Baltic region

Hungarian Gripens scrambled 6 times to intercept Russian aircraft in Baltics

gripen hungary

Hungarian Gripen fighter jets policing Baltic airspace as part of a NATO mission were scrambled six times to intercept Russian military planes in the past two months, the commander of the Baltic Air Policing mission (BAP) said at the Siauliai airbase in Lithuania on Wednesday.

The Hungarian Gripens also performed 36 fast takeoffs in training exercises and other training duties during the period of their mission, Attila Ványik, the mission’s first Hungarian chief, told a press conference.

He noted that the current mission involving 4 Gripens and 77 troops serving as part of the Quick Reaction Alert protocol with Czech support is Hungary’s third policing mission in the Baltic region, following missions in 2015 and 2019. The jets must intercept an unidentified aircraft within 15 minutes of receiving an alert, he added.

He noted that an alert for the Gripens had to be called in all six instances owing to the appearance of unidentified Russian planes, fighter jets, military transport planes and reconnaissance planes that entered international airspace around the Baltic airspace without submitting a flight-plan. These planes also failed to establish radio contact with air traffic control and had turned off their transponders, Ványik said.

Nándor Kilián, commander of the Hungarian Air Force, told MTI that unidentified Russian planes often used the narrow Baltic Sea corridor of the St Petersburg-Kaliningrad route which qualifies as international airspace.

He noted that since the Russian occupation of the Crimea in 2014, BAP had expanded the number of army bases for NATO fighter planes policing Baltic airspace to three. Besides Siauliai, there are bases in Lithuania and Estonia, he said.

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NATO would not be as strong without Hungary’s military, says Minister Szijjártó

baltic hungarian air force

NATO would not be as strong without Hungary’s military, the foreign minister said at the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania on Tuesday, adding that Hungarian soldiers participating in the Baltic air policing mission also helped to ensure Hungarian security.

The ministry cited Péter Szijjártó saying that the Russian exclave in Kaliningrad was one of the most heavily militarized areas in Europe. Geographically, the Baltics are perhaps the most complicated area to protect within NATO, he added.

Szijjártó thanked Hungarian soldiers for their duty and composure, stating that their task represented the most difficult mission of the Hungarian armed forces under the current circumstances of war.

As well as bearing great responsibility for NATO and Hungarian security, their most important duty is to prevent a direct conflict between NATO and Russia, he said.

“We’d like peace to prevail, but for the time being this is not the military situation, and an increasingly severe war situation looks apparent. What’s most important is to prevent the escalation of the conflict,” he added.

“A country cannot be strong without strong defence, and that includes a strong air force within the armed forces. So we’re providing all the resources possible to guarantee the sustained strength of the Hungarian armed forces within NATO…” Szijjártó said.

“We’re proud that we Hungarians can also contribute to making NATO the strongest military alliance in the world,” he added.

“We can rightfully say that without Hungary, its army and air force, NATO would not be as strong as it is,” he said.

Hungarian soldiers, he added, may return to the Baltics in 18 months or two years’ time because it was likely that the importance of the mission would only increase in the upcoming period.

Russian fighters intercepted by Hungarian Gripen

Sukhoi Su-35

On Tuesday, the fighter aircraft of the Hungarian Defence Forces protecting the Baltic airspace were again alerted. This time the alert was again due to Russian aircraft.

For four months from 1 August, the Hungarian Defence Forces, with almost 80 soldiers and four Gripen fighter jets, will be the lead nation – together with Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy, under NATO command – in air policing the Baltic countries.

On 18 August, the Hungarian Gripen aircraft defending the Baltic airspace received their first live alert of the year. Hungarian fighters were alerted to an unidentified aircraft in the early hours of the morning. In accordance with international procedures, the Gripen aircraft identified the Russian IL-76 aircraft flying south over the Baltic Sea and returned to Siauliai airbase in Lithuania.

The current alert was issued for two Sukhoi Su-35 heavy fighter-bombers escorting an AN-72 aircraft from St. Petersburg to Kaliningrad, the Hungarian Defence Forces said.

The two Sukhoi Su-35 were flying in international airspace, but they did not establish radio contact with air traffic control, did not have a flight plan and did not use a transponder. The Hungarian fighters successfully intercepted and identified the Russian aircraft causing the alert at 12:50 local time at an altitude of 9,000 metres over the Baltic Sea. The Gripen aircraft then returned to their base in Lithuania.

