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Government official: Coronavirus panic, stockpiling unnecessary

coronavirus_hungary_checking

A government official on Friday discouraged the Hungarian public from panicking and stockpiling food because of the COVID-19 virus, saying it was unwarranted according to experts.

“There’s no need for panic or unnecessary purchases,” Tamás Schanda, state secretary of transport at the ministry of innovation and technology, told a news conference. The ministry is in touch with the various commercial professional organisations and is constantly monitoring the state of food supply, he added.

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Read alsoHungary – Stores have a shortage of sanitisers and dry food due to coronavirus

The ministry has been told by commercial organisations that retailers are constantly restocking their supplies and the major retail chains have enough in reserves, he said.

Meanwhile, Schanda said the government would turn to the competition authority over any cases of market players attempting to take advantage of the virus in their pricing decisions. The national consumer protection authority has begun inspecting the prices of non-perishables in an effort to uncover dishonest market practices, he added.

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Read alsoOrbán: Coronavirus is likely to reach Hungary

Kinga Láng-Bognár, spokeswoman for the Hungarian government’s operative board monitoring the coronavirus outbreak, told the same news conference that there were still no confirmed coronavirus cases in Hungary.

There are currently 18 people in quarantine, she said, adding that 62 samples have been tested so far. A total of 383 people have been screened on public roads and 4,247 at the airport. Since the outbreak of the virus a total of 1,634 people have arrived in Hungary from China either on direct flights or indirectly, she said, adding that 134 Chinese nationals currently in Hungary are either unable or unwilling to return to China.

Hungarian government to rethink EV subsidies

electric car ev sales

Hungary’s government will revamp its subsidy system for all-electric vehicles to favour smaller, cheaper cars, state secretary for energy and climate policy Péter Kaderjak said on Wednesday.

In the latest tender for electric vehicle (EV) subsidies, which concluded on Feb. 24, the state subsidy covered 21 percent of the purchase price of new EVs but were capped at 1.5 million forints per vehicle. Vehicles with price tags up to 20 million were eligible for the subsidies.

Kaderjak said

subsidies of some 3 billion forints supported the purchase of 2,800 EVs since the support was rolled out in 2016 and more than 16,000 “green” number plates were issued.

Green number plates which confer tax preferences and other benefits are available for all-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids that can travel at least 25km on a single charge, hybrids that can travel at least 50km using electric power, and other zero-emission vehicles.

The government is also working on changes to that system, he added.

Support for EVs is one of the points of a climate protection plan unveiled by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán earlier in February.

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Read alsoHungarian government to rethink EV subsidies

Hungary net wages up 13.1 pc: EUR 797

hungary_labour_market

The average gross wage for full-time workers in Hungary grew by an annual 13.1 percent to a monthly 406,388 forints (EUR 1,200) in December 2019, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Wednesday.

Net wages grew at the same pace, to 270,248 forints (EUR 797).

Calculating with a 3.4 percent inflation rate in 2019, real wages increased by 7.7 percent over the year.

K and H Bank head analyst Dávid Németh said wage growth was likely to be in single digits in 2020 and growth in real wages would slow down even further due to inflation effects. Wages may rise by around 9-10 percent this year, while real wages may grow by 6 percent, he said.

Takarékbank chief analyst András Horváth said

labour market conditions remained tight so wages could continue to rise at an “intensive” pace as there has been a shortage of skilled labour in every segment of the economy since 2016.

He added that wages were expected to rise by around 10 percent in 2020, while real wages may increase by around 5.5 percent.

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Read alsoHuge labour shortage in Hungary – These companies would pay a lot to employees

Leftists blames Orbán cabinet for increasing income gap

poverty hungary

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has blamed the government for a widening gap between Hungary’s poor and rich.

Gergely Arató, deputy parliamentary leader of the party, told a press conference on Tuesday that the income gap was growing fastest in Hungary among European Union members, according to Eurostat figures.

“Some 1.2 million Hungarians have no chance of leaving poverty behind,” he insisted,

and went on to say that Hungary’s tax and income regulations, family support and other central systems “all benefit the rich”.

Arató was asked about a recent court ruling condemning a school in Gyöngyöspata, in north-eastern Hungary for segregating Roma children, and he said that “in any state governed by the rule of law court decisions must be enforced” and suggested that the compensation of 100 million forints (EUR 300,000), set by the court, should be paid out to the complainants.

