Oil embargo: Brussels to compensate Hungary for its losses?
Hungary’s government insists that the Hungarian people must not be made to pay the price of the war in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Sunday.
Speaking to public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió, Szijjártó said Hungarians were in no way to blame for the outbreak of the war. Therefore if the European Commission intends to impose an oil embargo, it must financially and physically guarantee that the decision to phase out Russian oil imports will not hurt the Hungarian people or Hungary’s energy security, he said.
If the commission approved a proposal on an oil embargo right now, Hungary could not obtain the crude oil needed for its economy to function,
the minister said.
Whether there will be an agreement on the matter is up to the EC at this point, Szijjártó said, adding that the Hungarian government’s position was clear. He said Brussels had yet to put forward a proposal that would compensate Hungary for the estimated 55-60 percent increase in fuel prices that an oil embargo would cause.
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Szijjártó said it was easy to calculate the effects an oil embargo would have on Hungary. The government would only agree to such a proposal “if the European Commission offers a solution to the problems they created”, he added.
The first such problem, he said, was that Hungary’s oil refinery would have to be technically refitted, which would cost 500-550 million euros,
Szijjártó said. Also, a further 200 million euros would have to be spent on a capacity upgrade of the pipeline through Croatia, he added.
If Hungary were to import crude not sourced from Russia,
fuel prices in the country would rise by 55-60 percent, which would require a modernisation of Hungary’s energy system that would cost 15-18 billion euros and take five years,
according to experts, the minister said.
Szijjártó noted that EU member states had agreed a few months ago in Paris that any steps taken to end the continent’s dependence on Russian energy would take into consideration the specific situation of each country.
A total of 65 percent of Hungary’s oil consumption comes from Russia,
Szijjártó said, adding that the introduction of an oil embargo would therefore have “a nuclear bomb-like impact on the Hungarian economy”.
Read alsoNew survey: Brussels oil embargo plan unpopular among public
A Croatian restaurant doesn’t serve Hungarians – here is why, PHOTO
Relations between Croatia and Hungary are currently not at their best. Following a harsh comment, a Croatian restaurant is now not serving Hungarians, and they are not welcome there – or so it seems.
History
A rather harsh statement by PM Viktor Orbán the other day – saying that the Croatian coastline was taken away from us Hungarians – created some tension between Hungary and Croatia. So much so that even Hungary’s ambassador was summoned to Zagreb to explain what the Hungarian PM meant by his words.
As we wrote before, the problem is that both countries believe history is on their side. The apropos for the sharp comment was the European Committee’s plans to expand sanctions on Russian energy, which Hungary continues not to support, stating that, for us, a landlocked country, it would be practically impossible to receive oil supply from elsewhere.
Restaurant in Croatia does not serve Hungarians
Now, a reader of 24.hu shared a photo of a sign at a restaurant in Croatia that states that the restaurant does not serve Hungarians.
What is more, they also said that Hungarians are not welcome on the Adriatic. 24.hu contacted the restaurant in Trpanj to find out the reason for writing this on their sign. In response, they sent the news portal a link to an article. The article says that the restaurant manager decided to do so in response to Viktor Orbán’s statement last week.
Controversy
As it is known, the Hungarian PM said on Kossuth Radio’s morning show last Friday that “Hungary would have access to the sea if it had not been taken away from it.” On Tuesday, Hungary’s ambassador to Zagreb was asked to explain Orbán’s statement.
As we wrote before, State Secretary Tamás Menczer tried to calm the situation by saying it was merely a misunderstanding. However, he added that Orbán was just referring to “historical facts”, which Croatia does not agree with.
“I hope that our Croatian friends won’t buy into the media hysteria and we can continue our work in the interest of developing cooperation,”
Menczer said in a Facebook post following the controversy.
Do they really not serve Hungarians?
As we can read in the article of slobodnadalmacija.hr, the owner of the restaurant, Jakov Begović, often writes witty and sarcastic things on their blackboard. Sometimes, they might sound harsh at first, but they are actually quite funny.
- “It’s not open. We don’t work even when it’s open, we don’t have time.”
- “One waiter, no chef… We can charge only for what you cook yourself. “
- “You pay for 2, you get 1.”
- “We reduced the portions, but we increased the price.”
In light of all this, we will let everyone decide for themselves whether the restaurant is serious or not.
Read alsoHere is how Budapest will be developed in the near future
Here is why you might bump into a lot of US, Polish, Romanian soldiers in Hungary
The Black Swan 2022 international special operations military exercise concluded in Szolnok, in central Hungary, on Thursday, with a day of drill demonstrations.