Will Hungary ban Russian tourists? Here is the minister’s answer

Reuters reported yesterday that Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland, which all share a border with Russia, might stop Russian tourists from entering their countries. That will happen if the European Union refuses to enact a union-wide ban. The Hungarian foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, talked with his Estonian counterpart today via phone and discussed this issue as well.

According to the Hungarian foreign minister’s Facebook post, he was happy when he learned that Urmas Reinsalu was the foreign minister of Estonia again. That is because their relationship was good, and they could cooperate effectively. Therefore, he was happy that Reinsalu initiated a phone talk with him today to discuss current issues linked to the war in Ukraine.

Szijjártó wrote they agreed the war must end soon. The government of Estonia will initiate a new sanction package, he added. The foreign minister cleared that the Hungarian government will not even discuss sanctions concerning the energy sector.

That is because, without Russian oil and gas, the energy security of Hungary would be in peril. He highlighted that they would not allow the Hungarian people to pay the price of war. Moreover, they discussed the initiative of an EU-wide visa ban for Russian nationals. “We sympathize with the standpoint of the German chancellor and do not plan any restrictions or tightenings”, Szijjártó said.

The European Union’s chief diplomat, Josep Borrell, also opposes a visa ban for all Russians travelling to Europe, euobserves.com reported. HERE you may find the summary of the Reuters in the issue.

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Hungarian minister to Estonian counterpart: we refuse to even talk about energy sanctions

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó on Tuesday welcomed the re-election of Urmas Reinsalu as Estonia’s foreign minister and said he had always maintained good personal relations and good cooperation with him.

Szijjártó said on Facebook that he had been pleased to accept Reinsalu’s proposal to hold talks by phone and review the current situation.

“It was a lengthy discussion and we were in agreement on the most important issue, namely that the war in Ukraine must end as soon as possible,” he said.

“I told him that for us, being a neighbourly country, it is an especially important interest to have peace without delay,” he added.

At the same time, Szijjártó said they had held different opinions on whether or not the sanctions contributed to peace.

The government of Estonia will propose another package of sanctions, he said.

“In connection with this, I immediately made it clear that we refuse to even talk about energy sanctions,” he added.

“It is physically impossible to guarantee Hungary’s crude oil and natural gas supplies without Russian energy and we will not approve forcing Hungarians pay for the price of war,” he said.

Energy sanctions hurt Europe more than they hurt Russia and making them stricter would completely go against common sense, Szijjártó said.

He added that he had also discussed with Reinsalu a proposal to introduce stricter regulations for visas to Russian citizens. Szijjártó said Hungary supported the German chancellor’s position and was not planning to introduce any restrictions.

As we wrote last week, Kristi Karelsohn, ambassador of Estonia has been summoned to the foreign ministry over “unacceptable” remarks by Estonian politicians criticising Hungary, details HERE.

Hungarian Gripens got their first alert due to Russian aircraft!

Hungarian Gripen Russia

Hungarian Gripen aircraft safeguarding Baltic air space received their first live alert of 2022 early on Thursday, the defence minister said.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said on Facebook that the Hungarian fighters had been alerted because of an unidentified aircraft. In line with international protocol, the Gripens identified a Russian IL-76 aircraft on its way above the Baltic Sea and then returned to their base in Siauliai in northern Lithuania, he added.

“The Hungarian Air Force has again proven its preparedness,” Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.

The Hungarian army is carrying out air space protection duties with nearly 80 soldiers and four Gripens over four months, jointly with Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy, under NATO command, the minister added.

Péter Szijjártó unacceptable
Read alsoMinistry: Estonian politicians made “unacceptable” remarks about Hungary

Ministry: Estonian politicians made “unacceptable” remarks about Hungary

Péter Szijjártó unacceptable

Kristi Karelsohn, ambassador of Estonia has been summoned to the foreign ministry over “unacceptable” remarks by Estonian politicians criticising Hungary, the state secretary in charge of bilateral relations said on Tuesday.

Tamás Menczer said in a video on Facebook that he had briefed the Estonian ambassador about Hungary’s position concerning the war in Ukraine and told her that “baseless and mendacious criticism” of Hungary was “unacceptable”.

Hungary’s position concerning the war is focused on peace, he said. “We are on the side of peace”, he added, stating that peace was the only solution for physical threats, economic challenges and the economic and energy crisis.