Arató slammed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his “hatred-inciting” remarks criticising the ruling, as well as his “racist-sounding phrases that can be easily misunderstood”.

Arató insisted that tension in Gyöngyöspata was not a new phenomenon; it rooted in “segregating Roma children with the knowledge of and support from the Hungarian state”. He added that Roma children had been given worse tuition than the non-Roma. “The government ought to refrain from increasing tension and find a solution”, he said.

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Read alsoWhich are the poorest and richest Hungarian regions? See map inside!

Budapest residents have the cheapest energy in the EU

Budapest, Chain Bridge, view

The consumer price of natural gas and electricity is surprisingly cheap in Budapest compared to other EU member states. According to recent statistics, Budapest residents have the cheapest gas and the second cheapest electricity among all the capitals of the EU states.

Villággazdaság noticed that The Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority (MEKH) shared some interesting statistics from a recent Eurostat survey.

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Read alsoHungary = Cheapest alcohol in the EU?

Last December, the average consumer price of natural gas was the lowest in Budapest, and electricity prices were the second cheapest (EUR 0.11 per kWh) in Budapest among the EU member state capitals. Only Belgrade had lower electricity prices (EUR 0.07 per kWh). In contrast, household electricity prices were the highest in Berlin, Germany (EUR 0.32 per kWh)

In Hungary, the official consumer price of electricity remained unchanged for years. Deviations in prices that are observed every year are due solemnly to the constantly changing exchange rate between the Euro and the Forint.

However, if we are looking at Purchasing Power Standard, electricity prices in Budapest are only the 9th cheapest in the EU.

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Read alsoHungary has the most significant increase in housing prices in the entire EU!

Eurostat is the statistical office of the European Union. It publishes official, harmonised statistics on the European Union and the euro area, offering a comparable, reliable, and objective portrayal of Europe’s society and economy. A vast range of data is available for the EU as a whole and also for the Member States.

The Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority is the regulatory body of the energy and public utility market, supervising the national economy’s sectors of strategic importance. Its responsibilities include licensing, supervision, price regulation, tariff and fee preparatory tasks in the fields of electricity, natural gas, district heating as well as water utility supply, besides the pricing of public waste management services.

Featured image: Pixabay

Hungary may serve as model for reversing population decline, says state secretary

Daily News Hungary

An increase in the number of marriages is particularly rare in Europe, and Hungary may serve as a model for how to reverse a shrinking population and mobilise internal resources to secure the country’s future, the state secretary in charge of family and youth affairs told daily Magyar Nemzet in an interview published on Saturday.

The Hungarian government’s family protection action plan was one of last year’s “greatest gains”, Katalin Novák told the paper.

The scheme has created unprecedented opportunities for young Hungarians in their own country; rare by international comparison, she said.

Many have already shown interest in the scheme, Novák said, noting that as many as 100,000 families have received some form of support.

Most popular so far is a 10 million forint government loan for young couples planning to have children, Novák said, adding that this form of support helped couples start a family without having to depend on their parents.

Young Hungarians tend to conceive of their future in terms of having a family, Novák said, adding that the family support scheme is about helping mothers decide whether to use their skills in the family or in a career; or if they choose, both.

Meanwhile, concerning the ruling Fidesz party’s suspension as a member of the European People’s Party, Novák said none of EPP’s representatives had paid a visit to Hungary.

“We said right at the beginning that our party’s decision to suspend its EPP membership was made hastily, because we have not made any decisions about which political community we’d like to work with in future,” said Novák.

Fidesz will wait and see whether the EPP upholds traditional Christian Democratic values in the new European Parliament or ends up departing from them and shifting towards a pro-migration stance, she said.

“Fidesz represents the will of the majority of Hungarians,” she said.

“We stand for a Europe of nations and for Christian culture, and we will not support migration.”

“We’re happy to cooperate with those who think responsibly along the same lines about the future of the European peoples,” Novák added.

Ruling Fidesz will in the future also work with its allies on a principled basis, Novák said.

“Should this mean with the People’s Party, then with the People’s Party, if with others, then with others,” she said, adding that it may also consider forming a new political community.

Hungarian government discussing expansion of income tax relief to women with 3 children

baby-hungary-hungarian

The government is discussing the possibility of expanding an exemption from the personal income tax to include women with three children, as part of the continuation of the family protection action plan, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday.

Currently, the measures applies to women raising four children.

Addressing an international press conference,

Orbán highlighted Hungary’s demographic situation as the country’s biggest challenge.

