environment
Orbán not to have education, healthcare, environment ministries – Gyurcsány’s DK outraged
Gergely Arató, the deputy group leader of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK), on Friday criticised Viktor Orbán’s incoming cabinet which he said “no longer keeps up appearances by maintaining ministries for education, health care and the environment”.
Arató issued a statement in response to Orban’s press chief announcing the list of ministers after the incoming prime minister concluded talks on forming his next cabinet earlier in the day. Orbán, the leader of the ruling Fidesz party,
won a fourth consecutive term at the parliamentary election held on April 3.
In his statement, Arató said it transpired from the list of names that there would be no ministries assigned to education, health care, welfare and environmental protection, areas he said were deemed “unnecessary” by the new government.
Read alsoLeftist opposition in crisis after the lost election?
This is how the government helps Hungarian companies expand abroad
The government continues to support the expansion of Hungarian companies abroad, as a means to boost economic cooperation with neighbouring countries, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), in central Romania, on Friday.
Szijjártó spoke at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of a new plant and office complex of water industry company CONTROLSOFT-AUTOMATIKA. The 486 million forint (EUR 1.3m) investment is supported by a 290 million forint government grant, and will create 45 new jobs, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The new facility will highlight the success of the government’s strategy to support Hungarian companies’ investments abroad, he said. So far,
52 companies have received government support totalling at 73 billion forints, which has fostered 144 billion forints’ worth of investments,
he said. As far as Hungarian investors in Romania are concerned, the government has supported 15 companies with 25 billion forints to carry out projects worth 60 billion forints, he said.
Szijjártó said that Hungarian-Romanian relations had witnessed several records over the past few years.
Hungarian investments in Romania, for instance, have recently topped 2 billion euros,
he said, adding that bilateral trade has jumped by 20 percent to nearly 10 billion euros, with 6 billion euros generated by Hungarian exports.
Hungarian communities in Romania and Romanians living in Hungary are the backbone of that success, he said. Meanwhile, the investment is another step in handling the challenges facing both countries, Szijjártó said.
“The two countries’ successes in environmental protection would be hard to imagine separately.”
Barna Tánczos, Romania’s environmental, water management and forestry minister, called Hungarian support for investments in Romania “extremely important”, and a token of even closer ties between the two countries. A water purifying technology is especially important as “Romania is currently not treating water at its real value,” he said.
Read alsoHungary among the top investment targets of Taiwanese companies in Europe!
Bathing in Lake Balaton to become impossible in 10-15 years?
Bathing in Lake Balaton might become impossible in 10-15 years because of the deteriorating water quality. That is the most pessimistic prognosis, Viktor Tóth a senior fellow of the Balaton Limnological Research Institute believes.
According to infostart.hu, Tóth said that the water level of the “Hungarian Sea” was 20 centimetres lower six months earlier. Currently, it is 4 pc above the maximum. The expert thinks it is likely that the water level would be 20-30 centimetres lower in the following months because of the higher temperatures and the consequently increased rate of evaporation. However, he did not give a long-term prognosis because the standard deviation is very high.
The most pessimistic prognosis is that Lake Balaton’s water quality will be so poor in 10-15 years that bathing will be impossible. According to a more optimistic forecast, the lake’s hydrologic system will solve the problem of low water levels.
Tóth highlighted that the core problem was the excessive control of the water levels in the last couple of decades. The reason behind that was the economy and the boom of tourism around the lake. There were no biological factors. He cleared that the water level oscillation was below 10 pc in the last 10-15 years. In contrast, this number was 30-40 pc in the 1970s, but back then nobody cared to control the water levels.
Nature will slowly adapt to the water level changes but oscillation can be likely expected, Tóth said. He highlighted it would be paramount to ensure the natural circulation of water in the lake.
As we reported earlier, at the end of April, the water level of Lake Balaton was 12 centimetres below the ideal. Experts expected more rainfall back then otherwise the summer season could have been in danger.
Index.hu reported that Lake Balaton could dry out in decades. The good news is that experts might be able to stabilize the water level. However, the bad news is that artificial processes can cause the lake’s paludification. Interestingly, the Gubahámori architectural firm created the concept of new natural beaches which could potentially protect the “Hungarian Sea.”
Read alsoLake Balaton’s famous tourist destination to restrict drinking, parties, erotic dance – PHOTOS
Can Hungarian households substitute Russian gas?
