set Vienne ablaze, Szeretlek Magyarország wrote.
He wrote that he would like to set Vienna’s main railway hub ablaze, blow up the Austrian capital and shoot people. Furthermore, he sent photos of weapons. Moreover, he asked the Counter Terrorism Centre (Terrorelhárítási Központ, TEK) to arrest him.
The man struggling with psychiatric diseases began threatening after drinking two energy drinks. Later, ha confessed that all he wanted is to see the TEK in action near his apartment, and all he did was a big joke. However, police arrested him, and he is now being examined in a mental hospital.
Read also:
18+ VIDEO: terrorist attack in Ukrainian region populated by Hungarians – Check out the details HERE
In the future, electric trains will replace diesel trains from Austria to Sopron in Hungary.
“The Mattersburgerbahn railway line, which runs from Wiener Neustadt through Mattersburg, via the border crossing Loipersbach-Schattendorf to Sopron, is being modernised,” magyarhirlap.hu reports, citing a report by Austrian Public Radio (ORF).
As a result of the improvements, several level crossings will be replaced by underpasses and overpasses, which will increase the safety of road users. Six Austrian railway stations along the line will also be renewed, and all of them will have barrier-free platforms. The renovation will benefit many Hungarians.
When it comes to combatting illegal migration and supporting the EU accession bids of Western Balkan countries, Hungary counts on Austria’s support, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, told Hungarian public media in Vienna (Bécs) after talks with Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg.
The talks were part of a series of consultations aimed at preparing the ground for Hungary’s EU presidency in the second half of the year, he said, adding that Austria was among EU countries that took action against illegal migration.
Hungary’s wants European regulations to be in line with international law so that temporary refugee stays are in the first safe country, noting that Hungary allowed people fleeing the war in Ukraine to seek refuge but kept out illegal migrants who had had passed through 3-5 safe countries.
Szijjártó called for a turnaround in Brussels, adding that the EU should not import problems from far away but help to solve them at their root. Africa’s population was growing exponentially, he noted. Instead of tempting Africans to relocate, the EU should make investments, and nurture development and training locally, he said. Hungary, he added, supported the development of African countries to the tune of several 10 million dollars, providing education scholarships for “many thousands” of African students.
Meanwhile, regarding the EU integration of Western Balkan countries, the minister said the bloc needed fresh dynamism, which the region could provide, so the pace of the accession process must be speeded up. This, he added, was one of the goals of Hungary’s EU presidency.
Regarding bilateral matters, Szijjártó said Hungary and Austria was a reliable, predictable and fair partner in terms of energy supply, with than 20 percent of Hungary’s annual gas consumption arriving via Austria. Both countries see energy supply as a pragmatic rather than an ideological issue, he said.
Hungary, he said, supports Austria’s candidacy for membership of the UN Security Council in 2027-28.
The minister said he met the Austrian Freedom Party’s general secretary and the party’s members of the Vienna parliament’s Hungarian-Austrian friendship group. He also met the head of the Austrian Manufacturers Association.
Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia could start operating a regional electricity bourse in the first half of the year, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said on Saturday.
Decisions on the exchange have already been taken at the expert and corporate level, Péter Szijjártó said, adding that all that was necessary now was government approval. Cooperation between European countries to face the challenge of energy security has “never been more important”, he added.
Defence minister: Hungary to host Austrian (Donau) Derby
Hungary will host the Austrian Derby for the first time this year, Defence Minister Kristof Szalay-Bobrovniczky said in a post on Facebook on Saturday. Budapest’s Kincsem Park will host the Hungarian Derby on July 7 and the Donau Derby on August 4, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.
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Miraculous Hungarian cat can become Norway’s Therapy Animal of the Year – Read more HERE
A 68-year-old Hungarian skier died in Austria on 8 January while skiing in open terrain from Hochkar to Lassing.
A 68-year-old Hungarian skier died in Austria on 8 January while skiing in open terrain from Hochkar to Lassing, rtl.hu reports. According to local police, the man took off his skis to walk downhill in a wooded area, but fell off a rock face about 20 metres high and lost his life.
According to the local press, two hours after the accident happened around 4 PM in the Ybbstal Alps, at around 6 PM, mountain rescue workers from the nearby village of Göstling were alerted and went in search of the man. Following the skier’s tracks, they finally found the cliff and the body.
The rescue workers and the town council thanked the 16 people who took part in the night rescue operation, which proved too late to save the man’s life. The town of Göstling has expressed its condolences to the family.
For the fourth consecutive month, the count of Hungarians employed in Austria has dropped, prompting speculation on whether this is a seasonal fluctuation or a lasting trend.
Decline in the number of Hungarians in Austria
The number of Hungarians working in Austria continued to fall in November. Although the figures from the Österreichische Sozialversicherung only take into account registered full-time employees, the trend shows that the Hungarian workforce has been dropping for four months now.
Over this four-month period, close to 8000 Hungarian left departed Austria. In August, 126,656 Hungarians were actively employed in the neighbouring country, but this figure has consistently diminished. Though not entirely alarming, there is still an increase compared to the same period last year.
The prevailing assumption attributes the reduction in Hungarian workers in Austria to the cyclical nature of the Austrian labour market, particularly in sectors such as agriculture and tourism. The former experiences reduced activity in winter, while the latter is gradually gearing up with the approaching winter season. The swift decline in the number of Hungarians in Austria may stem from the temporary redundancy of workers dependent on these sectors for their livelihood, as noted by vg.hu.
Periodicity or trend?
It is challenging to assert at this stage whether this is a temporary situation or a lasting trend. December will prove decisive in determining whether the hospitality sector needs additional staff. The previous year witnessed an increase of over a thousand Hungarian workers in Austria.
Despite the decline, the Austrian labour market continues to attract Hungarian workers, who are specifically targeted for numerous positions in the neighbouring country. As a result, there is a huge labour shortage in Hungary, particularly in manual jobs.
The magnitude of Hungarians in the Austrian labour market is evident in the fact that, of the 980 thousand foreigners registered in November, 118 thousand were Hungarian citizens. This figure trails only behind the 124,000 German workers, as reported by economx.hu.
Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, on Friday attended the inauguration ceremony of a new road link between Páty, outside Budapest, and the M1 motorway. Therefore, travelling between Budapest and Vienna by car will be easier.
The new road, constructed out of a budget of nearly 6 billion forints (EUR 15.7m), will ensure residents of Páty and Budajenő easy access to the motorway and reduce traffic through Budakeszi, the minister said.
“A small part of the largest problem of the greater Budapest area has been remedied,” the minister said in his address.
Photo: MTI/Lakatos Péter
Photo: MTI
Read also:
New Hungarian highway section inaugurated – Read more and photos HERE