He said discussions were ongoing with the finance minister on exempting women who have given birth to and raised three children from paying personal income tax starting from Jan. 1, 2021.

“If we want Hungarian children instead of immigrants, and if the Hungarian economy can generate the necessary funding, then the only solution is to spend as much of the funds as possible on supporting families and raising children,” Orbán said.

ORBÁN Viktor
Read alsoPM Orbán gives international press conference: US-Iran conflict, migration, climate change, EPP

PM Orbán gives international press conference: US-Iran conflict, migration, climate change, EPP

ORBÁN Viktor

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told an international press conference on Thursday he was ready to run for another term in his post.

Orbán ready to continue as PM

Ruling Fidesz has yet to make a decision concerning its prime minister candidate for the next election, Orbán said, but added that “I stand prepared”.

Last year saw European Parliament and municipal elections in Hungary, but the campaign is now over, Orbán said,

adding that the next two years “must be about governing”. The government will not participate in political campaigns before January 2022, and will “spend all its time focusing on the minutiae [of governing] till then”, he said.

In the next two “busy and hard-working” years the government will “accelerate and strengthen efforts to develop the country”, he added.

Concerning his party, Orban expressed agreement with “those that say that Fidesz has been more combative in the past two years than before” adding, however that “the campaign is over and we must return to the earlier way of policy making”. He argued that the campaign had been “too long, combative and confrontative”, saying that “people don’t like that”. He said the government should resume its earlier “national consultation” surveys, adding that he was planning at least two such surveys for this year.

Answering a question about a possible government reshuffle, Orbán said that “governing is a risky and responsible job” and insisted that “no changes must be made without a compelling reason”.

“Stability is an important value but if something needs to be fixed it should be fixed,” he added.

New European ChristDem initiative ‘may be necessary’

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday said a new Christian Democrat initiative in the European Union “may be warranted”.

Speaking at an international press conference, Orbán said the European People’s Party (EPP), where Hungary’s ruling Fidesz suspended its membership last March, is “not interesting for Fidesz in its current form”. Therefore, changes are needed within the party group, he said.

Orbán said the EPP is “shrinking, it is losing its influence, positions, and seats in the European Parliament” because it has taken a “mistaken, liberal, centrist, and Socialist” direction.

The question is whether Fidesz has enough weight to “force or initiate” changes, Orbán said.

Should the EPP prove incapable of change, European politics will need a new Christian Democratic initiative to offset the rise of French President Emmanuel Macron’s leftist movement, Orbán said.

Hungary to separate energy policy, political alliances

PM Orbán said that

Hungarian energy policy has been so far been kept separate from its policy of making alliances, and the government intends to keep it that way.

He said Hungary was going to apply the same approach to the conflict between Iran and the United States.

Orbán said he hoped to bring the European Union’s stance on Iran closer to that of the US and Israel.

Hungary’s view is that the number of countries with nuclear weapons should not grow, he said.

On another topic, Orbán said

Hungarian energy independence was “in much better shape” after his Fidesz party’s ten-year rule “than ever before”.

The swift start of gas production in Romania, and Hungary acquiring partial ownership in a Croatian liquefied gas terminal would guarantee Hungarian energy independence, he added.

Orbán urges ‘calm, methodical’ approach to fighting climate change

Hungarians can preserve their way of life in the Carpathian Basin “but to do so we must adopt a calm and methodical approach to climate change,” Orbán said on Thursday.

Tthe prime minister noted that the government has approved a national energy and climate protection strategy.

The government has a multi-phase plan in place under which 90 percent of the electricity generated in Hungary will be carbon-free by 2030, Orbán said.

Under this plan, he said, most of Hungary’s electricity supply would be generated by the Paks nuclear power plant, with solar energy becoming the second-biggest source.

Hungary has what it takes to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, he said, adding, at the same time, that this would require funding of 50,000 billion forints (EUR 150.8bn).

“Climate change is important but expensive,” Orbán added.

He also said the government would draw up a climate and environmental protection action plan with specific measures. These would involve regulations mandating that new buses in public transport should all be electric, the elimination of illegal waste sites and the cleansing of rivers of plastic bottles, Orbán said.

Government to raise wages, reduce unemployment 

The Hungarian government will continue to reduce unemployment and increase wages because “there is no other way to eliminating poverty”, Orbán said.