The NATO exercise involved over 700 troops from nine countries, along with 15 aircraft and other equipment, according to a statement. Major General Tamás Sándor, inspector for Special Operations of the Hungarian Defence Forces Command, said at the Szolnok helicopter base that all partner countries of the Regional Special Operations Component Command (R-SOCC) were involved in the exercise led by Hungary, including Austria, Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and the US were also participating,
he said.
Sándor said the R-SOCC last year reached initial operational capability. He said the aim of the Black Swan exercise was for the R-SOCC to deepen that capability and to be able to carry out special operations on the territories of three countries. The command also aims to achieve full operational capability by the end of 2024 and to be able to go on stand-by from 2025, he said.
The 12-day exercise is being held in Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia with some 715 soldiers having carried out more than 40 special operational tasks,
Sándor said. The tasks are being synchronised and led by the Hungarian R-SOCC command, he added.
Unlike last year, this year’s exercise also saw the participation of Czech and Romanian troops in the performance of tasks in Hungary, Slovakia and Norway, the major general said.
The exercise mainly covered military areas, but operations were also carried out in 13 civilian areas,
Sándor said.
He said the R-SOCC set up an international, Hungarian-led staff in Szolnok to lead the operations, with the Árpád Bertalan Brigade playing a key role in their execution. The brigade stationed one unit each in Slovakia and Romania for the event, the major general said. Also,
for the first time, Hungary’s counter-terrorism force TEK was included in the exercise,
he added.
Brigadier Rob Stephenson, Deputy Commander of NATO Special Operations Headquarters, attended the exercise, among others.
Read alsoHere is why you might bump into a lot of US, Polish, Romanian soldiers in Hungary
Is Orbán right? Has the Croatian seashore or part of it ever belonged to Hungary?
Those who follow Hungarian politics know that Hungary does not support the European Committee’s idea to expand sanctions on Russian energy, including oil deliveries. Orbán and his government repeatedly argued that a decision of such kind would result in skyrocketing energy prices, insecurity and economic breakdown for Hungary since the country is 80-90 pc dependent on Russian supply. Orbán acknowledges that some EU members are in the position to receive oil supply via sea but he regularly emphasizes that Hungary is landlocked, so the country can only use those pipelines that start in Russia. However, last Friday, he went further and said that “Those who have a sea and ports are able to bring oil on tankers. If they hadn’t taken it away from us, we would also have a port.”
Croatians bristled at Orbán’s statement and summoned Hungary’s ambassador in Zagreb to explain the Prime Minister’s statement. State Secretary Tamás Menczer attempted to mitigate the issue by saying it was a misunderstanding. However, Menczer added
Orbán had referred to “historical facts”.
And there comes the problem. It seems that the Hungarian government believes history is on their side. However, Croatians disagree. Even the Croatian State Archives joined the discourse claiming that nobody could have taken away Hungary’s seashore because the country had never had one – telex.hu reported. They wrote yesterday that Mr Orbán got confused about historical records.
Hungary was liberated from the Ottoman occupation by Austrian forces, but the country did not get back its independence. Instead, it became part of the Austrian Empire. Naturally, Hungarians did not accept that and led two fights for independence in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 1848-49, Hungary almost won, but the Russians intervened and crushed the revolution. It became clear that Austria was too weak alone, so confrontation was replaced with an Austrian-Hungarian (Habsburg-Hungarian) compromise in 1867.
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Hungary became an equal part of the dual monarchy. Meanwhile, Croatia received a narrow autonomy from Hungary which acknowleded its “partner nation” status. However, the Croatian political elite did not accept that.
They wanted to unify all regions populated by South Slavs and, thus, create Yugoslavia.
There was only one city that was part of Croatia once but was not under the rule of Zagreb’s regional government between 1867 and 1918: Fiume. The city and its close neighbourhood became
a “corpus separatum, a “separated body”,
a special legal and political entity different from its environment which was under the rule of the Kingdom of Hungary. Hungarian State Secretary Menczer calls that a “historical fact”, but the Croatians do not accept that.
The Croatian State Archives claims that between 1867 and 1918, Fiume (Rijeka) was not part of the Kingdom of Hungary since it was under the rule of the Rijeka Provisory because the Hungarians and Croatians could not agree on regulating the port city’s status. Hungarian king and Austrian emperor Franz Joseph accepted that in 1870 July. The Rijeka Provisory meant that the port city and its neighbourhood were under the governor’s rule, who was appointed by the king.
