Canada

WOW! Hungarian woman among the world’s most influential persons

Linda Hasenfratz, Hungary, Canada, woman

A Hungarian woman with Hungarian ancestors got featured amongst the most influential people of all time. The list features the most important women of all time from nineteen different countries.

According to Napi, Linda Hasenfratz is in the 47th place, and she is the executive director of the company Linamar. The 53-year-old Hasenfratz became the leader of the company in 2002 when her father gave her the position. The company, which has a Canadian centre, deals and produces parts for vehicles and was going through hard times.

Hasenfratz took control and brought along intense development for the company, which now has 53 factories in 13 countries with 23 thousand employees. The revenue of the company reached 6 billion dollars last year.

Frank Hasenfratz, who established the company, left Hungary after the revolution and uprising in 1956, and now (84) retired, he lives at his own home. After emigrating from the country, he started a brand-new life in Canada and established the company.

See the full list HERE

Budapest – Bryan Adams gives free concert this September! – VIDEO

Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams returns to Hungary! This September, the singer will give a free concert in Budapest!

On 28th September, the Canadian musician Bryan Adams will give a free concert at Heroes’ Square. The audience can view an exclusive two-hour show, explicitly organised for the 20th birthday of “Scandinavian” lottery; the show will be opened by Well Hello band.

This is the second time when the Hungarian National Lottery Company (Szerencsejáték Zrt.) organises a major concert at Heroes’ Square – last year, Sting and Shaggy were invited for the 30th anniversary of the “six-number draw” lottery.

The 59-year-old singer, guitarist, songwriter started his Shine A Light concert tour this May in America. In October, the singer will perform in South America, which will be followed by European concerts in November. It seems that Bryan Adams will suspend the tour to give a two-hour concert to the Hungarian audience on 28th September in Budapest. Bryan Adams visited Hungary three years ago, offering a great show at Papp László Budapest Sports Arena, just like previously – in 2003, 2006 and 2012. The musician also visited the countryside – he gave a fantastic concert in Debrecen in 2016, in front of 200,000 people.

The world-famous Canadian musician – during his three and a half decades-long career – has sold more than 100 million records, and toured at all the six continents (performing as the first Western musician in Pakistan and Vietnam), and topped the charts in 40 countries. 

The singer received the highest Canadian state award, he was registered in the Music Hall of Fame and has a star at Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Such renowned artists performed his songs as Joe Cocker, Bonnie Tyler, Kiss and Tina Turner, with whom he sang a duet as well. He worked together with Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Sting and Rod Stewart.

As the Hungarian news portal Origo describes, the musician’s soundtracks are so successful that Bryan Adams was nominated for Oscar and Golden Globe Awards as well.

In 1992, he won the Grammy Award for his song – Everything I Do, I Do It For You.

His 14th studio album, Shine A Light came out this March. His greatest hits are Summer of ‘69, Heaven, Straight from the Heart, Please Forgive Me, or the latest Shine A Light, featuring Ed Sheeran.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=EA-1MdGTra4

The singer also takes photographs. His photo album “Exposed” was published in 2012. He also made photos of the English royal family, had a good relationship with Lady Diana and photographed Amy Winehouse as well.

On 28th September, the concert will be opened by Well Hello at 6 pm, at Heroes’ Square; Bryan Adams performs on stage from 8 pm. The National Lottery Company emphasised that during the event, special attention will be paid to persons with disabilities.

 

Featured image: www.facebook.com/bryanadamsofficial/

Video: www.facebook.com/bryanadamsofficial/

Orbán meets former Canadian PM

orbán former canadian pm

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Wednesday met former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in his office to discuss current political events, the prime minister’s press chief told MTI.

The talks also touched on possibilities of developing Hungarian-Canadian cultural ties, Bertalan Havasi said.

Harper served as prime minister between 2006 and 2015 under the auspices of the Conservative Party of Canada.

He currently heads the International Democrat Union comprising 80 parties from 60 countries.

Antal Rogán, Orban’s cabinet chief, and Katalin Novák, the state secretary for youth and family affairs, also attended the meeting.

Canada travel checklist for Hungarians

canada toronto

Canada is the second-largest nation in the world. As such, it is a haven for tourism with plenty of attractions and destinations for visitors to explore. This is evidenced by the volume of foreign tourists who visit the country on an annual basis. In 2018, Canada experienced a record-breaking 21 million tourist visits. The international arrivals showed significant growth in comparison to data from the past few years. 

Before you go to Canada, you may be wondering about Canada’s visa requirements. Canada has an electronic travel authorization called eTA, which can be applied for and received online, making the process quicker and smoother without having to go to the embassy for an interview as you would with a regular visa.  The type of visa you will need depends on your nationality, the purpose of your stay, and the duration of your stay, so we recommend that you check in advance.