Orbán called it a “fantastic achievement” that the number of jobholders exceeded 4.5 million “for the first time in thirty years”. Wages have been growing for 82 consecutive months, with the growth rate the largest for low earners, he added.

On another subject, Orbán said

the government would “put an end to hospitals amassing debt”.

He noted that the State Audit Office had found serious problems and said that amassing huge debts was “not remissible sin but a serious issue”. “This practice needs to be eliminated; no hospital must amass debts,” the prime minister said, and added that the minister in charge had been requested to come up with a proposal aimed at controlling the finances of hospitals. He also added that the government would provide all means to settle hospitals’ current payables.

Orbán said that the health government would reallocate resources and make renovation of hospital wards, waiting rooms and related communal spaces a top priority.

Meanwhile, he said infertility drugs will be free of charge starting from Feb. 1. Government subsidies currently cover 90 percent of the price of these drugs, he noted.

As regards the government takeover of infertility centres, Orbán said the facilities had been purchased by the state for the sake of transparency. He said the human resources minister has devised a scheme that will base the treatment of infertility on the capacities of the various infertility centres.

Migration pressure has increased considerably at Hungary-Serbia border

The Hungarian government has decided to increase the number of police officers and soldiers serving at the Hungarian-Serbian border due to a growing migration pressure, he told.

The number of attempts at illegal crossings has exceeded 100 daily, Orbán said.

The other three Visegrad countries, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia are ready to contribute to Hungarian border protection efforts at a moment’s notice, Orbán said, and added that Hungary would send a police unit to Macedonia to the same end.

In response to a question on migration, Orbán said there was no need for an overhaul of Hungary’s border protection measures. Asked about migrant settlement quotas, he said tensions between European countries that oppose immigration and those that support it were unlikely to ease. Hungary continues to oppose immigration and is ready to defend its position on the issue, he added.

Hungary avarage net wage climbs in October: 731 euros

homeless hungary

The average gross wage for full-time workers in Hungary rose by 11.6 percent year on year to 365,135 forints (EUR 1,100) in October, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Monday.

Net wages grew at the same pace, reaching a 242,815 forints (731 euros) monthly average.

Calculating with twelve-month CPI of 2.9 percent in October, real wages were up 8.5 percent.

Excluding the 99,200 Hungarians in fostered work programmes, the average gross wage rose by 11.2 percent to 375,314 forints, while net wages grew at the same rate to 249,584 forints.

Full-time fostered workers earned gross 81,376 forints (EUR 245) in October, 0.4 percent less than a year earlier.

Men employed full-time earned gross 394,100 forints a month on average in the January-October period, while women earned 328,500 forints. Wages rose by 11.5 percent and 10.1 percent, respectively, on an annual basis.

In January-October average gross monthly wage was highest in the finance and insurance sector, at 657,500 forints, and lowest in accommodation and catering services, at 236,800 forints.

A Hungarian company created the world’s first recycled detergent

Tisztítószer Detergent Cleaner Takarítás Cleaning

A clean home is a happy home – as the saying goes. But what does ‘clean’ mean for the environment? Chemicals? Do you really need all of those? A new invention might solve these questions as a television programme shows a new Hungarian idea – origo.hu reported.

“Cleaning requires two types of detergents, one acidic and one alkaline, or something that has a similar effect” – says Zoltán Vass, Business Development Manager at Renew Technologies. “You need something alkaline to clean grease and something acidic to be able to remove limescale.”

In an average household, you do not need to use strong detergents. Nature provides the solution for almost every cleaning that we need to do in our homes – says the Development Manager.

Vinegar, for example, is a well-known descaler. The Hungarian company Renew Technologies has developed a new acetic acid-based cleaning product. Many could say that this already exists, but this detergent is unique because it is made from recycled, natural materials, with zero water footprint. The company treats the details of their unique recipe as their own business secret. Furthermore, the product is offered in environmentally friendly packaging.

The primary ingredient of the detergent is made from biomass. “To the ordinary eye biomass looks like a waste, but when we look at it, we see it as a source of organic matter and as the source of micro and macro feedstock” – says Beatrix Ari, a lab technician at Renew Technologies. All organic matter like this is called biomass, which contains valuable mineral compounds. Its origin can be industrial, agricultural or even residential.