A decision of such sort would cause serious problems in Hungary, but Hungarian households have some alternatives, Róbert Szémán, editor-in-chief of the Víz, Gáz, Fűtéstechnika (Water, Gas, Heating Technology) magazine said. A Hungarian media outlet asked him about the issue after Russia ended gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria because Warsaw and Sofia refused to pay in roubles for it.
Hungarian gas supply in danger?
Mr Szémán believes that achieving complete independence from Russian gas is an unrealistic short-term goal because there is no alternative supply, 24.hu wrote. Hungary’s gas reserves are low in European comparison. On the 1st of May, the charge level of the commercial stores was only 9.29 pc. Moreover, Hungary used 1/3rd of the gas in the strategic storage in Szőreg during winter. Hungary has approximately 1.3 cubic metres of gas stored, but the consumption is 9 cubic metres per year.
Therefore, if Russians ceased gas deliveries to Hungary, domestic households would face serious challenges. There would be no gas for heating, cooking or hot water supply. Gas is needed to produce electricity, so substituting gas heating with electric heating devices would not be a solution. Thus, nobody should invest now in an electric heating system or buy an electric radiator.
- Read also: Hungary knew about the attack on Ukraine and wanted to take part of the territory, says Danilov
Gas replacement options are expensive
An instant gas heating replacement might be solid fuel like wood or coal in houses where there is a chimney. However, only old stoves can work this way because newer ones need electricity due to the circulator pump. An environment-friendly solution can be pellet stoves.
Apartments with central heating systems are in the worst position. If they change to electric heating, the system will collapse as there are no chimneys. Therefore, they can only heat their flats with solid fuel and put the stovepipe through the wall.
Those who plan to become independent from the central heating system should invest in a heat pump. That is expensive; the device costs HUF 1.7-1.8 million (EUR 4477-4740) while installing the system is HUF 2.5-3 million (EUR 6584-7900). On the other hand, heat pumps are functional only above minus 5 °C. Below -10 °C compromises must be made, plus their electricity consumption increases.
- Read also: Polish Senate vetoed Hungarian MOL’s expansion because the company is controlled by Russia
Here is the best solution
Heat pumps combined with solar panels are the best solution, but they add an extra HUF 2 million (EUR 5267) to the expenses. Moreover, an insulation program would be also necessary in that case. Besides, producers cannot make an infinite number of solar panels and heat pumps, hence, a large demand would probably result in a shortage.
Infrapanels or electric boilers can work well in some houses. However, they are not a solution for everybody, and they do not perform as well as heat pumps. Mr Szémán said that air conditioners with heating functions could also provide solutions above -10 Celsius degrees. Furthermore, such devices are the cheapest among all the other options. Another factor is that non-renewable electric heaters will make heating more expensive than renewables (e.g. heat pumps). Mr Szémán believes that Hungarians should install solar panels with batteries and heat pumps. As a result, we could produce our own energy.
Huge waves of waste come regularly from Romania to Hungary
The opposition Jobbik has petitioned Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó to take diplomatic steps with a view to stopping the flow of waste on rivers from Romania to Hungary.
Béla Adorján, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg county councillor, on Friday noted at a press conference that Jobbik had tried to present a petition to the Romanian Embassy a week ago. Two days ago, however, another huge wave of waste reached Hungary’s border on the Szamos river, he said.
Lawmaker Csaba Gyüre said that the floodplains of the Upper Tisza region had been flooded with plastic bottles.
Gyüre said he had turned to the foreign ministry, which cited the Romanian side as saying that the problem “has been almost totally settled”, with the waste filtered out on the Romanian sections of the rivers. The recent developments, however, indicated the opposite, he said.
Gyüre asked Szijjártó to take action to ensure that the Romanian authorities responsible put an end to pollution, eliminate illegal rubbish dumps on the catchment areas and monitor the industrial facilities and farms that emit hazardous materials.
He also stressed the need to set up a monitoring system which would alert Hungarian experts about waste approaching Hungary’s border.
MEP Márton Gyöngyösi, deputy leader of Jobbik, requested that Szijjártó turn directly to the Romanian government and that Hungarian diplomacy lobby the UN and EU institutions to help resolve the situation.
Read alsoUnique European bridge to be finished soon in Hungary – VIDEOS
Balaton beach season in danger? The water level is too low!