When you travel to Canada, you have a variety of accommodation options to choose from. But if you want a unique place to stay aside from hotels then you can check out North York condos.

For Hungarian citizens who wish to visit Canada, you need to comply with certain requirements in order to be permitted entry to the country.

moraine-lake canada

eTA to Canada

The eTA is one of the documents required by the Canadian government for those who wish to visit their country. The acronym eTA stands for Electronic Travel Authorization. This is a basic entry requirement for all foreign tourists to enter Canada, even those with a visa exemption, as long as the travel is by air.

The eTA is an electronically produced document that is linked to the passport information of a given traveler.

It is valid for up to five years or until the expiration of said passport (whichever is sooner). Whenever you get a new passport, you need to apply for a new eTA to Canada.

Even when you have been issued the eTA, you are not guaranteed entry to Canada just yet. There will be immigration officers and border services that will inspect your documents. This will include your passport and your eTA, or any other documents requested of you upon arrival. In some cases, foreign tourists will be asked a series of questions about their impending visit to Canada. 

The eTA program was approved in 2012. But it took the Canadian government four years to implement this program so that it would tie in with their existing database and security data for immigration. They wanted to make sure that it will serve as a seamless new tool for screening foreign tourists. 

eTA for Hungarians Traveling to Canada

Visa-free travel has been imposed on a few countries, including citizens from Hungary.

This means that Hungarian citizens will no longer have to secure a visa in order to gain entry to Canada.

But the Canadian government has imposed the eTA as the condition for the visa-free travel. Hungarian citizens who are unable to secure this document will be barred from entering the country. This is also true for other citizens from the European Union. 

Hungary is one of the launching members of the eTA program, which means citizens of this country are valid to apply for it. This document is only valid for air travel. It is also recommended for short tourist trips, business travels, and transit travels to Canada. The applicant of the eTA must be at least 18 years old. Any applicants below the required age should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The eTa to Canada is a requirement for Hungarian citizens. (Image Source: Nomad Capitalist)

The eTA is provided to Hungarian citizens for a short-term stay in Canada (no more than 90 days). Since it was introduced in 2016, it has enabled Canadian immigration to screen travelers from various parts of the world, including Hungary. This was in response to the global threat of terrorism. 

If you are a Hungarian citizen who wishes to stay in Canada for more than 90 days, you will need to apply for a different type of visa.

You need to complete your eTA at least 72 hours prior to arriving in the country. The main requirement to qualify for this travel document is that you must be a full Hungarian citizen. If you are a refugee or have a different status on your passport, you must apply for the full Canadian visitor visa (which has a more stringent approval process).

Applying for the eTA

Given that the eTA is a valid requirement for those who wish to travel to Canada, it is important that Hungarian citizens know the process of application. The first step is to visit the official Government of Canada website. 

Once you are on the website, look for the button that will redirect you to the eTA application form online. Make sure you complete the form and supply all the needed information. If you can provide all the required data, you will have a higher chance of getting approved quickly. You will also be asked to provide your passport, email address, and credit or debit card details. There are also a few questionnaires that you need to complete. Pay extra attention to the passport number or any information relating to your passport. The passport number is linked to your eTA approval email. The info contained in that approval email must be consistent with your passport, or it would be invalid.

The entire application process is so easy and efficient that you may complete it within a few minutes. In some cases, the eTA approval is also determined within minutes via email. But this can vary as some applications can take days to process for approval. The main reason why it can take longer can be because the Canadian embassy asks you to provide additional supporting documents. 

It is, however, recommended that you secure your eTA prior to booking a flight to Canada. The cost of the eTA is $7. You need to apply for the eTA for one person at a time. 

Who Else Needs to Apply for the eTA?

Foreign tourists who are required to secure the eTA as part of the travel requirements to Canada are divided into a few basic types. The first ones are the foreign nationals who have visa exemption to the country. You need the eTA in order to fly or transit through the airport in Canada. You do not need to secure this document if you are arriving by bus, car, or cruise ship.

The second type of travellers that are required to obtain this document are those who are citizens of visa-required countries. Instead of applying for a visa, you can obtain the eTA in order to be allowed to travel to Canada. If you are arriving by cruise ship, bus, or car, you need to obtain a visitor’s visa.

There are some exceptions for obtaining an eTA to travel to Canada. US citizens, in particular, are exempt from obtaining this travel document as long as they present a valid passport and proper identification. 

Why Travel to Canada? 

Despite the stricter rules imposed by the Canadian government on foreign tourist travel, it remains a popular destination. It is home to a wide range of natural attractions like Banff National Park, Moraine Lake, and Emerald Lake.

canada

You can also explore a few notable tourist landmarks such as the CN Tower in Toronto, the Butchart Gardens, and the awe-inspiring Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. 

Hungary opens consulate in Vancouver

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó opened a Hungarian consulate in Vancouver on Wednesday local time.