Telex.hu also argues that de jure, Fiume (Rijeka) was not part of the Kingdom of Hungary.
DélHír, a Hungarian media outlet operating in Serbia, argues that Orbán was right, not the Croatians. They say that Fiume did not become part of Hungary in 1867 because it was part of the Holy Crown of Hungary from 1779 on. That is when
Queen Maria Theresa issued an official document attaching Fiume to Hungary.
Francis I even issued a law in 1807 declaring that Fiume was part of Hungary. Afterwards, Habsburg emperors and queens appointed Hungarian governors in Fiume. HERE are their names.
The article asserts that Fiume (Rijeka) looks like a proper port today because of the investments Hungary financed. Although vessel traffic grew significantly in the first half of the 19th century, large-scale developments started after 1868. In an 1871 law, the Hungarian government allocated a fortune to develop the port, create modern piers and build dams. Thanks to that, one of Europe’s most modern ports was created, and trade increased almost 15 times. In 1913, the port welcomed 31, 381 ships and 1.8 million passengers. By 1881, Fiume and Budapest were connected by a railway.
DélHír says that the heyday of Fiume was under Hungarian rule.
After WWI, Italy and Yugoslavia fought for the city, and, in 1924, it became part of Italy. However, that era was the regression of the port since it could not compete with the great Italian ports. After WWII, Yugoslavia received Fiume, and now it is on the territory of Croatia.
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Croatian foreign ministry summoning Hungary’s ambassador in Zagreb
The Croatian foreign ministry has misunderstood something, state secretary Tamás Menczer said on Tuesday commenting on the Croatian foreign ministry summoning Hungary’s ambassador in Zagreb over comments by Prime Minister Viktor Orban on the European Union plan to phase out Russian oil imports.
Menczer said on Facebook that Orban had referred to a “historical fact”.
“I hope that our Croatian friends won’t buy into the media hysteria and we can continue our work in the interest of developing cooperation,” he said.
The Hungarian ambassador in Zagreb has been summoned to the Croatian foreign ministry to explain Orbán’s statement that
“Hungary would also have a sea, had it not been taken away”.
Orbán said on Friday that
the EU oil embargo planned against Russia was unacceptable, adding that while countries with seaports could have energy resources delivered to them by ships, landlocked countries were wholly dependent on pipelines.
Read here the Orbán’s interview.
Hungary to build kindergartens and culture centres in Croatia
Hungarians from Baranja (Drávaszög), in Croatia, who voted in Hungary’s recent general election, showed that “the mother country can rely on Hungarians beyond the border, and they can continue to rely on the support of the mother country,” Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Thursday.
After talks with Robert Jankovics, head of the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia, Szijjártó told a joint press conference in Bilje (Bellye) that voters had been called on to make a decision concerning war and peace. It was important that on a matter “concerning the fate of the nation”, all members of the nation should be able to participate, he added.
He accused the left-wing opposition of planning to withdraw the right to vote by members of the Hungarian communities beyond the border.
Szijjártó noted that the Fidesz-led alliance had received a record number of votes from Hungary’s near abroad, and this was also true of Croatia. Some 390 ballot papers were submitted at the consulate general in Osijek (Eszék), twice as many as four years ago, he said.
The government will continue to finance educational, cultural and church institutions for Hungarian communities in Croatia, he said.
Three new Hungarian kindergartens and a culture centre will be built,
and the scholarship system for students of Hungarian schools will be maintained, he said.
Szijjártó said an economic development scheme for Baranja, in Croatia, had been a success, profiting both ethnic Hungarians and Croatians living in the region. A total of 791 businesses have received a total of 4 billion forints (EUR 10.6bn), enabling investments worth 6.7 billion forints, he added. Support for an additional 84 small farmers and agricultural businesses amounting to 430 million forints will induce investments worth 700 million forints, he said.
The minister said cooperation between Hungary and Croatia in minority protection “sets an example to the whole of the European Union”, enabling the countries “to find rational solutions based on mutual respect in difficult matters that crop up from time to time”.
“The stronger the neighbour the better things go for us,”
he added. Jankovics thanked Hungary for support it provided during the coronavirus epidemic and after the large earthquake of 2020. The support system of the Hungarian government has enabled members of the Hungarian community in Croatia to be stronger and more united, he said.