The water level of Lake Balaton is 12 centimetres below the ideal figures. If there is not enough rainfall in the next period, it will be a difficult summer for both the lake’s wildlife and holidaymakers. Going to the beach and renting a boat can also be at risk due to low water levels.
There is not enough rainfall
The precipitation in April has raised the water level of Lake Balaton by only 2 centimetres so far. At dawn on April 19, the water level in Siófok was 103 centimetres.
The water level of Lake Balaton is 12 centimetres lower than it should be.
Specialists are preparing for water drainage in May on the Sió Canal due to boat transport. The original operating water level of Lake Balaton was 100 centimetres. This was raised to 110 centimetres and then to 120 centimetres a few years ago.
From the point of view of water management, the operating water level is the determining factor, as it has a tolerance limit, writes index.hu. However, from an ecological point of view, natural water management is favourable. In this process, despite the low water levels, there is no deterioration in water quality. This is especially good for reeds and birds.
Due to less rainfall in the summer and high evaporation, it is important that the water level in the lake is not low.
This is less important for beachgoers, but it is of paramount importance for sailors. According to experts, the amount of precipitation in the area may increase in the coming period.
Gábor Veigl, the CEO of Balatoni Hajózási Zrt., offers many exciting programs to visitors of Lake Balaton. The so-called traditional Party and Magic Ship programs are being further developed. In addition, you can buy tickets for boats and ferries online from this season.
Changes in Balatonaliga
The Somogy County Government Office granted the environmental protection permit for the large-scale investment of Pro-Mot Hungária Kft. and Hellnarik Hospitality Kft. in Balatonaliga.
The Aligaliget project is transforming the former Club Aliga into a private luxury resort.
The government office ordered an environmental impact assessment in the autumn of 2021. The project was granted high economic importance by the state. Locals and non-governmental organisations fear that the shores of Lake Balaton and the lake have so far relied on the impact assessment, writes 444.hu. Civilians tried to show the irreversible damage the investment could cause with studies showing the dangers of the project.
The locals fear that the development will not only damage the wildlife but also leave the people living there with less access to the Hungarian sea.
Hungary’s new government must ensure a proper water supply to Lake Velence, says President Áder
Hungary’s new government must ensure a proper water supply to Lake Velence, in western Hungary, “as one of its first measures”, President János Áder said in its Blue Planet podcast on Monday.
In the programme, Gyula Reich, secretary of the water management council, said issues around notoriously low water levels in the lake could be resolved through a new schedule of replenishing the water from its two reservoirs, as well as from karstic waters nearby, and through adding purified sewage. The lake’s level, which was a mere 71 centimetres on average last September, could be increased by as much as 80-85 centimetres, the expert said. Adding one million cubic metres of water would increase the level by 4 centimetres, he said.
The lake’s only natural source is a brook, which reaches the lake through two reservoirs near Zámoly, and Pátka, respectively. According to Reich, a channel should be built from the brook to the lake bypassing the two reservoirs, which are in a neglected state and call for cleaning.
Concerning the utilisation of purified sewage, Áder said re-using sewage was common practice in several parts of the world, noting that in Singapore it was bottled as drinking water.
- read also: It seems that Lake Velence will not dry out yet
- One of the most important natural wonders in Hungary is in grave danger
Photo by Stehlik Norbert Photo Blog
Shocking! Hungarian cave diver got lost 48 metres deep
More than 50 rescue workers are trying to save Márton M.’s life, who got lost 48 metres deep in a cave filled with water. He disappeared on Sunday in the Kossuth cave in Northeast Hungary, in the Aggteleki National Park. Márton is a member of the Amphora Búvár Klub, Budapest.
The Hungarian cave diver might still be alive
According to Blikk, experts agree that the Hungarian diver can survive if he managed to get out of the water in the Kossuth cave and found a dry place somewhere inside. They added that wet and dry segments alternate in the cave, so surviving is not utterly impossible. However, in the water, the range of vision is 0 because of the stirred material. However, the rescue action continues, and divers work in shifts inside the cave.
“Giving up is unknown for us if it is about rescuing one of our fellows. We will fight until our last breath, and we hope we will find him alive” – Mihály Horváth, the head of the Hungarian Cave Rescue Service, said.