The consulate will facilitate relations with the local Hungarian community and access to the economic opportunities and technological developments in the region, Szijjártó told MTI by phone.

In his opening speech, Szijjártó noted that Canada was Hungary’s strategic partner and an important ally, with bilateral trade reaching 400 million dollars annually.

Some 400,000 people with Hungarian roots live in Canada, Szijjártó noted. The consulate will support the Hungarian communities in the region in preserving their Hungarian identities, he said.

The Vancouver consulate is the third Hungarian diplomatic mission in Canada, next to the embassy in Ottawa and the consulate-general in Toronto.

Hungary to propose to Ukraine restoring ties, says foreign minister

Hungary will propose to Ukraine’s new president that bilateral relations should “return to the old path”, an era when the Hungarian community in the neighboring country’s Transcarpathia region could fully exercise their acquired minority rights, the foreign minister said on the sidelines of an international conference on Wednesday.

Szijjártó attended a conference on reforms in Ukraine in Toronto.

Speaking to MTI by phone, Péter Szijjártó noted that the previous president, Petro Poroshenko, pursued an anti-Hungarian policy.

The education and language laws adopted during his term violate the Hungarian community’s rights, he said.

The laws are in conflict with European standards, as well as with international law and bilateral obligations, he said.

Now with a new president in office there is hope that Ukraine will not continue to pursue an anti-Hungarian policy, he said, adding that Volodymyr Zelensky’s statements “had so far been encouraging”, giving hope for optimism.

The question is whether Zelensky will make sure that legal changes are implemented to “return the rights of the Hungarian community” after the autumn parliamentary elections, Szijjártó said.

“Should this happen, Hungary will then support convening a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine committee,” the foreign minister said.

Hungary will then also be ready to carry out a comprehensive economic cooperation plan with Ukraine including a 50 million euro tied aid programme supporting road construction in Transcarpathia, Szijjártó said.

Hungary also stands ready to resume the work of the joint economic and environmental protection committees, and to continue its Transcarpathia economic development programme, he added.

Szijjártó said he had held bilateral talks with Stepan Kubiv, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine, Kurt Volker, the US’s special representative for Ukraine and Pekka Haavisto, Finland’s foreing minister.

Orbán cabinet puts emphasis on serving Hungarian communities abroad

ReConnect Hungary - Hungarian Birthright scheme

The government commissioner responsible for Hungarian communities abroad welcomed to Budapest Hungarians living in the United States and Canada on Wednesday.

Péter Szilágyi noted that the government has focused on the issue of Hungarian communities abroad since 2010.

Speaking to 21 young people visiting the country as part of the ReConnect Hungary – Hungarian Birthright scheme Szilágyi noted there are 15 million Hungarians altogether in the world, and the North American diaspora accounts for 1.8 million of them.

Second- and third-generation Hungarians are meeting in Budapest and around Hungary in the next two weeks, and they will have the chance to see where their ancestors come from, he noted.

Besides learning Hungarian and engaging in cultural programmes, they will meet entrepreneurs and government employees.

The commissioner said the aim was for as many young people to participate in diaspora schemes as possible with a view to maintaining the diaspora, culture and language.

Amazing! researchers find evidence of an ancient Hungarian-speaking community

Official sees strong interest for Hungary food produce in Canada

Interest in Hungarian food produce is “serious and real” in Canada and the Hungarian government is making every effort to promote successful partnerships with Canadian firms, foreign ministry official Levente Magyar said at the end of a three-day visit to Canada late on Saturday.

The state secretary told MTI that the main purpose of his visit was to promote Hungarian food produce among Canadian suppliers with a view to significantly boosting current annual exports of 21 million euros.

He held talks with a dozen of importers and with Canadian investors already present in Hungary.

He cited Linamar, which has around 3,000 employees and is expanding its bases in Orosháza and Békéscsaba, introducing state-of-the-art technology in agricultural machinery and parts manufacturing. Linamar is an important strategic partner of the Hungarian government and its expansion projects receive government support, he added.

Magyar said there was great potential in bilateral cooperation, with current annual trade totalling around 330 million euros, much less than Hungary’s turnover with other countries of a similar size.

The HungaroFeszt in Toronto also offers a good opportunity to present the country, he said. The Alliance of Hungarian Businesses is a driver of the Hungarian community there, organising events and offering the institutional framework for ethnic Hungarians to nurture their community.

At the same time, he said political relations were “frozen” because Canada had an “extreme liberal” government which “attacks Hungary in a hysterical manner” in order to gain “domestic political capital”.

“This is testimony to Hungary’s enhanced international role,” he said. “They are paying attention to us, and what we say matters.”