Read alsoThe Guardian: this Hungarian train journey is in Europe’s top 10 – PHOTOS
Minister told how Hungary could become independent from Russian energy
Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Zagreb on Thursday that “for us, it’s no question that we have to pay the price of Russian gas in a manner that ensures its delivery”.
“Energy supplies are a matter of national security and it is the government’s duty to guarantee security for the citizens,” he said at a joint press conference after meeting Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlic-Radman. Hungary has done its homework, Szijjártó said, adding however that unless alternative natural gas resources and alternative delivery routes were found, Europe would continue to remain largely dependent on Russian gas supplies.
Energy supply is not a philosophical issue but a physical one,
Szijjártó said, adding that independence from Russian energy was impossible without significant investments in infrastructure. He cited the example of the expansion of Croatia’s LNG terminal on the island of Krk. He added, at the same time, that
the terminal would only be of help to Hungary if Croatia’s gas transit system was upgraded.
Hungary is currently capable of importing up to an annual 7 billion cubic metres of natural gas from Croatia, he said, adding that “no one can expect us to allow the Hungarian people to be made to pay the price of war.”
As regards Hungarian-Croatian cooperation, Szijjártó said 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Hungary and Croatia “have done a lot” to strengthen their friendship and alliance over these last three decades, he said. Bilateral trade turnover reached 3.8 billion euros last year, up 52 percent from 2020, Szijjártó said, adding that trade turnover was up 65 percent at the beginning of the year.
The minister also highlighted the importance of opening new border crossing points between the two countries, noting the construction of a bridge over the Mura River, between the Hungarian settlement of Murakeresztur and Kotoriba, in Croatia, as well as new border crossings in Sarok and Zakany. Also, by 2024, Hungary’s M6 motorway will be linked to Croatia, he added.
Szijjarto said Hungary and Croatia also shared a commitment to the stability of the Western Balkans.
Hungary and Croatia both know that the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina is critical to the stability of the region, he said. This stability requires that the will of all three of the country’s ethnic groups be respected, he added.
Hungary therefore does not support the western European “political witch hunt” against Bosnia’s Serb leader Milorad Dodik or the sanctions imposed on him, Szijjártó said. Hungary does, however, support Croatia’s approach which says that Bosnia’s Croat leader should be elected by the Croat community, he added.
“My friend Gordan regularly speaks out on this issue in Brussels and I never miss the opportunity to support him in his efforts,”
Szijjártó said.
Grlic-Radman again congratulated Szijjártó on his ruling Fidesz party’s recent re-election. Concerning the war in Ukraine, he said Croatia was accepting refugees and sending armed forces to join the NATO combat groups stationed in Hungary. Grlic-Radman said Croatia and Hungary were in agreement on the importance of preventing the war from spreading beyond Ukraine.
Read alsoUkrainian military drone flew over Hungary and crashed in Croatia
The Guardian: this Hungarian train journey is in Europe’s top 10 – PHOTOS
The Guardian collected Europe’s ten best train journeys: gorgeous scenery, historic routes and adventures. One is the Budapest-Adriatic route connecting the Hungarian capital with the Croatian seashore. What was the source of the British daily newspaper? They worked with Lonely Planet’s Guide to Train Travel in Europe written by Tom Hall.
The future of tourism belongs to trains?
According to the British news outlet, railway journeys “evoke a timelessness (…) absent from the uniform experience of flying.” Furthermore, they are more climate-friendly, so many countries invest in building high-speed lines and night trains.
Hungary, in this regard, is to build a Budapest-Warsaw high-speed line. Integrating Hungary into a European high-speed railway network will be “the grandest railway project of our life”, state secretary László Mosóczi told an online conference on the Budapest-Warsaw railway development project aimed at connecting the Visegrád countries and Austria last July. Once the new service is complete within the next ten years,
Vienna and Bratislava will be accessible from Budapest in less than 2 hours, Prague in 3.5 hours, and Warsaw in 5.5 hours,
the state secretary said.
It is not a high-speed line, but The Guardian still selected the Hungarian-Croatian Budapest-Adriatic railway route among the best lines in Europe.
“Budapest to Split on a sleeper”
To escape summer heat the Budapest-Adriatic night service is a very tempting choice – The Guardian argues. “In recent years the train has left Budapest at midnight, getting into Split after lunch. En route it passes the Hungarian holiday playground of Lake Balaton and Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. Once on the Adriatic coast, buses head south to Dubrovnik, while ferries and catamarans radiate out to nearby islands” – they wrote.
Below you can find photos of the journey MÁV, the Hungarian Railways, shared on their Facebook page.