- Today from today: Several people killed in train-van accident in Hungary – UPDATE
Visibility is almost zero
The Kossuth cave was found and opened in the 1950s. For long, its end was the so-called Reménytelen-szifon (Hopeless Siphon). Márton M., the diver now in trouble, was the only one capable of getting beyond it. Budapestherald.hu says that “after decades of research, the flight was flown in 2009 by researchers at the Amphora Diving Club. After the breakthrough, air-rich halls rich in formations and additional underwater passages increased the known length of the cave, which today exceeds 1,500 meters, while its vertical extent is 60 meters.”
“He is one of the best divers in the profession. There are only four people in Hungary who can do what he can. He discovered the “Hall of our Fathers” after the Hopeless Siphon. But he did not rest and wanted to go further. He was in that segment of the cave when he got lost” – an older diver said. He added that five divers went with him, but the cavern they passed through gave way, and he disappeared. A fellow diver tried to help as long as he could but had to come to the surface after a while. “This is a very narrow, watery and clayey place, but we hope that there are wonders and he is still alive” – he said.
Blikk reported that the endpoint of the cave, which is 40 metres deep, was impassable. Furthermore, visibility is terrible, and the guide rope is in the clay.
There are wonders
In 2018, a Thai football team visited the Tham Luang cave system. However, a shower filled the cave with water, and they were trapped inside. The rescue operations started on June 23 and lasted until July 10, and, finally, they managed to bring everybody to the surface.
Read alsoTragedy! Hungarian world champion died in accident caused by drugged driver
There are so many sailboats on Lake Balaton that there are not enough docks!
There are so many sailboats on Lake Balaton that there are not enough docks, or they are too expensive. Therefore, hundreds of owners would like to keep their boat mooring. However, nobody remembers around Lake Balaton where and how mooring can be done properly.
Sailboats without a docking opportunity might end up as hazardous waste
According to sokszinuvidek.24.hu, Lake Balaton ran out of free docks, or they became too expensive for sailboat owners. Therefore, more than 210 of them signed a petition demanding authorities to enable them to keep their boats mooring. As a result, local settlements formed an expert team to chart the possibilities. Mooring was popular at Lake Balaton in the 19th century. But no longer remembers anybody around the lake how and where it can be done properly.
The situation is getting worse, and authorities have to find a solution quickly. Sailboats without a docking opportunity might end up as hazardous waste if they drift away on the lake.
Mooring places disappeared
András Gerő, a member of the newly formed expert team, said he realised there was a problem when he kept receiving letters of complaint. Therefore, he asked for help from those he believed might know what to do. Afterwards, they skimmed through the relevant laws and rules to find a solution. In theory, mooring is not forbidden on Lake Balaton. On the northern side of the lake, mooring was very common until the end of the 19th century. However, mooring places disappeared after the development of ports began.
Currently, hundreds of sailboats cannot find a docking place at Lake Balaton – he said. Some of them are tied to tractor tires paved over. However, not only is it environmentally unfriendly but also very dangerous. If the boat sinks, another sailboat might get into trouble if they collide.
Mr Gerő said that the Water Rescue Services of Hungary lifted out a sunk boat recently because its owner did not have enough money to pay for it. Therefore, they started a public donation campaign. Gerő highlighted that they would like to create a safe mooring opportunity on the lake involving the authorities – hirbalaton.hu reported.
Read alsoLake Balaton to receive new, modern ferries and catamarans – PHOTOS
Environmental catastrophe approaching Hungary on River Sajó? – PHOTOS
Örs Orosz has posted some shocking images on his Facebook page recently. The representative of the council of Nyitra county in Slovakia said that an environmental disaster might approach Hungary on Sajó. Shockingly, the river has been red on its Slovakian segment for two weeks. Find out why in the article.
Red mud has been flowing into River Sajó for two weeks
The Ajka alumina plant accident or the so-called “red mud catastrophe” in 2010 was one of the biggest environmental disasters in Hungary. An industrial accident at a caustic waste reservoir chain took place at the Ajkai Timföldgyár alumina plant. On 4 October 2010, the northwestern corner of the dam of reservoir number 10 collapsed, freeing approximately one million cubic metres (35 million cubic feet) of liquid waste from red mud lakes.
The mud was released as a 1–2 m (3–7 ft) wave, flooding several nearby localities, including the village of Kolontár and the town of Devecser. Ten people died, and 150 people were injured. About 40 square kilometres (15 sq mi) of land were initially affected. The spill reached the Danube on 7 October 2010.