Magyar said that after the upcoming elections in Canada, the country will “hopefully shift in a direction that is closer to the Hungarian government’s position in such important areas as the preservation of identity and Christian culture, and responses to global events like international mass migration and other civilisation challenges.”

Giga-investment! Canadians might purchase Hungary’s second biggest military airport

Military plane

The Canadians made an impressive offer on a 330-hectare ex-military airport, which used to be the second biggest military airport in Hungary. The owners are leaning towards selling.

Baon.hu and HVG report that a Canadian company, Gloder Capital LPP, is interested in buying a 330-hectare area which is owned by three different settlements: Foktő, Kalocsa and Uszód.

This area used to be Hungary’s second biggest military airport.

Uszód owns the majority of the airport (120 hectares), Foktő owns 100 hectares, and Kalocsa owns 50 hectares.

The local governments of the three towns have long been discussing the possibility of utilising the property;

they were even approached to establish a solar power plant, and the Chinese showed interest in the property as well.

The most expensive Hungarian properties are bought by Chinese buyers

We know that the Canadian company has already launched a takeover bid, but dr. József Bálint, the mayor of Kalocsa, was not willing to share the details just yet. However, he did mention that

if the offer comes through, this could be the business of the century for the owners.

He still needs to consult with the local governments with whom Kalocsa shares ownership of the property. Kalocsa’s mayor believes that it is a very serious offer:

“If this deal is made, the next mayor will have very little to worry about.”

A businessman from Qatar buys the luxury hotel of the Jordanians in Budapest

The longest airstrip is 3.2 kilometres, which is ideal for a Boeing plane. The fact that the construction permit for the Kalocsa-Paks-Danube bridge was recently obtained increases the chances of the property getting sold. Even Paks II could make use of a 3-kilometre-long airstrip, HVG writes. The same company is planning to establish an airport logistics centre in Kiskunlacháza, where a similar former military airport is located.

Featured image: Illustration/Pixabay

Hungarian state officials mark national holiday in US, Canada

Hungarian state officials addressed events marking the March 15 national holiday organised by ethnic Hungarian communities in the US and Canada over the weekend.

Ministerial commissioner at the prime minister’s office Péter Szilágyi told an event in Los Angeles on Sunday that

“March 15 is a symbol of unity that transcends our differences.”

A statue of King Stephen who is considered to be the founder of the Hungarian state was inaugurated during the event held in a local church named after the king. In his speech, Szilágyi highlighted the participation of Hungarian emigrants who fled after 1849 in the American Civil War.

State secretary in charge of ethnic Hungarian communities abroad Árpád János Potápi addressed events in Edmonton and Calgary in Canada on Saturday and Sunday. He said

Hungarians disliked being told by others how to live their lives and described March 15 as “the birthday of Hungarian freedom.”

Referring to the upcoming European parliamentary election, he said that Hungarians can decide in May whether “we can protect our sovereignty from oppressive European powers or have to implement a central plan”.

Potápi told MTI that he had met local ethnic Hungarian leaders in Edmonton and Calgary, and visited churches and weekend schools. He said it was uplifting to meet young children who sometimes spoke better Hungarian than their parents and this was “partly thanks to the weekend schools operated with support o the Hungarian government”.

Photo: MTI (illustration)

The difference between real estate in Hungary and Canada

When you think about it, both Canada and Hungary are great countries to move in. Of course, Canada has the upper edge because it’s in the American continent and that opens up new possibilities. There are also more industries here, better jobs and paychecks. But as you can imagine, there are always pros and cons.

Living in Canada is not super affordable. Getting Kingston windows might be affordable, but food and living costs as a whole can definitely be better. That doesn’t mean you will find other countries with extremely good prices and a whole lot of other stuff. What you really want here is to find a good, creative way to eliminate unwanted costs and focus on the stuff that you really need.

And Hungary definitely shines there. From a real estate standpoint, you will notice that

Hungary is a lot more affordable.

Even in the capital you will find a large condo that’s a lot less expensive when compared to a major city in Canada. You can use a 100% Canadian windows company to equip your home even in Hungary if you want to, however the challenge is that you have less jobs that pay good money in Hungary. And that’s obviously one of the reasons why people tend to migrate here from other countries.

canada ontario

The same thing happens when it comes to maintenance costs. The overall maintenance costs are actually not very high in Canada, which can end up being a good thing. At least in the beginning. The reality about Hungary is that it’s even cheaper so if you want to pay less on rent and home maintenance in general, then Hungary might be a good option for sure.

However, the home style differs. Hungary is more focused on the older home styles and architecture. On the other hand, Canada is all about modernism and trying out new things. While you might not be able to find skyscrapers in Hungary, at least not a ton of them, Canada is known for having quite a lot of those. And that really goes to show just how interesting and unique everything really is there.

Of course, that will translate into higher prices. When it comes to material quality, things are not always as you might imagine.