Menczer said he had informed the Estonian ambassador that Hungary was carrying out the largest ever humanitarian action in its history in connection with Ukraine.

Around one million refugees have been received by Hungary from Ukraine and those that decide to stay get help to find work and send their children to school, he said. Hungary’s government is ready to rebuild a hospital and a school in Ukraine and continues to supply humanitarian aid to the neighbouring country, he added. Hungary stands with Ukraine and supports Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty and integrity, Menczer said.

Criticism coming from politicians of a country whose airspace is protected also by Hungarian soldiers and Hungarian aircraft is “strange” because Hungary has participated in the defence of Estonian airspace for the umpteenth time, he added.

Hungary’s armed forces are currently on a mission in Estonia with four Gripen aircraft and fifty soldiers, meaning that Hungarians work for the security of Estonia, he said. “In exchange, we expect no baseless and mendacious lies,” he added.

Read alsoSolidarity between NATO member states “top priority”, minister says

Baltic Council for International Education — Recent and upcoming events

Baltic Council for International Education is an education abroad agency, which started out 27 years ago as a family business and since then has developed to be one of the biggest, leading educational agencies in Europe with offices in 6 countries and more than 1000 partner institutions all over the world. Baltic Council covers all aspects of the education-abroad industry, including language camps and courses, secondary education, as well as college, undergraduate and post-graduate university degrees abroad. Besides helping students choose the right destination, language course or university program and leading the entire application process from the beginning until the end, Baltic Council is also the host of several webinars, seminars and educational fairs throughout the year.

Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL

During the summer, Baltic Council organized free webinars for those interested in studying abroad. The webinar “Study in the Netherlands” happened in the beginning of July, and was lead by Darja Fokina, a senior study abroad manager of the Latvian Baltic Council office. Darja graduated from Tilburg and Maastricht University in the Netherlands, and was happy to share her first-hand knowledge and experiences with the ones who registered in advance. The webinar was not only about university programs and studies, but also about part-time jobs, student grants and loans, travelling and making friends in the Netherlands. At Baltic Council, all counsellors and managers have studied abroad, and are always glad to share their personal stories and experiences. Although Baltic Council has partner institutions all over the world, the Netherlands is one of the most popular destinations among students, which was the main reason why the webinar was focusing on this country. Online platforms for university applications in the Netherlands are opening soon, so anyone interested in studying there can now get in touch with the Baltic Council office and ask for the help of the experienced counsellors.

Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL

Another webinar in July was about IELTS – the international language exam everyone needs in order to apply for a university program abroad. The host of the free webinar was the Hungarian Baltic Council office and Nicholas Stephen Lone, an experienced IELTS teacher from the UK, who has already held several successful exam preparation courses. Nicholas told students about the structure, different tasks, tips and tricks of the IELTS exam. Baltic Council is starting an online, intensive, 4-week IELTS preparation course this September lead by Nick Lone, who speaks about his job as follows:

“I am passionate about teaching English and enjoy teaching those who are equally passionate about learning it. I try to make my lessons interesting and fun as possible, whilst delivering as much technical information as possible – whether that means exam technique, exam requirements or simply complex grammar tenses or advanced relevant vocabulary […] I have a long list of students who I have helped to pass the exam, and this is by far the most rewarding and satisfying part of my job.”

Whoever needs to take the IELTS test soon is encouraged to take part in the intensive preparation course starting in September, for which students can now apply via email (hungary@balticcouncil.org).

Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL

With regard to other summer events, the Hungarian Baltic Council team has recently also participated in the Outland Festival, in Alsópetény, Nógrád County. This was the first time the festival had been organized by the Hungarian Youth Association. The Baltic Council team felt honored to be invited to the event in order to encourage young people to study abroad and broaden their horizons.

While international language camps are still running during the summer, Baltic Council is already looking ahead: free consultations about applications to higher education are starting soon; the online IELTS preparation course is beginning in September; and the organization of the biggest European education abroad fair – Days of International Education – on 29th October is also getting started.

Hungary takes over the air defence duties over Baltic states, army to increase disaster management staff

gripen hungary

In view of natural disasters near Hungary in the past weeks, the Hungarian Armed Forces have decided to bump up personnel numbers serving in disaster management, Army Commander Lieutenant General Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said on Monday.