- Read more: The biggest catastrophes in Hungary – photos
Authorities investigating
Örs Orosz, a representative of Nyitra county council in Slovakia, shared photos depicting the River Sajó, which is currently red from a similar mud released into it. The civil rights activist added that the polluted water is approaching Hungary. The source of it is the iron ore mine in Alsósajó. He even gave the exact place where the red mix enters the Sajó, the former site of the Siderit company – oagroinform.hu reported.
Here are some photos Örs Orosz published:
Allegedly, the river’s iron level exceeds 2,000 times the limit. Furthermore, there is a large amount of sulphur in the river.
As a result, the once crystal clear water turned into a deadly mixture of iron and sulphur, killing animals and insects.
Environmental catastrophe approaching Hungary?
Mr Orosz said that Slovakian authorities are investigating the issue, and he notified their Hungarian counterpart because the Sajó River flows to Hungary into the Tisza River. Meanwhile, comments under Mr Orosz’s post say that the local radio denies or does not acknowledge the severity of the pollution. Others claimed that the authorities were already investigating and hoped the red mud could be stopped.
On 13th March, Mr Orosz shared the first official Slovakian analysis of the river’s water. The sample was taken on 24th February, so he argued that authorities had been hiding information about the pollution since then. He added that 2.4 tonnes of polluted liquid flew into the river every day. For example, there is poisonous arsenic in the river. Its level exceeds 187 times the limit in Slovakia and 2,600 times the river’s usual content.
In a follow-up post today, the local activist said that the red colour disappears from the river’s water in Tornalja, near the Hungarian-Slovakian border. Hydrologists cleared that the pollution diluted seven times thanks to the tributaries Csermosnya, Murány, and Rima.
Read alsoEnvironmental catastrophe approaching Hungary on River Sajó? – PHOTOS
Green party launches petition against Hungary’s nuclear plant
Opposition LMP is launching a petition against the expansion of the Paks nuclear power plant, the party’s co-leader said on Sunday.
Speaking at an online press conference, Máté Kanász-Nagy said the attack on Ukraine had made it clear that the less dependent Hungary was on Russia, the safer it was.
“President Putin himself said that his ultimate goal is to make post-Socialist countries, including Hungary, leave NATO,” Kanász-Nagy said.
- Read also: LMP: Paks nuclear plant investment ‘will not go ahead in current form’ if opposition wins
Yet, the government insists on the “crazy idea to build new blocks in Paks with thousands of billions of forints of Russian credit and Russian technology,” he said, “thereby making even our grandchildren dependent on Russia.”
Kanász-Nagy said the Paks expansion must be prevented, and this could be done now, if as many people demanded it as loudly as possible.
Read alsoWhat is the state of gas supply in Hungary during the Russian-Ukrainian war?
It seems that Lake Velence will not dry out yet
Lake Velence, in central Hungary, which dried out in places, has been replenished from a nearby reservoir, bringing the water level of the lake from 83 cm in December to 99 cm, the water management authority said on Thursday.
Spokesperson Gabriella Siklós noted water levels were critically low last year, but the authorities had not been able to start replenishment before the winter due to algae contamination in reservoirs at nearby Pátka and Zamály. Low temperatures in December helped control the water quality, she added.
Fish were removed from the Zámoly reservoir and all its water was let over to the other one at Pátka, while the latter one was not emptied entirely in view of environmental and fishing considerations, Siklóssaid.
The spokesperson added, however, that the level of the popular resort was still too low compared with the usual 130cm for the season, adding that hopefully rainfall in the spring would help to rectify the situation.
Read alsoHungary’s third largest lake is in great trouble!
Orbán: Election to decide between “new” and “old” economy – Part 2
Orbán said if Hungary’s inflation rate fell from the current level of over 7 percent to 6 percent by year-end, the inflation environment would still be high in the coming years, and part of the reason why, he added, was that Brussels was failing to coordinate climate policy with economic policy, leading to high energy prices.
Also, the Russia-Ukraine standoff and the fate of the North Stream gas pipeline had a part of play, he said. With high energy prices, Russia can bump up its profits selling less gas, he added. The big question over the next few months was what the outcome would be and how this would affect inflation, he said.
“Time is not on our side, it is on their side,” the prime minister said. He noted that Hungary, however, has signed long-term gas supply agreements with Russia, with increasing volumes expected.