Recycled Cleaner Újrahasznosított Tisztítószer
Image: MTVA Kék bolygó video / “The world’s first recycled detergent”

“We wanted to increase biogas production, – says Zoltán Vass – in other words, to adjust the intensity and efficiency of digestion so that we can get more biogas from a unit of organic waste. Bacteria eat waste, and one bacterial strain produces volatile fatty acids. Another strain then eats these fatty acids and produces methane. We realised that if we could control methalogens so that they would not eat these volatile fatty acids, we could then recover those acids, such as acetic acid, and make a useful product from them.”

About 40 per cent of the biomass can be used to produce acetic acid. The remainder is passed on to their partners for biogas production, so the process is waste-free as well.

It is expected from the finished product only to contain natural ingredients, so they do not colour the liquid, and only organic fragrances are used. The detergent is bottled in a nearby facility, and the selection of the bottle’s composition was also preceded by careful consideration.

Hungarians are famous for their inventions around the world. Last year, a Hungarian startup won Prince Andrew’s prize for entrepreneurs with their device that helps blind people to read. This year, another Hungarian invention helps Africa’s water problem.

“We decided to use 100% recycled plastic. That’s because we use raw materials that are already in the ‘system’” – says Tönki Albert Szabó one of the coworkers of the company.

Even the label of the bottles are made from vegetable fibre. All of these aspects are of paramount importance to developers, who consider the circular economic model to be the guiding principle of the production.

Source video: mediaklikk.hu

Deutsche Bank survey: Every second German fears poverty in old age

euro Germeny german berlin

Every second German aged between 20 and 65 years fears poverty in old age, according to a survey published by Germany’s Deutsche Bank on Wednesday.

According to the survey, 75 percent of Germans believed that poverty among the elderly was a “widespread” phenomenon in Germany. The majority of respondents was also convinced that the statutory pension payments would not be sufficient.

“Pensions will continue to fall in relation to incomes due to population trends,” said Stefan Schneider, chief economist of Deutsche Bank. “Even if the government continues its subsidies, the pension insurance system as it is now will make billions in losses.”
According to the survey, more than 50 percent of Germans even expect the statutory pension system to collapse “sooner or later”.

Reforming the German pension system would become “more and more difficult because the number of pensioners is rising sharply”, stressed Schneider.

Only 17 percent of the 3,200 people surveyed in Germany said that their retirement was “secured” by Germany’s statutory pension. On the other hand, 70 percent believed that the statutory pension system would only provide a “basic supply”.

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As a consequence, a large majority of Germans believed that in addition to the statutory pension in Germany, financial precautions with private saving institutes were “necessary to maintain one’s own standard of living”, according to the survey.

According to the survey,

nearly half of Germans said that they were already saving money for an additional private pension, but almost as many said they would like to make additional savings for old age but lacked the necessary funds.

On average, Germans were saving 50 euros (55 U.S. dollars) per month for a private pension. However, a monthly savings rate of 200 euros would be needed, according to the survey.

A Hungarian innovation is the solution for the heating of poor families’ homes

winter_snow_hungary

The group of Apro’Tech from Hungary was awarded in Brussels in the final of the joint energy poverty tackling programme of the Electric Schneider Foundation and the Ashoka International Organisation.

Overall, 14 initiatives from the region were presented before the jury. Among the winners, there is a solar energy-powered bicycle and a peculiar board game, reports Start up! Magazine.

In the final of the Tackle Energy Poverty event in Brussels, five projects from five countries were awarded. The Tackle Energy Poverty is a programme of the Schneider Electric Foundation, condensing social endeavours, and was run by the Ashoka International Organisation.

The winning projects received a prize of 3,500 euros and additional mentor support.

They were searching for the most promising ideas and initiatives in developmental stages from five countries of the region: Hungary, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. They were also required to offer a solution to managing problems stemming from the economic, environmentalist, and societal aspects of energy production and consumption.

Overall, 14 initiatives were presented before the jury in the final. Out of the three Hungarian finalists, Apro’Tech received an award. The company created a mass heater for low-income families with the purpose of easing energy poverty.

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Read alsoAim for Hungary to be strong in innovation, says Ministry

The purpose of the company, established in 2000, is for Hungary to become a country that uses its resources in a sustainable way as well as giving accessible services to communities in need, mainly in the areas of energy consumption and heating during winter.

Amongst Hungarian finalists in Brussels was the group of W-heat who applied with manufacturing eco-friendly insulation from locally sourced materials. The company developed a straw-based insulating method which can be an alternative to the currently available and widely used foam material.

