PHOTOS: Czechs could not beat Hungarians

Czechs could not beat Hungarian football team

Roland Sallai’s smart second-half finish put Hungary ahead against Czech Republic in a packed Puskás Aréna, only for a defensive error to enable the visitors to score an equaliser andensure this friendly match would end 1-1.

Hungary head coach Marco Rossi opted to make just one change from the starting lineup which triumphed over Serbia last Thursday, Zsolt Kalmár replacing Ádám Nagy in central midfield. This meant second matches in four days for the usual three-man defence of Willy Orbán, Attila Szalai and Ádám Lang in front of Dénes Dibusz in goal. They were supported by a four-man midfield of Milos Kerkez, Kalmár, Callum Styles and Loic Nego who sat behind Roland Sallai and captain Dominik Szoboszlai in the forward playmaking areas with Barnabás Varga even further forward as the team’s lone striker, mlsz.hu wrote.

An evenly-contested first half in front of nearly 60,000 fans in the Puskás Aréna saw the hosts gradually assert themselves on the game without ever being able to break the deadlock. It was actually the visitors who started the second period the better, so it was somewhat against the run of play when Sallai converted Kerkez’s superb cross from the left wing after the wing-back had been set free by Varga in the 52nd minute.

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That lead wouldn’t last long though, Václav Jurecka latching on to Lang’s short header to run in one on one against Dibusz and slot the ball into Hungary’s goal. Both teams put plenty of effort into winning the game thereafter, but late efforts from Szoboszlai and Kerkez couldn’t quite re-establish the hosts’ advantage and thus the scoreline remained the same until the final whistle.

Government acknowledged that there are too many conflicts between V4 countries

V4 countries cooperation Navracsics

Tibor Navracsics, Hungary’s minister for regional development, urged deeper cooperation among the Visegrád Group countries, at an international conference in Budapest on Friday.

In order for the central European grouping comprising Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia to be successful, the four countries must deepen their cooperation, Navracsics told a panel discussion at the Visegrad Summer Academy conference organised by the National University of Public Service and the Waclaw Felczak Institute of Polish-Hungarian Cooperation.

The minister said that of the four members, Hungary had the strongest emotional commitment to the grouping. He said Czechia and Slovakia were members of the V4 for “pragmatic and geopolitical” reasons, while Poland was a member “on a pragmatic and emotional basis”. Navracsics emphasised that cooperation among the four countries was especially good when it came to handling the issue of migration, but the war in Ukraine and Russia’s aggression had brought “a number of disagreements and debates to the surface”. He noted that the Hungarian government urged an immediate ceasefire and a just peace in Ukraine. He said the V4 needed “symbolic gestures” and its political cooperation to be strengthened.

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The event was addressed in a video message by President Katalin Novák, who underlined that the conference’s young participants were the guarantee of the V4‘s future. She highlighted the significance of the Waclaw Felczak Institute’s activities when it came to the strengthening of Hungarian-Polish friendship and stressed the importance of regional cooperation among central and eastern European countries during the war in Ukraine. Marek Kuchcinski, head of the Polish Chancellery, said the war had caused Warsaw to increase its defence spending to 4 percent of GDP. He said the V4 needed to ward off the “divide and conquer principle being applied by Moscow and Brussels”. All wars strengthen regional cooperation, and this is needed between Warsaw and Budapest, he added.

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Hungarian company makes fighters for Vietnam’s modernised air force against China

Hungary produces the fighter jets for Vietnam's modernized air force against China (Copy)

Aero Vodochody is a Czech aircraft company owned by the Hungarian state. They have a new fighter and training jet type, the L-39NG, which they aim to produce in mass. The first order came from Vietnam, the second from Hungary, and their name popped up in a joint military aircraft manufacturing program for Ukraine. The Hungarian state theoretically against delivering arms to Kyiv was not against the plan.