Regarding caps on fuel, interest on loan repayments, and food prices, Orbán insisted it had been necessary to intervene to combat inflation. “Let me reassure everyone: we haven’t taken leave of our senses, and we don’t have any intention of restoring price controls.”
The prime minister noted five areas that may hold the Hungarian economy back in the future unless the government made timely decisions: the overly high level of foreign ownership in the economy, the dominant role of large exporting companies, the relative dearth of quality small and medium-sized enterprises among exporters, profit-poor domestic companies, the fact that foreign companies are more productive than their domestic peers, and the country beyond Budapest lagging behind it.
Between 2010 and 2020, Hungarian ownership in the energy sector, the banking sector and the media increased greatly, but the insurance sector, telecommunications industry, building materials and food retail are still largely in foreign hands, he said.
At the same time, without foreign capital “we aren’t competitive, there’s no full employment or new technologies,” he said, adding that it wouldn’t be desirable to pursue a policy with a bias against foreign investment. “At the same time, Hungarian ownership must be strengthened,” he said.
Now Hungary has 12,000 export-oriented companies as opposed to 2,000 in 2010, Orbán said. Yet foreign-owned companies generate 80 percent of export revenue. The aim, he added, is to boost domestic exporters to 30 percent. Markets that produce higher profits than the West, such as the Balkans and China, must be targeted in this regard, he said.
- Read also: Asian guest workers are flocking to Hungary
Orbán said that whereas many domestic companies were expanding, “we aren’t doing well in regional comparison”. “We must mobilise our tools, knowledge and skills” to increase the number of Hungarian companies making a profit, he said.
The prime minister said the productivity of foreign companies in Hungary was much higher than their Hungarian peers, though the rate of increase in domestic productivity was at least outpacing that of foreign ones.
He said Hungarian companies must do more to digitalise and automate. The government, he added, stood ready to help. Also, R and D spending must increase, he added.
The prime minister said the government intended to spend three times as much on rural development in the next two years, and this included developing cities. He noted that in 2021, 190 billion forints was spent on village development, and an additional 93 billion is being spent this year.
To address these issues, the state must continue to provide support, Orbán said. “Public funds are needed for financing, and we need tax cuts, investment support and loan guarantees.”
The plan to relaunch the economy in the 2021 budget, he noted, provided 12 percent of GDP to these kinds of developments while this proportion has been raised to 5 percent this year.
Read alsoForeign Min: 2021 the most successful year since 1990
Senior V4 and French lawmakers discuss security policy in Budapest
Parliamentary foreign affairs committee leaders of the four Visegrád countries held a two-day meeting with their French partners in Budapest and discussed security policy challenges in the east and the south, Zsolt Németh, the head of the Hungarian committee, said.
The meeting was attended by respective officials of both houses of the French parliament and the Visegrád Four (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia).
The participants focussed on major foreign policy issues in and outside Europe, Németh told a press conference, adding that the Hungary planned to invite the foreign affairs committee leaders of the Baltic states and Britain to similar meetings to be held under its current V4 presidency.
Németh welcomed that the Visegrád countries and France held identical views on several issues, including the need of security.
Although the security of Europe, including Hungary, is primarily guaranteed by NATO, “there are plenty of common European security interests which can be promoted more effectively if there is a European security and defence policy in place,” Németh said. He added that Hungary would “do its part” and raise the ratio of defence expenditure to 2 percent of GDP by 2024.
As the use of nuclear energy is crucial for Europe’s energy security and future, both the V4 countries and France advocate that nuclear energy should be declared a renewable, clean source of energy, he said.
The participants agreed to cooperate in boosting economic competitiveness, digitalisation and transition to green economy. They identified space research, an area with growing security policy importance, as a prospective field of cooperation, Németh said.
Concerning the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the foreign affairs committee leaders agreed on the need of resolute action to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and “within the framework of NATO a more marked representation of a policy of deterrence”, he said.
Nevertheless, maintaining dialogue is another priority, Németh said, referring to the recent visits to Moscow of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Another security policy issue discussed at the meeting in Budapest was the withdrawal of the Takuba mission from Mali, Németh said, expressing regret over the discontinuation of what he called a key mission in the Sahel region.
Read alsoGovt spox: “Hungary will not yield to politically motivated blackmail”
Opposition party: Hungary’s government “pretends to be green”
Hungary’s government pretends to be “green” but it is far from that, Máté Kanász-Nagy, co-leader of the opposition LMP party, said on Friday.