The Igazgyöngy Foundation wants to develop its previously created pilot for bio briquette manufacturing by establishing a sustainable business so that it gives a solution for as many beneficiaries as possible.

Schneider Electric Hungary also took part in the programme as a mentor organisation. Colleagues of the company could apply as a mentor for the three Hungarian finalists and could help them with their professional knowledge in the preparatory period.

“We are proud to side with Apro’Tech mass heater, an initiative which has now proved itself on an international level. Innovation has always played a crucial part in the life of Schneider Electric, and I think it is important to support projects that are connected to our work as well. The joint work was a great experience for our colleagues as well; according to their reports, they not only helped the group but gained a lot from the enthusiastic innovators as well,” stated Zsolt Veres, the chief executive officer of Schneider Electric.

Schneider Electric Foundation, established 20 years ago, is present in all countries in which the France-based company has an interest. The foundation contributes to the development on an individual and societal level through energy-related education, innovation, awareness-raising, and being present in higher education.

The foundation runs three programmes, and the first one is ‘Energy is for All.’ It supports those ventures in developing areas that would not survive without ensuring education and sustainable energy sources.

The second, ‘Tackling Energy Poverty,’ is offering innovative solutions for supplying energy. In several areas, even in the developed world, supplying energy is not resolved, or at least not at a realistic price.

The third is ‘Conscious Sustainability.’ This programme is concerned with solving already present energy and climate change problems on our planet with the help of various sustainable solutions.

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Read alsoHungarian innovation to be promoted in the USA

DK calls for doubling family allowance

President Áder

The leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has said it will submit to parliament a bill on doubling family allowances.

At a press conference on Monday, DK group spokesman Zsolt Gréczy noted that the government had decided to double Hungarian President János Áder’s 1.5 million forint (EUR 4,480) salary based on the argument that the head of state’s salary had been stagnant for 10 years.

Today a family raising one child receives a monthly family allowance of 12,200 forints, Gréczy said, insisting that this sum was “barely enough to cover a bigger pack of diapers”.

“Yet President Áder will be getting an extra 1.5 million forints a month,” he added.

“The Fidesz government is not pro-family because it would rather double the million-forint salary of its partisan soldier than give an extra 10,000 forints to families,” Gréczy said.

Asked about the government’s family protection action plan, Gréczy said those measures had “failed”. He argued that there were many who could not avail of the family support scheme dubbed CSOK, adding that many of those who did were unaware that the loan had to be paid back.

Black Friday: the biggest sales, retailers are preparing in Hungary

online shopping

Emag, Extreme Digital, Media Markt and others are preparing with huge deals this year. Here are some tips for shopping.

Although Black Friday is officially on the 29th of November, Extreme Digital merged with eMAG is going to celebrate on the 15th of November when all together, as they promised, they will give customers a 1 billion forint discount, reports Szeretlek Magyarország.

This year they count on increased demand for several smart devices next to the usual hit products such as TVs, mobile phones and notebooks and electric rollers might be very popular as well.

Besides, they expect an increase in the area of daily consumer goods and beauty products as well as furnishing. Products on sale can be bought with a 5-85% discount but only through the webshop with a maximum of 5 pieces of each. If you want to get your discounted product quickly, choose to pick it up in the shop since that way it is guaranteed that you will get it in 5 days while Extreme Digital vouches for a 2-7 day delivery on packages.

If you want to find out about deals early, register for their newsletter here, with which you can now win a Samsung 8K QLED TV valued at 1 million forints.

Extreme Digital expects a 25-30% growth in their sales compared to last year’s numbers on Black Friday considering the expansion in Hungarian and international e-trade.

Media Markt only started the signups for its newsletter for now. They have put no date up yet.

Mall.hu started its discounts even sooner, from the beginning of November. A new deal is announced every six hours in its Black Friday Marathon. Each discount is valid for differing periods from 2 days to a few weeks or until stocks last. There are many four day deals currently, thus it is worth to check on it again and again.

They are selling refrigerators, HD TVs, women’s handbags and even winter sports equipment at a 20-40% discount.

They await you with extended opening hours at pickup points.

From 10:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays you’ll be able to pick up your orders free of charge.

If you wish to make use of their package delivery, they deliver smaller packages for 990 forints everywhere in Hungary. Delivery time is 2-6 days. However, it is worth to check Mall.hu regularly during Black Friday Marathon since besides their deals they offer several discounts for delivery as well.