Fighter aircrafts for Vietnam, Hungary, Senegal, Ghana

According to g7.hu, Aero Vodochody presented their first L‑39NG fighter and training military aircraft in August. The colours are of the Vietnamese air force, where the first jets will go to strengthen it against China, the country’s main rival in the region. Interestingly, Aero Vodochody is not a Czech company. The majority ownership went to Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky in 2021. After he was nominated Hungary’s minister of defence, he sold his shares to MOL CEO Zsolt Hernádi, who passed it to the state months later.

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The Aero got a HUF 53 billion Hungarian state loan from the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) even though its income before tax was only HUF 15.6 billion in 2022, thanks to an Iraqi order. The Czech minority owner is Richárd Háva, a controversial Czech arms dealer living in Switzerland. He agreed with Vietnam, and the sum was HUF tens of billions.

The alpine form of the aircraft:

The fighter can also carry out small-scale attacks:

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Vietnam aims to modernise their army against China. Before, they used the L-39 model of the Czech aircraft company. Now, they will purchase 12 new L-39NGs. Here is a video of the plane:

Hungary will manufacture arms for Ukraine?

The new model is the modified and modernised version of the L-39 Albatros made in mass numbers before 1990. The new L-39NGs will serve training purposes but can carry out small-scale attacks. They have new composite wings, American Williams motors, a new cockpit and modern electronic and avionics systems.

Vietnam will receive the new aircraft in 2023-2024, and Hungary will get its 12 new jets after August 2024. As a result, we will be able to train our Gripen pilots instead of sending them to Canada. The new type will be introduced in the Czech fighter training, and there is gossip about deals with Senegal and Ghana. Therefore, they would like to increase production capacity from one per month to two.

Czech President Petr Pavel mentioned the Aero as a possible player in a Ukrainian-Czech joint military aircraft manufacturing cooperation. The majority owner, the Hungarian state, did not comment on the idea.

Speaker: Hungarian nation’s existence in continuous threat

Speaker László Kövér

The key to the longevity of the Visegrád Group has been its members’ ability to focus on issues that are of a shared interest and on which there is a chance for agreement, Speaker of Parliament László Kövér said at the All-Hungarian University Students’ Camp in Satoraljaujhely, in north-eastern Hungary, on Monday.

The cooperation between Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia has been most useful in giving the four countries the needed political weight within the European Union thanks to central Europe’s economic competitiveness, Kövér said in response to a question after his lecture.

This, he added, also required the economic and infrastructural development of a north-south European axis in addition to the existing west-east economic links. The five-day All-Hungarian University Students’ Camp is being attended by more than 300 young Hungarians from 18 countries, its organiser, the Rákóczi Association, said. It offers lectures, trips and sports and cultural programmes, they said.

Kövér also said that the Hungarian government aims to secure the existence of the Hungarian nation because Hungarians are in a continuous threat. The cabinet would like the Hungarian communities abroad to survive and thrive. Without them, the homeland does not have a chance. He added that the nation’s existence is under a continuous threat because of the new world in which war is not unknown an phenomenon. The consequences of the ongoing war in Ukraine will be like the Ottoman rule in Hungary between 1526 and 1699, 444.hu wrote.

Czechia to be guest of honour at 20 August art festival in Hungary

festival of folk arts

Czechia will be the guest of honour country at this year’s traditional Festival of Folk Arts organised in the Buda Castle between 18-20 August, the organisers said on Monday.

Craftsmen from Czechia will set up model workshops to present traditions in weaving, blue printing, embroidery, wool processing and wood carving to visitors, the organisers of the Festival of Folk Arts said in a statement.

At workshops, masters from the Republic of Korea will present calligraphy, the traditional Korean patchwork jogakbo and traditional decorative colouring on wooden buildings dancheong.

The festival will also celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hungary’s accession to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. It will feature communities representing crafts included in the UNESCO National and Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage such as the Matyó embroidery, blue printing, lacemaking, the Szeged mule slides and the Busó-s of Mohács, among others.

Forint closes the week badly, further weakening expected

forint historic lows

Thursday brought significant changes in the EUR-USD exchange rate because of the better-than-expected American inflation data and the softer communication of the European Central Bank. The USD strengthened, and that had a significant negative effect on the forint. But where is the end of that slope?