Hungarian homes tend to have great quality as a whole, but so do Canadian homes.

house flat hungary budapest Kató Alpár
Photo: Kató Alpár Daily News Hungary)

So it’s all about knowing what you want and getting it at the best possible price. It’s certainly one of those things that you do want to focus on and it might very well work exactly as you need it to.

So yes, Canadian and Hungarian real estate are quite different.

That doesn’t mean one is better than the other, it all comes down to what you really want if you think about it. But more often than not you will get to have a tremendous experience if you do it adequately, so as long as you know what you are getting into, results will shine!

Fasten your seatbelts! Extraordinary Ferrari coming to Budapest

Ferrari, car, Italy, red

Josh Cartu, born on 11th March 1979, is a Canadian businessman, millionaire and luxurious car collector, who lives in Hungary. He used to be a Ferrari racer back in the day. His love for cars – especially for Ferraris – did not fade away when he stopped racing, and he is about to receive Ferrari’s newest and rarest car.

HVG reported that Ferrari put their 458 Italia and 488 GBT typed Ferrari on the market in 2015. As an enthusiastic collector, it is evident that Cartu has both of these Ferrari types. At the beginning of 2018, Ferrari released their newest prototype, the 488 Pista Ferrari, which he bought immediately, and in the summer of the same year Piloti Ferrari 488, which is the little sister of 488 Pista, and even more exclusive.

According to Josh Cartu’s official Instagram profile, he receives his rare Piloti Ferrari 488 this month.

Ferrari, Cartu, red
Photo: www.instagram.com/jcartu

This type of Ferrari has the same engine as the 488 Pista and has several design features. It is important to emphasise that this kind of strictly limited-edition Ferrari can only be purchased by Ferrari racers. It comes in various types of fantasy colours and is decorated with the Italian flag. Its owner can also decorate this car with a special start number.

This is not the only rare Ferrari Cartu has. He bought a hybrid LaFerrari Aperta for 3 billion Hungarian Forints (9,000,000 Euros) before.

Featured image: www.facebook.com/Ferrari

Wow! Hungarian chimney cake shop sweeps Canadians off their feet

chimney cake, canada

The Hungarian chimney cake (kürtöskalács) shop is familiar to everybody in Toronto by now. The Hungarian sweets had somewhat of a rocky start in Canada; however, those who tasted it became lifelong fans. There are now four shops in and around Toronto, scoring the company a place among the fastest-growing enterprises in Canada, and causing the owners to think about franchise options.

In 2014, a couple living in Toronto, Justin Butler and his wife, Kristin, decided to go and travel around the world for a year. Their last stop brought them to Hungary, visiting cousins and reconnecting to the Hungarian roots, as Justin’s ancestors are Hungarian. It was during this trip that they first tasted the delicious Hungarian chimney cake and fell in love – reports Forbes.

Apparently, there used to be one woman in Toronto who occasionally sold chimney cakes, and sometimes you could get it at the Hungarian store in the city; however, once it was gone, you could get no more, there was no restocking. So, the couple decided to fill this gap in the market. They learnt the tricks of making chimney cake in the Slovenian Muraszombat, close to the Hungarian border, from a Hungarian and an English woman. This was followed by two months of trial-baking in the parents’ garage; then, finally, they could start selling the Hungarian speciality in Canada.

chimney cake, dessert
Eva, the inspiration for the company, and the popular ‘chimney cone’
Photo: facebook.com/originalchimneys

Justin’s grandmother, the now 88-year-old Eva, inspired the company’s name, Eva’s Original Chimneys, and actively participated in the taste-testing phase to find the perfect recipe. She herself also attempted to bake the Hungarian speciality, as the memories of its delicious taste were vivid from her childhood; however, she felt like she could never get results as great as her mother’s or grandmother’s (click HERE for the recipe).

The initial reaction of Canadians to this hungaricum was nonchalance and a bit of bafflement. The owners first tried their luck at festivals, concerts and various events, selling the sweets from a food truck. Although they slowly built a client base, and more and more people started asking where they could get the dessert when there was no event on, a recurring question was about what the chimney cake held on the inside.

Traditionally, the Hungarian chimney cake is formed like a cylinder and has nothing on the inside. This did not make sense to Canadians, though, so the company started selling the so-called ‘chimney cone’.

A chimney cone has the shape of a cone and is filled with various flavours of ice cream, and topped with different sauces and sprinkles. On the outside, it is still flavoured with coconut, walnut, cinnamon, hazelnut or vanilla, all mixed with sugar.

dessert, chimney cake
Chimney cone
Photo: facebook.com/originalchimneys

They opened their first shop in 2017, and by now, they have four shops altogether and two food trucks in addition.

“We consider the Hungarian roots to be crucial; we brought an authentic Hungarian product to North-America.”