They said in a post that all trains circulating between Budapest and the sea are modern and well-equipped. For example, they all have an air conditioning system. After the train leaves Zagreb, it crosses the Dinaric Alps, going even above 900 metres in some places. Thus, one should expect a breathtaking view during the journey. Moreover, the Hungarian Railways highlighted this service was already in their summer schedule.
Here are the railway lines The Guardian praised as Europe’s bests:
- Paris to Berlin – fast or slow
- Amsterdam to Vienna on the Nightjet
- Loop the loop in North Wales
- From Bastia to Ajaccio through the Corsican interior
- Dublin to Madrid by train and ferry
- Venice to Palermo – across the water in Italy
- From coast to coast, via a mountain high – Oslo to Bergen
- Paris to Barcelona on the slow train
- Locarno to Domodossola through the Swiss Alps
Read the full article of The Guardian HERE
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Military superpowers to send soldiers to NATO’s new Hungarian battalion
Five nations to date have indicated their intention to join the Hungarian battalion battle group, Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, said after NATO’s extraordinary summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Hungary continues to give priority to “not being dragged” into the war in its neighbourhood, Szijjártó said on Facebook, adding that from this point of view the summit’s results met Hungary’s expectations and dovetailed with its national interests.
Szijjártó called it a major achievement that NATO had reinforced its position that it is not, and does not wish to become, a belligerent party in the conflict.
“Every possible effort should be made to prevent the war from escalating and spilling beyond the borders of Ukraine,”
he said.
Szijjártó said NATO had decided to set up eight battalion battel groups on its eastern-southeastern flank to beef up its military presence in the region. The Hungarian battle group already established has been operating within NATO’s framework under Hungarian command, he said.
The combat team is open to troops of other NATO member states, Szijjártó said, adding that
five countries — the United States, Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro and Italy — had indicated their intention to delegate hundreds of soldiers to the unit.
The troops concerned will be stationed west of the Danube and involved in joint training and exercises, he said.
Read alsoUkrainians think Hungary is the most hostile towards them from the West
Could Hungary’s gas supply hold? Here is the worst case scenario!
Despite the ongoing war in its neighbourhood, Hungary’s energy supply is stable. Both natural gas and electricity demand are fully covered by domestic systems. Still, competent authorities are prepared for every scenario.
In mid-March, the Moldovan and Ukrainian energy systems were successfully connected to the continental European system to help supply energy to the regions. Ukraine was disconnected from the Russian and Belarusian networks for a long-planned test run on the very day the war broke out (24th February), but the reconnection could not take place.
Ukraine’s original plan was to be connected to the European synchronous system in 2024, until then it would have been tested to see if it can independently maintain the 50 Hz, a prerequisite for European connectivity. However, the war changed the scenario and the two-year preparation period was reduced to two weeks – reported by Magyar Nemzet.
The European system operators and regulators have been working hard to find a solution to the technical and regulatory issues of interconnection and to meet the two countries’ emergency synchronisation requests.
Finally, on 16th March, the trial synchronisation of the European system and the Ukrainian and Moldovan systems could start, which will greatly support the stability of the Ukrainian-Moldovan electricity system and the security of the population’s supply. As the Hungarian news portal Blikk reports, further hard work is needed to maintain the power balance of the electricity system, and the costs of emergency synchronisation will have to be shared between the European Member States.
Hungary
In Hungary, the gas demand is met by the combination of domestic production and imports. The latter is constantly monitored and the contracted quantities of gas are currently being delivered through six interconnectors.
In addition, there are also 1.25 billion cubic metres of gas in storage.
This level is more than sufficient for the season. Out of this, 900 million is the strategic stock that might remain untouched this year, based on the foreseen scenarios. „Considering the principle of solidarity, we should help our neighbours if their population is in trouble with the natural gas supply, but only if the help does not cause any disadvantage to the Hungarian population.
But so far, no such request has been received from anywhere,”- said Pál Ságvári, Vice President for International Relations of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH),
The expert also pointed out that the gas currently being transported outwards on the Ukrainian-Hungarian gas pipelines, is from the West and not from Hungary’s storage facilities.
Worst-case scenario
Although the Ukrainian backbone network has not been damaged so far, Hungary is prepared for every possible scenario. Since October, Hungary has been receiving significant quantities of gas from Austria and Slovakia. In addition, gas from the LNG terminal in Croatia or the Turkish Stream going through the Serbian-Hungarian pipeline could be an additional source.