According to portfolio.hu, other factors affected the exchange rate of the forint. One of them was the Japanese national bank’s unexpected policy change ruining the global investment mood. That is why the forint broke even the 385 HUF/EUR and the 350 HUF/USD exchange rate. Currently, those rates are 384.4 and 349.oo

Forint concludes a week of constant weakening

This week marked a 1.8 pc fall against the euro and 2.9 pc against the USD. Meanwhile, its regional competitors performed much better and forint lost 2.9 pc of their value against the Polish zloty and 2.6 pc against the Czech koruna. That means an 8-month-long low against the Polish currency. In the first phase of the week, the reasons were internal. The Hungarian national bank decided to maintain the base interest rate but narrowed the interest corridor further. The upper band lowered by 100 basis points to 17.5 pc. In the second part, the aforementioned external factors contributed to the forint’s plummet.

Markets now wait for the Polish CPI data next Monday and the Czech central bank’s interest rate decision next weekend. Those may further decrease the value of the forint. Interestingly, the Czech national bank’s base interest rate at 7 pc. Meanwhile, that rate is 13 pc in Hungary, the highest in the EU. The national bank will not decrease it in the short run because that is the only barrier between the forint’s drastic weakening and today’s exchange rate.

Read HERE about the Hungarian finance minister’s thoughts about introducing the euro. In THIS article we tried to sum up the reaons behind the forint’s weakening.

BREAKING NEWS: bus from Budapest crashes in Brno, one fatality, many injured – Video, Photos

flixbus czech republic budapest

A serious bus accident occurred on Monday on the D2 motorway in the Czech Republic, on the section between the Slovak-Czech border and Brno on the way to Brno. One of the buses involved was travelling from Budapest, but according to information available early in the evening, there were no Hungarian casualties in the accident.

According to a Czech police spokesman, one driver was killed and 76 others were injured in the accident, of whom 14 were considered serious by Czech doctors, when a Czech transport company FlixBus, which was travelling from Budapest to Prague, collided with the back of another bus.

FlixBus spokesman Tomás Bera told an MTI correspondent that the nationalities of the passengers were not being recorded. According to his sources, three passengers requested communication in Hungarian. Two of them were taken by ambulance to hospital for a general check-up. As none of them were injured, they were released. The third Hungarian-speaking passenger also refused to be examined.

Jan Grolich, a regional magistrate in southern Moravia, told CT24 public news television that he had information that one of the buses was also carrying foreigners, possibly Indians.

 

The accident was attended by 26 ambulances and four rescue helicopters. Traffic on the motorway was suspended in both directions for several hours.

Police say they are investigating the cause of the accident. “We do not yet have reliable and precise information on the cause of the accident,” David Chaloupka, a police spokesman in southern Moravia, told television this evening. It is assumed that the driver of the bus that hit the FlixBus died in the accident.

 

Three Hungarians affected are doing well

The Foreign Ministry says it currently knows of three Hungarians who were travelling on the FlixBus involved in the bus crash in the Czech Republic, all three are doing well. They are a father and his son and one man. The Hungarian Embassy in Prague is in contact with the authorities and the travel company and they are being given all the help they can.

As we wrote today, during the weekend two Hungarian cyclists were killed in Slovakia, motorcyclists died in Romania – PHOTOS, details

Budapest beats surprising places on the list of most liveable cities

budapest-váci-street luxury shopping

The list of the world’s most liveable cities has been compiled once again. Unsurprisingly, Vienna has taken the top spot, as usual. The Economist Intelligence Unit has ranked the world’s cities according to health care, education, public safety, infrastructure and the environment.

The most liveable cities

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, the quality of its cultural facilities, excellent infrastructure and good public safety have once again made Vienna the most liveable city in the world, as in the previous year, hvg.hu writes. As in last year’s survey, Copenhagen came second, Melbourne third and Sydney fourth.