– says Justin. He also adds that he knows chimney cakes originate from Transylvania, but he knows from his grandmother that Transylvania was once part of Hungary.

The Hungarian origin is emphasised in the design of the shops, too. The walls are lined by the Hungarian flag, photos of Budapest and the names of Hungarian streets.

“On the one hand, it is out of respect for our family; on the other hand, it is so people know where chimney cakes come from.”

The most popular product at Eva’s Original Chimneys is the filled chimney cone, about 300

dessert, food, chimney cake
Photo: facebook.com/originalchimneys

thousand are sold annually, for 9-10 dollars a piece, while the traditional chimney cake is sold for 6.25 dollars.

They also have a partnership with a Hungarian supplier, Chocome, who, among other things, supply the chocolate chips used at the bottom of a chimney cone to prevent the filling from spilling out.

“Chocome is known well-enough in Canada so that customers know it is a premium and good-quality product” – says Balázs Popescu, the export manager of Chocome Ltd.

Interestingly, they have another product by now, prepared from the same dough. This is called the ‘chimdog’, a name coined by the owners – we can say this is a new hungaricum.

It is filled with beef, cheese and vegetables, but there is also a vegan version.

Asked about their future plans, the couple revealed that they plan to start the franchise expansion in the spring of 2019. The location is unknown as of yet; however, if they end up coming to Europe, their first stop will definitely be Hungary.

For more chimney cake-related news, check out how this Hungarian speciality conquers other parts of the world.

Featured image: facebook.com/originalchimneys

Former Canadian diplomat with Hungarian origins arrested in China

Canadian ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig was detained in China on Monday, over suspicion of “endangering national security”. His arrest is most probably China’s answer to the detention of Huawei CFO, Meng Wanzhou in Canada.

As one clever reader of 444.hu pointed out, Kovrig has Hungarian ancestry, and he even lived in Budapest during the 1990’s. Kovrig was detained on Monday in Beijing. Kovrig’s arrest was most probably China’s revenge for the detention of Meng Wanzhou, Chief Financial Officer of Huawei.

[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/hungarian-police-arrest-51-protesters-over-past-2-days-14-policemen-were-injured/” type=”big” color=”green” newwindow=”yes”] Hungarian police arrest 51 protesters over the past 2 days, 14 policemen were injured[/button]

Meng Wanzhou’s arrest in Canada

Meng Wanzhou was arrested by Canadian authorities, acting on a U.S. request, at the Vancouver airport while she was changing planes, traveling from Hong Kong to Mexico. She is accused of breaking US sanctions on Iran. Meng Wanzhou has to remain in the Vancouver area as she awaits possible extradition to the U.S. on fraud charges. Huawei has also been accused of releasing data to spies.

Subsequent arrest of Michael Kovrig in China

Michael Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat who was arrested Monday evening. No one has information concerning where he is now, or where he has been since then. He was accused of “endangering national security”.

Michael Kovrig worked and lived in Budapest during the 1990’s. He was working for a newspaper called Week. He was also the lead singer of a band called Bankrupt between 1996 and 1999. The band had a concert in Budapest last year, at the same time that Kovrig was visiting the Hungarian capital as well. Kovrig joined the band for one song during the concert.

Another Canadian detained

According to the latest news, Kovrig is not the only Canadian, the Chinese are “holding hostage”. Michael Spavor was taken in for questioning, no one heard from him since. The Canadian Foreign Ministry is trying to find out where these two people were taken. Canadian authorities have no clue why Spavor was arrested. He was detained most probably because of the same charges: “endangering national security”.

[button link=”https://dailynewshungary.com/portuguese-men-arrested-with-14-kg-heroin-at-budapest-airport/” type=”big” newwindow=”yes”] Portuguese men arrested with 14 kg of heroin at Budapest Airport[/button]

Featured image: Facebook.com/kovrig

Mesterházy elected head of Socialist group in NATO parliament assembly

nato

Socialist lawmaker Attila Mesterházy has been elected head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Socialist group, the Socialist Party told MTI on Sunday.

Mesterházy is the first Hungarian MP to lead a party group in the assembly since Hungary joined NATO,

the party said in a statement. Mesterházy will also head the Sub-Committee on Transatlantic Defence and Security Cooperation, it added.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly met in Halifax, Canada, during the week to elect the assembly president and heads of committees.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly is a specialised forum for members of parliament from across the Atlantic Alliance to discuss and influence decisions on alliance security.

The assembly is institutionally separate from NATO, but serves as a link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations.

Photo: reportervirtual.ro

‘Saying goodbye with ‘puszi’ is totally confusing for me’ – foreign athletes about their life in Hungary

Budapest parliament Hungary Hungarian

Szeretlekmagyarorszag.hu asked foreign players and coaches about how they are adjusting to Hungary. They wanted to know why these people chose Hungary to live in and what strange, exciting or interesting is for them here. They even asked them not to be polite. Here are the answers they received.