Last month, two Hungarian helicopters assisted in combatting a wide-spread wildfire in Slovenia, and other countries, including Hungary, can be facing similar challenges in the near future, he said.

In case of a natural disaster in Hungary, 250 servicemembers will be able to perform simpler tasks, while working groups were assigned to operate machines and perform more complex duties, Ruszin-Szendi said. The army is also performing logistical and health-care tasks, he said.

Hungarian Gripen patrols Baltic airspace for the third time

From August, Hungarian Gripen aircraft will once again guard the Baltic airspace for the third time.

According to the statement, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky stressed at a ceremony held at the Siauliai airbase in Lithuania that the active participation in the Baltic airspace policing mission is both a huge responsibility and an honour, which clearly demonstrates the high level of preparedness of the Hungarian Defence Forces.

“As a leading nation, we are now receiving the symbolic keys to a task that plays a key role in the lives and security of the citizens of the Baltic States and in the history of NATO. Moreover, due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Baltic airspace has become one of the most sensitive airspaces in Europe, where our soldiers are now representing Hungary and the Hungarian nation under the Hungarian flag, in the uniform of the Hungarian Defence Forces, under NATO subordination”,

the statement quoted the Minister as saying.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that “we politicians also feel the weight of the task and the even greater responsibility of the mission: therefore I thank the citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with great respect for their trust in us, Hungarians, to guard their airspace at such a sensitive moment”.

He also stressed that the Hungarian government is committed to developing its armed forces in times of war in Europe, so that, in addition to defending itself, it can contribute to the collective defence enshrined in the Alliance’s Statute as a member of NATO. The force development programme will enable Hungary to reach the level of defence spending previously planned for 2024 and expected by NATO by next year, and, he stressed, to sustain it in the years to come.

“The war has reassessed a lot of things, which is why the force development programme must be accelerated,” said Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.

The joint permanent mission of NATO member states, which has been in operation since 2004, has the dual aim of increasing the sense of security of the citizens of the countries in the region – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – and of improving the cooperation capabilities of allied and partner forces.

Four Gripen fighter aircraft of the Hungarian Defence Forces, together with a contingent of about 50 Hungarian soldiers, will serve as the lead nation from 1 August to 30 November, together with the air forces of Germany and Italy at the base in Lithuania, the Hungarian Defence Forces said in a statement.

At the same time, tensions are rising in Kosovo, where the NATO forces are under the command of a Hungarian general, Ruszin-Szendi said. “They are doing everything in our power to de-escalate the situation and ensure peace and security for locals,” he said.

Solidarity between NATO member states “top priority”, minister says

Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky held talks with his Lithuanian counterpart Avydas Anusauskas in Vilnius on Saturday.

Now that both countries have first-hand experience of the severity of the Russian-Ukrainian war, solidarity between the NATO member states has become a “top priority”, Hungary’s defence ministry quoted Szalay-Bobrovniczky as saying. In this spirit, Hungary’s Gripen fighters are patrolling Lithuania’s airspace for the third time, the minister said, adding that his Lithuanian counterpart has expressed thanks for this contribution.

The two ministers agreed that the Madrid NATO summit had passed “historic decisions” and that both countries should continue to develop their armed forces to consolidate NATO’s eastern wing. They agreed that illegal migration was posing a serious challenge to both countries. Szalay-Bobrovniczky invited Anusauskas to Hungary to share their experience in border defence.

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Read alsoRussia would give a part of Ukraine to Hungary

Hungarian Gripens to police Baltic airspace for 3rd time

gripen

Hungarian Gripen fighter jets will police Baltic airspace for a third time starting next month, the defence ministry said on Friday.

Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the defence minister, told a ceremony at Siauliai Airbase in Lithuania that Baltic airspace policing was both a “huge responsibility and an honour”. He said the NATO air patrols played a major role in maintaining the security of the citizens of the Baltic states.

In light of the war in Ukraine, Baltic airspace “has become among the most sensitive airspaces in Europe,” he added. “I thank the citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for trusting us Hungarians to protect their national airspaces at such a sensitive moment,” the minister said.

The NATO airspace policing mission has operated since 2004. Hungary’s four Gripen aircraft served by 50 Hungarian armed forces personnel will serve together with the air forces of Germany and Italy as the lead nation from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30 from the base in Lithuania.