We should not forget the 900 million cubic metres of strategic stock either which was mentioned previously. Further good news is that the Greek-Bulgarian pipeline will be ready for the next heating season that will bring gas from Turkey and the Caspian Sea region.
The vice president pointed out that
Hungary has made significant infrastructure developments in the field of natural gas in recent years, and has gas pipeline connections with six of its seven neighbours.
Nevertheless, Russian gas is flowing in all of them, so we need to work on its long-term replacement. To this end, initiatives have been launched at EU level on voluntary joint purchasing of gas and mandatory 90 per cent refilling of storage facilities.
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Opposition confronts Orbán about drone in Hungarian airspace
Opposition parties asked Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Sunday about how a drone transporting a bomb could spend 40 minutes in Hungarian airspace.
DK, Jobbik, LMP, the Everyone’s Hungary Movement (MMM), Momentum, the Socialists and Párbeszéd said in a joint statement that Orbán must answer without delay and without hesitation whether the
Hungarian armed forces are able to defend Hungary in view of the fact that on March 10, a TU-141 type drone stayed in Hungarian airspace undisturbed for 40 minutes and,
according to the Croatian defence ministry, carried a bomb.
The parties also asked Orbán whether Hungarian Gripens had been scrambled to intercept the drone and if not, why not.
In case the Hungarian armed forces intercepted the drone, it is an unacceptable explanation that they did not think it posed any danger, the united opposition said.
Read alsoHungarian Gripens investigate suspicious radar contacts
Hungarian Gripens investigate suspicious radar contacts
Hungarian Gripen fighter planes were scrambled twice on Friday to investigate suspicious radar contacts but found no trace of any flying objects, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has said.
The Hungarian Armed Forces detected an object flying over Hungarian airspace from the direction of Ukraine in the early hours of Friday, which later turned out to be a drone that crashed in Zagreb, the foreign ministry cited Szijjártó as saying.
Multiple NATO member states, including Hungary, Romania and Croatia were affected by the incident, Szijjártó said, adding that the authorities were investigating it in cooperation with Hungary’s allies.
Around noon on Friday, Hungary’s air force detected radar signals in the northeast that were similar to the ones seen during the night, Szijjártó said.
Gripen fighters were scrambled from the base in Kecskemét, in central Hungary, to inspect the area where the object was detected but found no sign of any flying objects, he said.
The fighters were scrambled again to investigate another radar signal in the afternoon but again found no aircraft, the minister said.
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Szijjártó said he had informed his Romanian, Croatian and Slovenian counterparts of the radar contacts.
“Because there is a war going on in our neighbourhood, it is extremely important for the armed forces and the air force to take a calm and measured approach at all times,” Szijjártó said. “It was no different this time and would be no different in the coming period.”
“We must protect Hungary and the security of the Hungarian people and guarantee that Hungary does not get dragged into the war in our neighbouring country in any way,” he added.
Read alsoTwo US military aircrafts flew over Hungary on Monday
Ukrainian military drone flew over Hungary and crashed in Croatia
The Hungarian authorities are joining an investigation into the case of a drone that crashed in Zagreb, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday. Hungarian air defence detected and tracked the drone that crossed its airspace on Thursday night before it crashed in Zagreb, the defence ministry has said.
The aircraft was likely a Soviet-era TU-141 reconnaissance drone that crashed in the Croatian capital just after midnight on Thursday, local news portal Index.hr said citing unnamed experts. Szijjártó said on Facebook that he had talked with Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlic Radman about the case by phone. According to data currently available, the airspace of several NATO member states, including Hungary’s, have been affected in the flight path of the drone, he said.
“During the assessment, we will closely cooperate with the Croatian authorities and other NATO allies,”
Szijjártó said.
The air defence service of the Hungarian Armed Forces detected a flying object on its radars on Thursday night, the ministry said in a statement. The object was later identified as a TU-141 drone which has recently been used as a training target, the ministry said, adding that both the Ukrainian and Russian militaries had used such drones.
The drone had already been detected in Ukraine’s airspace, the ministry said. Once it entered Hungarian airspace it was tracked by the air defence service until it exited the airspace, they added.
The ministry said a similar incident had occurred again around noon on Friday in north-eastern Hungary. Gripen fighters were scrambled to check out the airspace where the object had been detected but found no aircraft, they added.
“The war in Ukraine makes it especially important for such incidents to be handled calmly and in a well thought out manner,” the ministry said, stressing that Hungary aimed to stay out of the war
“even if such incidents are of a provocative nature”.