Vodafone offers a 30% deal on its devices in case of their 2-year extended RED subscription in their Black Friday sale.

Telekom began their special offer with a “Don’t wait for Black Friday” slogan and calls it Cyber November. They sell cell phones, smartwatches and laptops at a 22-44 thousand forint discount on their website.

Telenor is gearing up but hasn’t disclosed anything on their webpage, but you can subscribe to their newsletter as well.

If you want to order from a different country, here is some information for you; Amazon will have its deals from the 22nd of November through several days. For example, Kindle readers will be sold for a 45 dollar discount. But Apple has already begun its offers in its webshop. The 256 GB version of the iPhone XS is at a 46% discount, now costing 700 dollars.

Hungary average net wages climb 11.5 pc: 723 euros

The average gross wage for full-time workers in Hungary grew by an annual 11.5 percent to 358,876 forints (EUR 1087) in August, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Wednesday.

Net wages grew at the same pace, reaching 238,653 forints (723 euros).

Calculating with twelve-month inflation of 3.1 percent in August, real wages were up 8.1 percent.

Commenting on the KSH data,

Finance Minister Mihály Varga noted that in the first half of the year the economy grew by an annual 5 percent, leading to persistent growth in wages, especially in the service sector, industry, construction, commerce and agriculture.

The current investment boom has also led to increased demand for labour, he said, adding that the higher minimum wage both for skilled and unskilled workers had put upward pressure on wages in sectors such as agriculture in which wages are lower than average.

As we wrote yesterday, conditions and ratios of income in Hungary are frequently compared with that of Romania. News are constantly filled with where there are higher salaries, lower taxes, or generally which country’s economic satiation is better. Now, data reveals that Hungarians’ wages are worth more.

Which are the poorest and richest Hungarian regions? See map inside!

30,000 people die in Hungary before retirement

hands pension elderly pray

As reported by 24.hu, 30,000 adults pass away in Hungary before going into retirement.

According to the latest analysis by portfolio.hu, people in Hungary might have to work till the age of 70 due to the rise in life expectancy.  

Since joining the European Union, life expectancy in Hungary has risen from 77 to 79 for women and from 62 to 72 for men. However, when considering that the age of retirement will be 65 in 2022, it is sensible to assume that people will not be fully healthy by that age.

The age of retirement in the European Union ranges between 62 and 67, which does not make the Hungarian figure out of the ordinary. However, some countries have higher life expectancies, meaning that the elderly in those member states enjoy a longer period of retirement.

Out of the 30,000 adults who die before retirement, 23,000 are over 50 years old. Of those who do reach the soon-to-be 65 age of retirement, 13,000-14,000 die within 5 years. Since there are no inheritance laws for pensions in Hungary, their contributions remain in the central pot.

If the retirement age is increased to 70, then based on current statistics, 43,000-44,000 people would die before they are be able to enjoy their hard-earned pensions after finishing work.

While in the last four years the number of people dying from the 50-59 age category has decreased, there was no visible improvement for people aged 60-64. In fact, there was an increase in the number of people passing away aged 65-69.

With higher life expectancy, it is economically necessary to increase the age of retirement. However, in order for it to be fair, ethical and effective, health care has to be improved as well.

Medical marijuana is legal but scarce in Hungary. We also reported that Karácsony wants direct EU funding to develop Budapest health services.

 

The negative effects of the privatization of higher education

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Higher education has become rampant these days, and everyone is pushing their way to attain it. When it was purely provided by the government public institutions of higher learning, only a few made it to these institutions. However, these days, many people are finding their way there with the introduction of private institutions. Students with poor grades can get the education they want as long as they have money.

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With the help of career research paper professionals, many students have been able to find their way through the academic ladder and getting what they want. Throughout the process, there has been a compromise on the quality of education and the value pumped in academic circles. Education has been turned into a business, and as long as you can pay the hefty fees, there is little attention to what is being taught and learned.

Notable Effects of Higher Education Privatization

With the privatization of higher education, many students have found their way to colleges and universities. This is a blessing in disguise because there are more bad effects than good ones. Here is why:

  • The Focus is on Money and Not Education

Education is now being commercialized with these private institutions focusing on the amount of money they will make and not on the value they are adding to students. Therefore, the whole essence of learning lacks in most of these institutions due to the focus on money.

  • The Unqualified Can Now Graduate

As long as you have money, you can buy your way into higher education. At the end of it all, privatization of higher education has led to producing unqualified graduates who may not have a significant impact on their contribution to the corporate world.