Hungarians drive like crazy

Firstly, they talked with Julie Fogg (28) who came from France to play in the handball team of Érd. She was the goalkeeper of the French national champion team at home and chose to come to Hungary because she knew a coach here and wanted to see the world. At first, she did not know anything about the country, and she was afraid of racism. However, she says that everybody is very kind to her. Moreover, Hungarians support their team very enthusiastically, which transforms every match into a party.

What she could not get used to are the traditional Hungarian dishes and how Hungarians drive their cars. She said that Hungarians are braver in this respect than the French. Furthermore, handball is also tougher than in France, because referees allow more, and even the players are harsher. A Hungarian wants to fight,

even if they experience physical pain.

“Of course, this is not allowed, neither here, nor abroad. Still, Hungarians do it.”

Hungary
Julie Foggea Photo: facebook.com/julie.foggea

She said that the most special Hungarian word she has heard so far is “körülbelül” (= Eng. approximately), and she still does not know its meaning, but her coach uses it frequently and it sounds funny.

Hungary can be the first step towards NBA

Daniel Amigo (23) comes from El Paso (Texas) and has been the basketball player of Debrecen DEAC for one month. According to him, the club of the University of Debrecen is the first step in his professional career, and he is very happy that he could come to Hungary. He said that some rules in basketball are different here, so he had to learn them again.

He added that his

favourite Hungarian dish is lángos.

Hungary
Daniel Amigo. Photo: facebook.com/daniel.amigo.7

He found it strange that plastic bags are not for free, like in the USA. But he thinks that the most important difference is that Hungarians are funny and they understand jokes, so they always laugh with his teammates. He says that he likes Hungarian culture, and his favourite word is “tesó” (= Eng. ‘bro’) which sounds great and is easy to learn. He added that he would like to play in the NBA, but he still needs the experience to do so. This is why he is in Hungary.

Driving a car in Hungary is difficult

“I am happy to talk about it, but I am actually not a foreigner” – said Bronson Kovács, a Canadian defender playing ice hockey in the DEAC. He has lived in Hungary for the past 4 years and, in spite of his surname, he does not speak Hungarian. He has both Canadian and Hungarian tattoos referring to his double citizenship. His favourite Hungarian word is “Mi?” (Eng. What?) because it always helps everybody to learn new things.

For him, expressing feelings more openly was the strangest thing in Hungary. For example, it happens here that

even elder couples kiss on the streets,

which is unusual in Canada. Furthermore, ice hockey is harder in Canada than in Hungary. According to him, every car is with an automatic transmission in Canada; however, this is not true for Hungary. Thus, during his first months in the country, he tried to learn how to shift gears. He says that it is good in Hungary that eating out is cheaper, but people have to wait for the food longer than in Canada.

Hungary
Bronson Kovács. Photo: facebook.com/pg/deacjegkorong

And since during the Canadian winter a minus 30 degree Celsius is not exceptional he can always wear shorts and slippers in Hungary, even in January. This is why

many people think that he is crazy.

Interestingly, he is learning Hungarian, and his best experience regarding this language was when he could answer the letter of one of his fans.

Saying puszi (Eng. kiss) is confusing for an American

Troy Baker (33, California) is an American football coach. He has been living here since January, but he can still hardly believe that food like pasta with jam exists. He says that Hungarian women are absolutely gorgeous and very nice, too. Furthermore, the average Hungarian is much more family-centric than most Americans.

He said that using ‘Hello’ as a farewell is very strange but adding puszi (Eng. kiss) after it is absolutely confusing for an American. Speaking about state funding, he declared that the government does not support American football, only soccer, and he cannot understand why.

Hungary
Troy Baker. Photo: facebook.com/gyor.sharks

He does not understand two things in Hungary:

why the government builds so many football stadiums while hospitals seem to be very old

and neither can he understand why there are so many homeless people.

Photos: facebook.com/julie.foggea, facebook.com/daniel.amigo.7, facebook.com/pg/deacjegkorong, facebook.com/gyor.sharks

Budapest Airport among exhibitors at one of the world’s largest cargo forums

bud airport

“Connect differently!” – this is the motto of the joint cargo strategy with which Budapest, Düsseldorf and Hamburg Airport have been appearing jointly for more than a year now at international air cargo forums, also because these three airports belong to the same shareholder group, the AviAlliance. This week, the representatives of Budapest Airport’s Business Unit Property and Cargo are participating at the Air Cargo Forum organized by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) in Toronto, Canada, the largest airfreight meeting with over 300 exhibitors and over 4 000 top managers and executives from all over the world, Budapest Airport press release said.