The top 10 are Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary in Canada, followed by Zurich, Geneva and Osaka in Switzerland and Geneva and Osaka in Japan. Among Eastern European cities, Budapest is in the second section behind the leaders, just like last year.

Budapest overtakes Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava

Downtown of Budapest
Photo: Daily News Hungary ©

In the 100-point ranking, Budapest was placed between 80 and 90. This puts it ahead of the region’s capitals, including Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava. In addition to livability, the Economist Intelligence Unit also looked at the most unlivable cities, with war-torn Kyiv ranked in the bottom ten.

Hungarian motorcycle racer Bence Szvoboda dies at 31

szvoboda bence motocross champion

31-year-old Bence Szvoboda, ten-time Hungarian and two-time Czech champion motorcycle racer, has died. The devastating news was announced by his team, the HTS Team. Szvoboda lost his battle after he suffered a serious injury at a motocross championship in the Czech Republic.

Bence Szvoboda suffered a serious injury at a motocross championship in the Czech Republic, leaving him hovering between life and death, Index reported. According to the HTS Team, the young athlete lost consciousness after a blow to the head at the Pacov race track.

He underwent life-saving surgery at the hospital in Prague. After examinations, it was discovered that his brain functions were not working. The team said in a statement on Tuesday that the young man had no chance of winning this battle, Index writes.

On Wednesday afternoon, the HTS Team announced on their Facebook page the sad news that Bence Szvoboda “lost the biggest fight of his life” at 11.50 AM.

“Let us remember the athlete who won ten championships in Hungary, two in the Czech Republic, one in Austria and many victories all over Europe. Let us remember the man who was a symbol of will and perseverance. The man who never gave up and always strived to be the best he could be. Let us remember the friend who could always cheer up the people around him with his cheeky smile. Let us remember the son who always appreciated the love and support of his family. It is an incomprehensible tragedy for all of us. The pain that surrounds us is unbearable. May God give comfort to his loved ones and those who mourn him. Bence Szvoboda lived 31 years. Rest in peace, Champion!”

the HTS Team wrote in the post. They added that they ask everyone to leave the family to mourn in peace in the coming days.

Hungary, Poland and Czechia will cooperate to defend Slovak airspace

Hungarian Defence Forces Fighter Jet Military Aircraft Gripen

The member states of the Visegrad Group are cooperating in a close alliance, the Hungarian defence minister said at a meeting of the group’s defence ministers in Slovakia on Monday, where they signed an agreement on policing airspace.

Under the agreement, Hungary, Poland and Czechia will cooperate to defend Slovak airspace until the end of 2024, Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky said.

A ministry statement quoted Szalay-Bobrovniczky as saying that the agreement was a sign that the Visegrad Group “is alive and well, and able and ready to continue working for the region’s security and welfare” at a time when many augur its demise.

The war in a neighbouring country, which has hit the region harder than others, makes cooperation all the more important, he said. On the first day of the meeting, a state secretary of Germany, an important ally, also joined the talks to review the most pressing defence issues, he said.

Boosting defence capacities is in the joint interest of V4 member states, Szalay-Bobrovniczky said. They regularly consult on NATO’s measures to strengthen its eastern flank, a process in which the V4 has an important role, he said. Another important project “is the regular deployment of the V4 EU Battlegroup, which has been on standby in the first half of 2023 for the third time,” he said.

The ministers also discussed the impact of the war on regional security, and the group’s opportunities to support Ukraine.

Szalay-Bobrovniczky said that while Hungary was doing its utmost to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, the country, NATO and EU all had a vested interest in brokering peace. Hungary continues to refuse to provide lethal aid to Ukraine, he said.

While the Visegrad countries have differing views on the road to peace, “dialogue and cooperation are ongoing on pragmatic policy issues”, he said.

Czechia will take over the rotating presidency of the group on July 1.

As we wrote today, Polish general would support Hungary’s exclusion from NATO, details HERE.