  • Poor Students Cannot Afford it

In most cases, private institutions of higher education have produced a segmented society where the interests of the rich have been served. These private institutions come at hefty fees that can only be afforded by the wealthy in society. Any poor student desiring to follow that route will be disadvantaged due to a lack of fees.

  • Duplication of Courses and Resources

Many institutions have come up through privatization. This one of the problems of higher education since it has led to duplication of resources. At the end of the day, the quality of education will be compromised. The competition for students erodes the main reason for the establishment of these institutions.

  • Exploitation of Teachers

Remuneration for teachers in private institutions of higher learning does not match that of public institutions. This is mainly due to the heavy workload in the efforts to outshine others in the same industry. Teachers end up doing a lot of work which is not commensurate with the kind of compensation given to them.

One of the most prestigious US universities comes to help train Hungarian researchers

6 house cleaning tips for busy women

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Everybody likes a clean house, but some people don’t like cleaning at all. That explains why they think keeping the home tidy every day is almost impossible. If you are one of them, know that there’s a way out of that habit. We’ll walk you through the simplest and best tips that you and your family can employ for daily cleaning. Despite your work, parenthood, errands, and the busy nature of life, you can still be cleaning every day. Read on and learn from our house cleaning tips for women.

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Keep away everything after use

If you don’t put away your belongings after you use them, they become the beginning of on untidiness. Each time you enter any of your rooms, make a quick scan and put away everything in the wrong place. This might seem obvious, but many people hardly do it. It’s easy to keep your outfit and shoes anywhere. Shoes beside the front door, a couple of shirts on the bed, and dishes in the sink are all a common sight. Do your best to put all your things where they belong. It’s so easy for tiny piles of your belongings to become big messes.

Take your shoes off

Create a habit of taking off shoes before entering your house. Ensure that your relatives do the same when they come over, says Maria Shokan Nature’s Essense Green Cleaning LL, United States. Protecting your house from dirt is the first step to keep it clean. Shoes turn to carry a massive quantity of dust, dog poop, leafy debris bird droppings, and other filth. The leafy stuff is breeding material for bacteria.

Do mini vacuum sessions

Always vacuum patterns with high traffic areas with carpet. Also, shake out chicken out rugs if few times every week to prevent soil from grounding in. Vacuum the kitchen floor to get rid of crumbs and pet hair. Buy a lightweight stick vacuum, and you’ll find vacuuming much easier because it’s lighter, more user-friendly, and small-sized. It’s all about making it easier on yourself. Keeping your carpet and rug clean is very important but often neglected.

Squeegee down your shower room walls after a show

Get a squeegee and hang it inside the shower room. Encourage everyone to always do a quick wipe down the walls after every shower. That’s how to prevent scum and mold from building up in your shower walls. Choose body wash and not a bar soap, which doesn’t go down the drain. Bar soap resolidifies and builds up on shower walls and tub.

Make Sure you wipe down bathroom sinks every day.

If you have inexpensive baby wipes, keep them under the bathroom sink. In the morning, wipe it down before brushing your teeth. You can still wipe it just after brushing your teeth at night. The idea is about removing hair and goopy stuff like toothpaste blobs and mascara drips that will dry easily.

Cleaning sinks overnight

Pour hot water in a porcelain sink together with some powdered peroxide like OxiClean. You can also add a cup of white vinegar. Have it swished around a bit and leave it to drain overnight and in the morning, rinse it. Stains will disappear, and you will avoid the laborious scrubbing.

Six easy tips to help you go to bed each night with a tidy home:

•Make your bed. Make sure that making your bed is your way to start each day of the week. That will bring a domino effect, on your daily routine and help you to keep everything else tidy and neat.
•Clean as you cook. Create the habit of throwing out empty packages and scrap in the kitchen upon using them. Be washing utensils and pots while waiting for meal roasts in the oven.
•Grab as you go. As you move around the house for other things, pick up all that is in the wrong place. From dirty laundry to the coffee cup leftover there.
•Clean messes as they occur. Make sure not to clean spills immediately.
•Sort the mail. As you walk into the house, sort out the mail in your mailbox instead of allowing junk to pile up.

The bottom line is to make cleaning your bathroom, living room, kitchen, and belongings a daily habit with a schedule. Make your house shine with our house cleaning tips for every corner and crack of your home.

Eurobarometer 2019: What the Hungarians Really Think