Commenting on the Brazilian president’s Thursday visit to Hungary, he said that “in political terms, Jair Bolsonaro can rightly be called the world’s biggest climate criminal who personifies everything a green party should oppose.”
Bolsonaro met Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and President János Áder but neither of them criticised him for his environmental record, Kanász-Nagy told an online press conference.
Facing real conflicts, the Hungarian government’s actions do not substantially differ from the Brazilian president’s steps, the LMP co-leader said.
Kanász-Nagy accused Orbán of circumventing environmental regulations, appropriating free beaches and building luxury hotels around big lakes.
Further, he criticised the government of supporting multinational companies whose carbon emissions greatly contribute to climate change.
Kanász-Nagy also blamed the government for its “failure to accomplish the EU’s strict climate protection goals”.
Read alsoHungary launches first hydrogen-powered bus service – PHOTOS
What were the economic benefits of the Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo?
On his Blue Planet podcast streamed on Monday, President János Áder discussed the economic benefits that resulted from the Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo.
Áder talked in the podcast with István Joó, a deputy state secretary for export development and government commissioner in charge of Planet Budapest who was also involved in organising the Budapest Water Summit in 2019.
Joó said that thanks to the water summit,
Hungary has become a key player in water diplomacy.
Áder said that the water summit yielded some scientific, diplomatic and economic benefits and as a result, the Planet 2021 expanded its theme to include sustainability, energy efficiency and food safety.
Organising the expo cost 9.7 billion forints paid from the central budget but the participating companies expect 134 billion forints (EUR 380m) business profits from the opportunities that result from the event, Joo said.
Áder said that some 4,000 business meetings were held during the expo and instead of companies having to travel to different continents, they could “hold talks with half of the world here”.
Read alsoOrbán cabinet to push out foreign supermarket chains
Hungary launches first hydrogen-powered bus service – PHOTOS
Hungary is launching its first ever hydrogen-powered public bus service between Budapest and nearby Vecsés, the state secretary for climate, energy policy and the development of the circular economy said on Wednesday.
The test service will run for just over three weeks under Hungary’s Green Bus Programme, Attila Steiner said at the bus’s unveiling, adding that it would provide useful information on the everyday use of hydrogen technology.
The project is being organised by the HUMDA Hungarian Motorsport and Green Mobility Development Agency using a Solaris Urbino 12 electric hydrogen fuel cell bus that will be operated by national bus carrier Volánbusz.
The transport sector accounts for around a fifth of Hungary’s CO2 emissions, Steiner said, adding that the country would need to implement significant changes to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Hungary’s government approved the National Hydrogen Strategy last year, he noted, adding that a hydrogen association had also been launched with the participation of industry players.
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Ban on single-use plastics yields significant results in Hungary
The ban on single-use plastic products introduced in Hungary last year has yielded significant results, the daily Magyar Nemzet said on Tuesday, citing the state secretary for the development of circular economy, energy and climate policy.
Attila Steiner said most companies’ stocks of single-use plastic products had run out since the ban entered force on July 1, 2021. Retailers have adjusted to the changes well, switching from plastic bags to bio-degradable materials, with many paper and catering companies introducing paper plates and wooden cutlery.
“Online surveys show that people agree with the restrictions and … have found alternative solutions,” he said.
Discarded plastic bags have a noticeable impact on the environment, and an initiative dubbed Let’s Clean the Country and an application for revealing illegal waste dumps has been introduced to address this problem, he said.
Legal restrictions combined with schemes including a waste collection scheme dubbed You Pick it Up are especially effective in leading to a cleaner environment, he added.
In line with European Union restrictions, since last July manufacturers and retailers have been obliged to better inform buyers about the environmental impact of plastics and waste collection, he said. This has been enhanced by a registration system introduced in January which can monitor how these obligations are being kept, he added.
The government allocated 10 billion forints last year to help companies make technology upgrades, and an information portal has been set up at www.vali.hu to assist them in applying for funding, he said.
Parliament approved the main directives for reforming waste management last year, an important element of which is the recycling of plastic and glass containers for drinks and metal cans. In response to an online survey which showed that people would support the introduction of harsher penalties against illegal waste, the government has also started preparing a new system to address this issue, he added.
Steiner said that shaping public opinion is key to achieving change, and he welcomed the responsiveness of children to positive related messages.