Defence Minister Tibor Benkő and Chief of Defence Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi are both in contact with their Croatian counterparts and representatives of neighbouring countries, the statement said. The countries of the region are investigating the incident and sharing their findings with each other, it added. The ministry told MTI that it is wary of provocation and does not want Hungary to be dragged into the war due to any unnecessary measures. The ministry therefore chooses to carry out inspections before taking any action if an aircraft is capable of carrying weapons, it added.
Read alsoHungarians preparing for nuclear war? Pharmacies swarmed for iodine tabs
Euro or forint? Here is what Hungarians think
A majority of Hungarians do not think that Hungary is ready to introduce the common currency of the European Union. Meanwhile, more than 2/3rds of those asked believe that introducing the euro would be beneficial. Here are the findings of the latest relevant survey of the Republikon Institute.
Introducing the euro: Hungarians think it is realistic
According to index.hu, the Institute examined what citizens think about introducing the euro in EU states outside of the eurozone: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden. Based on the institute’s findings, the majority of people do not think their countries are ready to introduce the euro. In Hungary, this rate is lower than in the other Visegrád Four countries not using the euro, like the Czech Republic and Poland.
In this respect, Hungarians and the citizens of
the analysed countries view their possibilities objectively.
In the 2020 convergence report of the European Central Bank, they say that Hungary does not meet the Maastricht criteria. The country’s 1.8 pc inflation rate and 60 pc budget deficit are very high.
Hungarians do not trust the forint?
The relative majority in Hungary and the V4 countries think they will be part of the eurozone in ten years. However, 25-33 pc of them believe that they will never use the EU’s common currency.
Interestingly, Hungarians think that the country will introduce the euro only later. However, their attitude is the second most positive towards the currency among the EU states not part of the eurozone.
An expected price increase is a common argument against introducing the euro. However, the Republikon Institute found that Hungarians are the least worried about a possible price increase. The majority of them think that using the euro would stabilise prices. The Institute wrote that the opinion might correlate with
Hungarians’ distrust in their national currency.
As we reported before, the forint became weaker and weaker against the euro in the last few months. That was beneficial for Hungarians working abroad but disadvantageous for everybody else. The opposition claims that the government intentionally weakens the national currency to help the export. The forint strengthened in the last few weeks, but the exchange rate is unstable.
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Hungary and Croatia celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations
Hungary and Croatia have mutually benefitted from bilateral cooperation, with trade volume more than doubling since 2010, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday.
Trade thrived even during the coronavirus pandemic, with trade volume reaching a record 2.6 billion euros in the first ten months of 2021, the minister said at a panel discussion marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Hungarian companies such as MOL and OTP see Croatia as an important market, and it plays an important role in the government’s foreign investment strategy, he said.
Hungary also supported Croatia when it was bidding to join the European Union, particularly during the last stretch of accession talks under Hungary’s 2013 presidency, he noted.
“Croatia joined the EU just in the nick of time, before anti-enlargement sentiment grew in certain member states,”
he said. “The EU has benefitted from Croatia’s integration,” he said. “That is a serious argument for pursuing with [enlargement] policy,” he added.
Croatia also supported Hungary during its presidency in 2020, demanding fairness “even in the face of forceful, hypocritical attacks” against the country, he said.
Szijjártó welcomed the development of the energy networks of both countries, adding that access to Croatia’s liquid natural gas (LNG) terminal had enabled Hungary to sign a long-term gas supply contract with “another player than Russia” for the first time.
Meanwhile, support for national minorities in Hungary and Croatia is exemplary, and related funding “is at an all-time high”, he said.
Szijjártó said central European countries could punch above their weight whenever they cooperated.
Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic-Radman said Hungary had been “an important friend” to Croatia ever since the fall of communism, and bilateral cooperation had thrived. “Had it not been for Hungary, we probably could not have joined the European Union,” he said.
Read alsoHungary to build a new bridge leading to Croatia
Hungary wants Central Europe to join forces
Joining forces in central Europe is becoming increasingly important in current times, Miklós Soltész, state secretary for church and minority relations, said in Zagreb on Tuesday.
Soltész met Croatian Minister of Culture Nina Obuljen Korzinek and discussed the planned revamp of a church in Zazina. Following an earthquake that hit hard central Croatia in December 2020, the Hungarian government offered to pay for the revamp of a school in Petrinja and the church of Zazina.
Soltész also visited Split where he met representatives of the Democratic Union of Hungarians of Croatia and attended a service in honour of Saint Margaret of Hungary in the Sveti Duje Cathedral.