In less than a year, a modern, 20 000-square-meter cargo hub and warehouse will be handed over to cargo carriers at Budapest Airport, with construction getting underway since mid of September. (Read details HERE.)The execution of the Cargo City is the most important message from Hungary at the Toronto forum, where Budapest Airport is exhibiting jointly, with fellow cargo experts from Düsseldorf and Hamburg. All three airports are focusing on developing the cargo business, primarily because there are significant market opportunities in new cargo bases, where large capacities are available, unlike at traditional European hubs. The construction of the Cargo City at Budapest Airport is part of this strategy, as Hungary offers ideal conditions to become a large cargo hub for Central Eastern Europe.

Cargo traffic has increased by no less than 39 percent at Budapest Airport during the past two years, reaching 127 000 tons last year, with as much as 150 000 tons possible this year.

This is the growth in demand that the Cargo City is intended to satisfy, complemented with the construction of a 36 000-square-meter concrete apron, enabling the concurrent handling of two giant cargo aircraft (so-called code F, i.e. Boeing B747-8F, with a payload of 100 tons).

Budapest Airport is spending 32.6 million euros (approximately 10 billion HUF) from its BUD 2020 airport development program on the new Cargo City. As part of the same scheme, two logistics centers totaling 16 000 square meters were handed over to TNT and DHL Express last year, due to increased demand for the handling of small express parcels and e-commerce.

“Budapest is emerging as the leading Central European cargo hub, within reach of almost 20 countries,”

said René Droese, director property and cargo for Budapest Airport. “Cargo-friendly airports, and particularly regional hubs, which often enjoy less congestion and more flexibility, have an important role to play in airfreight’s future. Our 24/7 operations allow us to cater for business all over the globe, and our continuous expansion means more businesses view us as the ideal location, with world-class facilities, able to capitalize on this growth.”

Parallel to the international exhibition the Consulate General of Hungary in Toronto, Budapest Airport and Air Canada Cargo have held a workshop for all major Canadian airfreight logistics companies. At the meeting Budapest Airport representatives have outlined the long-term development plans, the prospects of creating a new Central European cargo hub in Budapest and Air Canada has shared its strategic vision about the Hungarian market.

Photo: bud.hu

Price tag of the new Ferrari? Billionaire from Budapest already has one

Josh Cartu, Canadian billionaire residing in Hungary, has already bought the latest Ferrari model from the Icona family, as hvg.hu reports.

The most famous businessman and billionaire, originally from Canada but now living in Hungary, has recently purchased yet another exclusive Ferrari. The company has not even revealed the price of the new Icona cars but that did not stop car-fan Josh Cartu. The Ferraris Cartu bought in Hungary might have been produced in Pécs, so the cars will eventually stay in the country.

Cartu first caught the attention of the Hungarian public when he crashed his car in the Buda tunnel leading to the castle, after which he got famous for being a huge fan of super-exclusive and expensive Ferraris. There have been several instances of crashing Ferraris in Budapest, such as the crash in 2015.

 

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So good to be back… first drive on summer tires and super car season in full effect!

A post shared by Josh Cartu (@jcartu) on

He is more than just a regular Ferrari fan daydreaming about cars: he has several of them in his garage.

The billionaire is the owner of an IT company called ‘Sandstorm’ which made him successful and rich enough that he was able to start his lifelong desire: car-racing. He has participated in the Ferrari Challenge competitions in the Trofeo Pirelli AM cup and uses his cars in the inner city of Budapest, beside the competitions.

 

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In case you haven’t realized yet. I’m not particularly fond of walking… ?

A post shared by Josh Cartu (@jcartu) on

But why did the successful car-racer and businessman come to live in Budapest?

“I came here originally because of the nightlife, and I had quite a few friends from around the world who lived here. Over the years, the nightlife-interest faded and what became more important were my relationships and friendships” – he said in an interview to flyerz.hu.

According to the famous car-lover, he is nothing like people imagine when they hear the words billionaire, genius and philanthropist – he is just a man who is passionate about cars and racing and wants to have the time of his life. He is not the only one who likes racing in Budapest: Kimi Raikkonen had a great demonstration a few years ago near the Chain Bridge.

 

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Good luck guys… gonna be tough tomorrow but nothing worthwhile is ever easy! #ForSergio #forzaferrari

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Following scandals about his love life and his provocative behaviour, he has posted a photo of him sitting in the latest Ferrari model, a Monza SP1!

The iconic cars have been produced in two prototypes: the SP1 and SP2 designs, which means that the two prototypes differ slightly in terms of available space and seats. The most eye-catching feature of the new cars is that they do not have a windshield but a special technology designed specifically for deflecting air and wind during driving.

The company has produced only 500 of the special cars and, of course, Josh Cartu already has decided he wants one.

As he said, it is only a matter of time until he is sitting in his very own Icona – the only question is whether it will be the one with one or two seats.

Featured image: www.instagram.com/jcartu