The Hungarian state does not want to give up Russian oil – here is why

MOL Hungary pipeline oil refinery bulgaria ukraine

There has been heated debate in the European Union about Hungary’s insistence to keep Russian oil coming to the country ever since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Orbán cabinet constantly tells the public that the reason is protecting Hungarian families, suggesting that without Russian oil, there would not be enough resources in the country. But is that really the truth?

According to experts asked by Index, the Hungarian government collects an excess profit tax on the margin between Russian oil and Brent oil. Thus, diversification is not important for the cabinet, as it would lose out on a lot of money. On top of that, it is also inconvenient and expensive for MOL, Hungary’s main oil and gas company, to change a “well-established strategy”.

The Czech Republic made up its mind

At the same time, while the Czech Republic is in the same exact situation geopolitically as well as regarding the country’s energy sector and energy demand as Hungary, Czechia has already taken determined steps to detach itself from Russian oil.

The Czech state-owned company Mero announced at the end of May that more than a year after the war, it was finally possible for them to divest from Russian oil. Mero is financing the expansion of the Transalpine oil pipeline, which will transport oil from the port of Trieste in Italy to central Europe, with USD 73 million. This will double the capacity of the pipeline from 2025, Index explains. Like Hungary, Czechia had also been supplied via the Druzhba pipeline: however, the EU member state has already let go of Russian gas.

Szijjártó: We want to diversify but we do not want to replace Russian gas

In a brief interview with the Russian portal Interfax, Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó said that there are no plans to replace Russian gas. Meanwhile, a day earlier, he announced that 100 million cubic meters of natural gas will arrive in Hungary from Azerbaijan, Index reports.

On 2 June, Szijjártó announced on his Facebook page that Hungary’s MVM CEEnergy and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR had signed an agreement under which 100 million cubic metres of natural gas will arrive in Hungary from Azerbaijan by the end of the year. In contrast, he told a Russian newspaper, Interfax, that Hungary does not want to stop importing Russian gas, but wants to diversify gas imports.

“We will not replace Russian supplies – neither oil nor gas. Russia is our reliable partner: Gazprom and oil producers alike. Another issue is diversification. But from our point of view, this does not mean that we want to replace one source with another. Diversification for us means that we are looking for other sources, but not with the aim of replacing Russian sources,” Szijjártó said.

Commemoration: Hungarian university students, teachers killed by US fighters

US fighters

A group of 36 Hungarian nationals, who died during the last days of the second world war, were commemorated in a cemetery in Hazlov, in western Czechia, on Saturday.

The commemoration was attended by representatives of the local authority, Hungary’s embassy in Prague, the Association of Hungarians in the Czech Republic, as well as the Esterházy János Association.

On April 11, 1945, a train carrying Hungarian university students, teachers, and their families trying to return to Hungary came under an air raid by US fighters. As it turned out later, the US pilots had mistaken their target for a German ammunitions train.

“These graves contain the ashes of mostly young people, whose destination was not Hazlov, yet, they remained here forever … only for being at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Hazlov Mayor Lenka Dvorakova told MTI after the ceremony.

Border control will be re-established at these Hungarian border crossings

Border control

Border control will be reintroduced at several Hungarian border crossings for the duration of a fortnight.

According to mfor.hu, Slovakia will reintroduce border control due to security reasons. Between 24 May and 8 June, the measure will affect border crossings to Hungary, Austria, Poland and Czechia. Furthermore, there will be border control at Slovakia’s international airports.

The press service of the Hungarian police said that people will be able to enter Slovakia only at the designated border crossings. Slovakian authorities will do their best to curtail the crowds and minimise waiting time. All passengers from Hungary should prepare their travel documents (passport, ID card, driving licence) prior to reaching the border crossings, the police’s advice goes. Between 24 May and 8 June, you will be able to cross the Hungarian-Slovakian border at the following border crossings:

On public road:

  • Rajka – Dunacsún/Cunovo (motorway),
  • Rajka – Oroszvár/Rusovce,
  • Vámosszabadi – Medve/Medvedov,
  • Komárom – Révkomárom/Komárno (Monostori Bridge),
  • Komárom – Révkomárom/Komárno,
  • Esztergom – Párkány/Stúrovo,
  • Letkés – Ipolyszalka/Salka,
  • Parassapuszta – Ipolyság/Sahy,
  • Balassagyarmat – Tótgyarmat/Slovenské Darmoty,
  • Ráros – Ráróspuszta/Ráros,
  • Ipolytarnóc – Kalonda/Kalonda,
  • Cered – Tajti/Tachty,
  • Somoskőújfalu – Sátorosbánya/Siatorská Bukovinka,
  • Bánréve – Sajólénártfalva/Král,
  • Aggtelek – Domica/Domica,
  • Tornanádaska – Bódvavendégi/Hostovce,
  • Tornyosnémeti – Migléc/Milhost (I/17 road),
  • Tornyosnémeti – Migléc/Milhost (R4 road),
  • Abaújvár – Kenyhec/Kechnec,
  • Hollóháza – Eszkáros/Skáros,
  • Sátoraljaújhely – Újhely/Slovenské Nové Mesto (Main Road, I/79),
  • Sátoraljaújhely – Újhely/Slovenské Nové Mesto (Public Road),
  • Pácin – Nagykövesd/Velky Kamenec.

On railway:

  • Rajka – Oroszvár/ Rusovce,
  • Komárom – Révkomárom/Komárno,
  • Szob – Párkány/Stúrovo,
  • Somoskőújfalu – Fülek/Filakovo,
  • Bánréve – Sajólénártfalva/Lenartovce,
  • Hidasnémeti – Hernádcsány/Cana.

Danube:

  • Komárom – Révkomárom/Komárno,
  • Esztergom – Párkány/Stúrovo.

Hungarian soldiers who fought Nazis commemorated in Czechia

war cemetery czechia wwii

Hungarian soldiers who died fighting German troops towards the end of the second world war in southern Czechia were commemorated in a ceremony at Zlata Koruna on Monday.

Representatives of the local government, the Hungarian embassy in Prague, as well as the Association of Hungarians in Czech Republic (CSMMSZ) laid wreaths at a local monument and at the place where five Hungarian soldiers were buried in 1945.

Hungarian soldiers arrived at Zlata Koruna in 1945, ordered there by Hungary’s Nazi government. They then cooperated with Czech resistance fighters, however, supplying them with weapons. They were killed during a conflict with an SS unit over command of a bridge.

The representatives of CSMMSZ and the Hungarian embassy also paid their tribute to the tombs of two further Hungarian soldiers, executed by the SS, at nearby Tyn nad Vltavou.

Featured image: illustration, cemetery at Větřní, Český Krumlov District, South Bohemian Region, Czech Republic – gravestone of WWII victims. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Czeva

Hungarian-owned weapons company to arm rising Asian power

Hungarians weapons factory Asia

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala paid a visit to Vietnam last week. He arrived in the capital city of Hanoi with a business delegation of 15 companies. Four of these operate in the weapons industry.

One of the four companies is Aero Vodochody. Previously in 2021, Vietnam bought a dozen of L-39NG light combat aircrafts, produced by the firm. The shipment of the planes starts now in 2023. Why does it bear importance? Aero Vodochody is majority-owned by the Hungarian HSC Aerojet, which is in the hands of the Hungarian state, Portfolio explains.

Czech-Vietnamese weapon ties

Prague is the European Union’s main provider of weapons to Hanoi. The Czech arms industry is known to specialise in the modification and modernisation of old Soviet weaponry. They also produce such weapons, which are compatible with old Russian equipment. Considering that 80 percent of Vietnam’s arms stockpiles consist of old Russian/Soviet military gear, arms deals with Czechia seem like the perfect way to renew their weaponry.

The Czech company Omnipol is also part of the delegation. They are minority holders in Aero Vodochody, and owners of Aircraft Industries, which makes the L 410 NG, a twin-engine 19-seat aircraft. Vietnam may end up buying some of these cargo planes, along with radars and other Czech-made military equipment.