Soltész praised the efforts of ethnic Hungarians in Croatia to nurture their language and culture and said they can continue to rely on the Hungarian government’s help.
Read alsoBudapest Airport was the best in the region in 2021
Hungarian scientists picked up vibrations from an earthquake in Serbia
A relatively minor earthquake hit Slovenia on Saturday morning and according to MTI the seismological station in Becsehely, Hungary was also able to pick up the vibration from the phenomenon.
According to the information published on the website of the Kövesligethy Radó Seismological Observatory, the earthquake hit Slovenia on Saturday morning at 18 past 8.
The station recorded the earthquake to be a 3.7 on the Richter Scale. They recorded this data in the region of Ljutomer, near the Croatioan border.
The earthquake even reached the seismological station in Becsehely.
read also: Hungarian first responders had a busy Christmas
Telex reported that an earthquake also hit Switzerland on Saturday morning in Pruntrut near the French border.
However, Hungary is in a safe location, Telex says, highlighting that the high-risk areas in terms of earthquakes is Croatia and Slovenia, parts of Romania and the area from the Alps to Slovakia.
Although it is worth noting that the number of earthquakes near Budapest and Kecskemét and near the shore of Balaton has proliferated recently.
Telex also reminded us of the catastrophe that hit the middle part of Croatia last year.
Read alsoTurkish plane made an emergency landing in Budapest!
Crazy price increase in Budapest real estate market – New results!
The price per square metre of newly-built apartments in Budapest has doubled over the last decade. Therefore, it is not surprising that since 2013 the second-highest growth of property prices have been registered in the Hungarian capital. The rise in the Budapest real estate market prices even precedes trends in Warsaw, Bratislava and Zagreb. We will now examine the extent of this increase and present you the most expensive districts in Budapest!
As we previously reported, property prices in Budapest has been skyrocketing in the last few years. This has been underpinned by a newly published survey of KPMG, according to which, Budapest has registered the second-highest price increase of newly built apartments since 2013. Based on the results, prices in the Hungarian capital have surpassed those in Warsaw, Bratislava and Zagreb, but are still far behind those in Vienna, Berlin and Prague. In terms of the intensity of increase, only the Czech capital has preceded Budapest.
Accordingly, in the period 2013-2021,
Budapest and Prague have seen the largest increase in house prices within the region, with prices per square metre doubling in both capitals.
Since 2019, the tendency of rising property prices has slightly stopped. This is partly due to the pandemic as well as the temporary reinstatement of VAT on new housing (from 5 to 27%). As the Hungarian news portal 24.hu reports, market participants should expect another rebound in 2021 as a whole, driven by the return of tax credits and the post-recession economic recovery. Nevertheless, the current average price per square metre of apartments in Budapest is still behind Vienna, Berlin and Prague. While this is a great benefit for homeowners, it can be a major difficulty for those looking for their first home.
Read also: Here is where you can buy cheap properties near Budapest
The newly published survey also examined how property prices had changed in relation to net income. Accordingly, it has been revealed that the situation of those who would like to purchase their first home is difficult as property prices are also increasing relative to net income. In other words,
housing has also become more expensive relative to salaries.
This ratio for Hungary is 1.7, which means numerically that while salaries have increased by 32% over the period, prices per square metre have risen by 124%. Accordingly, the gap between income and house prices has widened remarkably, and only Germany recorded a larger change over the last decade. Consequently, the Budapest real estate market certainly does not favour young people who want to start a family and purchase their first home.
Read also: Things to consider when buying real estate in Budapest
Nevertheless, the majority of Hungarians are less concerned than in many other countries. This can be accredited to the fact that 91.3% of the population in Hungary are homeowners which is an exceptionally high proportion in Europe.
As the Hungarian news portal Portfolio reports, the TOP 5 most expensive new apartments are located in Budapest’s 6th district at the Kodály Körönd. The luxury apartments of 220-260 m2 with balconies of 15-20 m2 are offered for EUR 2.1 – 2.5 million. The price per square metre is EUR 9,500. Similarly high prices can be observed in the Hárshegy34 residential complex in Budapest’s 2nd district. Here, a 250 m2 apartment is available for EUR 2.1 million. After the TOP 5, there is a gap in the price level. The next apartments on the list are offered for EUR 1.6 – 1.4 million, with prices per square metre in this range between EUR 7,600 – 10,600. These properties are mainly located in the 6th, 2nd, 13th and 9th districts of Budapest.