Viktor Orbán
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Baltic Council for International Education – helping students study abroad

Baltic Council

Baltic Council for International Education (BCIE) has been a leading education abroad company since its foundation 27 years ago in the Baltic States. BC started out in Latvia as a family business – founded by Evgeni and Olga Govor, and since then has developed to be one of the biggest study abroad agencies in Europe with more than 1000 partner institutions all over the world. Contrary to its name, it does not only operate in the Baltics – Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia -, but also in Poland, Italy and since March 2022 in Budapest, Hungary.

But what exactly does being an education abroad agency mean? Programmes the Baltic Council offers cover all aspects of the education-abroad industry, including language camps and courses, secondary education, as well as college, undergraduate and post-graduate university degrees all around the world. When it comes to studying abroad, whatever your goal is, Baltic Council is there for you to help you walk through the entire process – from choosing the right destination and programme, until you are ready to pack your suitcase and leave.

If you are dreaming of studying abroad, you can first register for a free consultation, where the experienced study abroad advisors tell you all you need to know about studies in a foreign country. They will help you choose the right destination, university programme or language course; they will also provide support writing a motivational letter, a personal statement and a CV, following deadlines, uploading the documents on the right portals, and they will even give you advice on scholarships, student loans, health insurance, accommodation and all the practical aspects of going abroad to study.

The reason why BC is special is that their work is based on personal experience. All the managers have studied abroad, and hold university degrees from all around the world, thus having extensive first-hand knowledge and experience in applying and studying abroad. What is more, counsellors visit new and established partner institutions every year, as well as participate in agent conferences and fam-trips organized by schools and universities to have the personal experience they need to be able to recommend a school. At BC the top priority is the student; their dreams, aspirations and expectations, while only working together with the best, top-ranking institutions. Our goal is to find the best fit institution for our students.

Baltic Council
Petra with the founder and co-founder of the Baltic Council. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL

Apart from the counselling services, twice a year, in March and October, BCIE organizes the biggest education abroad fairs in Eastern Europe – called Days of International Education. The first fair in Hungary was in March, 2022 in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, where more than 30 foreign schools and universities were represented coming from all around the word – including the USA and Canada – and giving the chance for students to get to know their opportunities. The event in March attracted around 3000 visitors. The next fair in Budapest is going to be organized at the same location on the 29th of October, and around 50 institutions are to be expected.

During the year, Baltic Council organizes several webinars, where experienced managers, counsellors, university graduates or teachers share their experiences. In the past few weeks there was a webinar about studying in the Netherlands, where a Tilburg and Maastricht University graduate talked about her studies and shared some practical advice. There has also been an IELTS (international language exam needed to study abroad) introduction webinar with an experienced, accredited IELTS teacher, as Baltic Council is starting an intensive, online, IELTS preparation course very soon.

Baltic Council
Petra and Peggy Abbey during a visit to their London partner school. Photo: BALTIC COUNCIL

As a team of open-minded and professional individuals, Baltic Council believes that good quality education should not be out of reach, and that spending time abroad opens up the world and gives you endless opportunities. Their mission is to encourage young people to chase their dreams, collect experiences, build connections while gaining inspiring academic results for their future.

Minister: Brussels “inspire” the arrival of more migrants in Europe

migration hungary

The Russia-Ukraine war “won’t end anytime soon” as there “isn’t a trace” of negotiations, Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian foreign minister, said in an interview with daily Magyar Nemzet on Saturday.

Szijjártó reiterated that the government’s most important tasks are ensuring Hungary’s security and preventing the country from being dragged into the war. He pointed to “extraordinary difficulties” facing the European economy amid the environment of persistent inflation resulting from the war, the impact of sanctions and the dramatic rise in energy prices. He said uncertainty on energy markets has affected foreign exchange markets, too.

As long as there’s no peace, sentiment in the European economic environment will not be positive, he said. Addressing Hungary’s ties with Ukraine, Szijjártó said differences over the rights of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine had been “temporarily shelved” because of the wartime circumstances, but he added that the issue will need to be resolved at some point.

He said “shameless accusations” against Hungary are “unfair” and “must be firmly rejected”. Szijjártó said Hungary has condemned the aggression against Ukraine, while undertaking a humanitarian campaign of unprecedented scale, taking in over 830,000 refugees. “We’re not doing that for thanks, we’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he added.

Commenting on a recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union finding Lithuania violated EU rules when it defended its border with Belarus against illegal migration, Szijjártó said

Brussels’ immigration policy would “inspire” the arrival of more and more migrants in Europe.