Hungarian ownership ties

Aero Vodochody was the largest Czech aircraft-producing company. HSC Aerojet bought the shares of the firm back in August 2021. At that time, Aerojet was in the ownership of current Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky. To conduct the purchase, the firm had to procure a loan of around 140 million euros, which Szalay-Bobrovniczky received from the Hungarian Development Bank, a state-owned financial institution.

After Szalay-Bobrovniczky was appointed minister, he sold his shares in Aerojet to Zsolt Hernádi, the CEO of the government-affiliated Hungarian oil and gas company, MOL. Later in October 2022 Hernádi transferred these to the N7 Holding National Defence Industrial Innovation Ltd (N7 Holding Nemzeti Védelmi Ipari Innovációs Zrt). This governmental holding is a conglomerate of different national defense industry firms.

In Spring 2022 the government ordered 12 of the L-39NG aircrafts for the Hungarian army. According to estimations, the deal may have cost up to HUF 60-70 billion (EUR 160 million-186 million).

In a nutshell, the Hungarian government granted a loan to a government-affiliated businessman to buy an aircraft company. Once Szalay-Bobrovniczky was appointed minister, he sold the rights to the company to another government-affiliated businessman, from whom then the government purchased it.

Read also:

Eurostat: Hungarian household energy prices are the lowest in EU

gas energy kitchen

In the second half of 2022, average household electricity prices in the European Union were lowest in Hungary at EUR 10.8 per 100 kWh and the average household gas price was also lowest at EUR 3.5 per 100 kWh, Eurostat said on Wednesday.

The EU average for household electricity price in Hungary was EUR 28.4 per 100 kWh and the average gas price was EUR 11.4 per 100 kWh.

In a regional comparison, average household electricity price was EUR 16.4 per 100 kWh in Poland, EUR 18.8 per 100 kWh in Slovakia and EUR 38.4 per 100 kWh in Czechia.

Average household gas price was EUR 5.0 per 100 kWh in Slovakia, EUR 5.5 per 100 kWh in Poland and EUR 19.0 per 100 kWh in Czechia, Eurostat reported.

Attention motorists: Slovakia temporarily reintroduces border controls at the Slovak-Hungarian border

border-Hungary-slovakia-police

Slovakia will soon temporarily reintroduce border controls on the Czech, Polish, Hungarian and Austrian borders.

Acting Interior Minister Roman Mikulec said on Wednesday morning that Slovakia will soon temporarily reintroduce border controls on the Czech, Polish, Hungarian and Austrian borders, following a government decision, Ma7 reports.

The decision will be in force from 24 May to 8 June.

During this period, temporary controls can be expected not only at border crossings but also at all airports in the country.

The move, which had already been approved by the government, was necessary to ensure the safety and security of participants at the upcoming international security conference Globsec in Bratislava.

“Important politicians and other public figures from Europe and other parts of the world will attend the conference. Our priority is to ensure that the appropriate security arrangements are in place. This is only a temporary arrangement,” said Mr Mikulec.

Grab your suitcase: Trains from Budapest to Prague in every two hours!

prague czech republic

You can take the train from Budapest to Prague every two hours, and trains between the two capitals make the journey in 7 hours, MÁV said in a statement sent to MTI on Wednesday.

Most trains are operated by Czech Railways’ Metropolitan EuroCity trains to Prague, with MÁV-Start‘s Hungária EuroCity service from Budapest via Brno, Prague and Berlin to Hamburg fitting into the two-hour regular timetable.

In addition to first- and second-class corridor coaches and open coaches, Hungária EuroCity trains also run IC+ second-class multi-purpose coaches, which can also carry bicycles.

Following the renovation of an important section of the Czech Railways line, from 1 July Metropolitan, and Hungaria EC trains will no longer have to take detours. After the renovation, journey times will be reduced by twenty-one minutes between Prague and Budapest and by twenty-six minutes in the opposite direction, MÁV said in a statement.

Further information and detailed train timetables are available at www.mavcsoport.hu/mav-start/nemzetkozi-utazas/csehorszag.