Szijjártó said the war had put cooperation among the Visegrád Group – Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia – as well as between Hungary and Poland “to the test”. He added that there had always been issues on which viewpoints differ, but areas on which there was agreement were always strengthened.

Interpretations in the West that these differences spell the end of the Visegrád cooperation are “ridiculous”, he said.

railway frankfurt high speed
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Three Seas Initiative: President Novák expresses support for peaceful resolution to war in Ukraine

Three Seas Initiative

Addressing the Three Seas Summit in Riga on Monday, President Katalin Novák expressed support for a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine and promoted Hungary’s economic interests.

Novák noted on Facebook that the Three Seas Initiative was launched in 2015 to promote the North-South infrastructure axis in Europe to complement the existing East-West one.

At the Riga summit of the presidents of 12 countries, she highlighted issues “that are important to Hungary and the Hungarian people”.

As well as efforts to establish peace in Ukraine, Novák argued that the interests of countries without direct access to the sea must be taken into consideration when it comes to energy supplies.

Further, the president said: “We support the swiftest possible accession to the European Union of Ukraine and Western Balkans countries.”

The presidents of Germany, Poland, Austria, Slovenia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria, also attended the summit, alongside the prime minister of Croatia, the speaker of the Czech Senate and, through a video link, the Ukrainian president.

As we wrote earlier, Hungary’s President revealed whether she would visit Kyiv, Moscow, details HERE.

EU launched new infringement procedure against Hungary!

European Union European Parliament eu presidency

The European Commission on Thursday said it launched an infringement procedure against Hungary, as well as Estonia, Malta and the Netherlands, because it did not “correctly transpose” European Union regulation on the fight against fraud affecting the EU budget.

The EU’s executive body sent the countries letters “of formal notice”, marking the start of infringement procedures. The member states have two months to respond or the EC could take the procedures to the next level.

The Prime Minister’s Office said late Thursday the issues raised by the EC on the matter are related to the interpretation of the criminal code.

“These technical issues are not part of the negotiations between Hungary and the Commission over the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) [and] are being resolved at expert level”,

the office added.

Meanwhile, the foreign minister said that Hungary’s government has reacted to changes in the world, such as the coronavirus pandemic, the economic crisis and the war in Ukraine, with “uncompromising” commitment to representing national interests and strengthening self-defence. Péter Szijjártó told the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Turin on Friday that

the 21st century seems to turn out differently from what was expected.

Hungary will continue to promote national interests in defending physical, economic and energy security, as well as in protecting Christianity, culture, families and the home, he said. The war in Ukraine is a serious security risk for Hungary, a neighbouring country, which has a vested interest in restoring peace in the region, he said. At the same time, sanctions should hit those targeted the most, he said.

On the issue of family protection, Szijjártó said Hungary defined the family as the Judeo-Christian culture has done for thousands of years, by saying that the father is a man, the mother a woman, and children are raised by their parents, he said.

Hungary respects if other countries want to live differently, and expects the same for others,

he said. Unless the world is able to return to the principle of mutual respect in international relations, the challenges facing the world will be exacerbated, he said.

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Lithuanian human smuggler sentenced to prison

migration

A local court in Kiskunhalas, in southern Hungary, has sentenced a Lithuanian human smuggler in accelerated procedure to 2 years and 2 months in prison and expelled him from Hungary for 4 years and 4 months in a biding ruling.

Szabolcs Sárközy, a spokesman for the Kecskemét Court, said on Monday that the 21 year-old man had attempted to illegally transport 13 Tunisians to Austria on February 16.

After his van was stopped by police near Kiskunmajsa, he tried to run away but was captured soon after.

The migrants had put 1,500-2,500 euros per person in deposit before their departure and the driver was supposed to get 650 euros for the transport, the statement said.

read also: Hungarian police officers’ starting salary is lower than 520 EUR/month!

American diplomat: Putin wants to conquer Hungary

Russian president Putin

W. Robert Pearson, a former US ambassador to Turkey, published an unsettling article on Russian President Putin’s alleged goals concerning the Eastern-European region. He claims that Putin wants to restore the former glory of Russia. Therefore, he wants to “claw back for his imperial Russia: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, with Moldova leaning West, non-NATO and yet on Putin’s list.”

Hungary on Putin’s list?

Mr Pearson shared his opinion on the relevant issue on thehill.com. According to Wikipedia, in 2020, this site was the largest independent political news portal in the United States. Pearson serves as the president of American Diplomacy Publishers Inc. Moreover, he is a scholar at the Middle East Institute and a fellow at Duke University Center for International and Global Studies/Rethinking Diplomacy. He served twice at NATO during the end of the Cold War, at the time of Germany’s reunification, and he was also responsible for accepting new members of the Alliance.

The former US ambassador to Turkey is an opinion contributor, and he shared some paragraphs on the news website regarding Putin’s ultimate goals concerning Eastern Europe.

His title is thought-provoking: NATO must decide European security beyond the Ukraine war.

It asserts that the military block has more tasks on the European “front” than supplying Ukraine with the necessary weapons, intelligence and information to make Kyiv able to withstand Russian aggression.

Putin to reestablish the Iron Curtain?

Pearson writes that international media did not notice Turkish President Erdogan’s chief advisor and spokesman’s March 17 statement: “after this war, there will have to be a new security architecture established between Russia and the Western bloc.” He quotes Thomas Bagger, a senior German diplomat, who said that Putin was thinking in categories of a 1,000-year empire. “You cannot deter someone like that with sanctions.”

“NATO frontline states form a concave arc across the heart of Europe from the Baltic approaches to St. Petersburg to the mouth of the Danube. That is the territory Putin intends to claw back for his imperial Russia: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, with Moldova leaning West, non-NATO and yet on Putin’s list”

the US diplomat writes.

Without security, there will be no prosperous economy

He argues that Putin will bolster Russia’s military presence as far west as possible. He will try to intimidate the Baltic states, Poland and Germany. Furthermore, Putin will try to drag Minsk as close as possible. Moreover, he will try to make Russia’s military presence in Belarus semi-permanent, like in Syria and Kazakhstan. Pearson says that demanding the non-NATO Ukraine is just the first step. “One of the clearest lessons of modern European history is that leaders of democracies should believe what dictators and autocrats say they plan to do” – the former US ambassador to Turkey claims.

Sanctions will not be successful for NATO or the USA if Russia does not retreat from Ukraine. Otherwise, there will only be a new frozen conflict. Pearson says that Europe cannot be free and economically prosperous without the security of its member states.

This is not the first time an ambassador suggests that Hungary is on Putin’s list. Lyubov Nepop, the Ukrainian ambassador to Hungary, said in late March that Hungary was the next target of the Russian president – 168 óra reported.

NATO soldiers command centre
Read alsoHere is why NATO could kick out Hungary at any time!

Minister: Hungary’s left and Ukraine agreed to drag Hungary into war

Péter Szijjártó on the NATO summit

The Russia-Ukraine war is “not Hungary’s war”, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said after talks with NATO counterparts in Bratislava on Thursday. The Hungarian government will do everything it can to protect Hungarians from the conflict, he said.

Hungary is sticking to its policy of not sending weapons to Ukraine or allowing the transit of lethal aid across its territory, while opposing sanctions on Russian oil and gas, Szijjártó said. The foreign ministers of the Bucharest Nine countries — Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary — condemned the military aggression at the meeting, stating that they wanted to live in peace, Szijjártó said.

Szijjártó told his counterparts about

“an agreement between Hungary’s left wing and Ukraine”

which, he insisted, entailed weapons being sent to Ukraine if it won Sunday’s general election. “This is unacceptable and runs contrary to the interests of the Hungarian people and the country’s security,” he said, adding that the transport of weapons would risk Hungary being dragged into the war.

While “it is in Ukraine’s interest that Hungary should have a left-wing government that sends weapons”, Hungary must ensure security for its people, the minister said.

Szijjártó said there was a “strong pressure” on the European Union to impose sanctions on Russian oil and gas imports, and he was “aware that the Hungarian left wing would support those sanctions”, but this was a “red line” for the government, he added, as such sanctions could seriously jeopardise Hungary’s energy supplies and its economy.

The minister also said Hungary was implementing

“the largest aid programme in its history”

in which several hundred tonnes of food and toiletry products have been sent to Ukraine and 548,000 refugees have been accommodated in Hungary.

Hungary respects the decision of countries that send weapons to Ukraine, but in turn it expects them to respect its decision against facilitating such transports itself, Szijjártó said.

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