INTERVIEW

Jobbik MP Márton Gyöngyösi: By launching the wage union initiative, we leave the disastrous policy of the past 27 years behind

By launching the wage union initiative, we leave the disastrous policy of the past 27 years behind. We want to create a comprehensive programme to raise Hungarian living standards and Hungarian wages, said Márton Gyöngyösi in his interview for Alfahír. According to Jobbik press release, the Jobbik MP and representative of the Citizens’ Committee emphasized that the wage union was a long-term goal and they were quite aware how complex the process was, and that its implementation took time and a national strategy as well.

– The collection of statements of support for the wage union initiative has just begun in Hungary. What were the key stations so far to get you to this point?

– Jobbik’s president announced the launch of the citizens’ initiative on December 18 last year, as part of his Vona18 campaign. Then we began to seek out international partners since we had to invite citizens of seven other EU member states to form the Citizens’ Committee.

– How long did it take?

– We found the partners in two months, then we laid out the concept and objectives of the citizens’ initiative in a resolution on March 14 this year. Then we submitted the document to the European Commission. Two months later, on May 22, the Commission registered our initiative. The next milestone is August 20, when we begin the online and paper-based collection of statements of support. In the past month, we have been working on preparing for this great task in terms of data privacy and other legal issues. The campaign and the collection of signatures will begin in September in the other member states.

Attackers of the Wage Union concept: Fidesz, MSZP

– How many signatures do you need to collect?

– We need to collect the statements of support from one million eligible EU voters. We can collect signatures from the entire EU territory but there is another condition as well: there must be a certain number of statements from at least seven member states. The particular figures are calculated by multiplying the number of MEPs of the given country by 750.

–Hungary’s current governing party Fidesz-KDNP and the political left have both been attacking the wage union initiative. How do you explain that?

– I consider Viktor Orbán’s, László Kövér’s, Tamás Deutsch’ or István Újhelyi’s statements, just to mention a few of the latest ones, to be driven by a petty partisan attitude. As far as the contents of these statements are concerned, they all try to play down the problem and pretend as if the proposition raised by the citizens’ initiative was not justified. In a certain way, it does make sense for the political forces who have been governing Hungary for the past 27 years to try and avoid being confronted with the tragic outcome of their political activities.

The fact that Hungary is in this current state and our economy still considers cheap labour as the token of integration even nearly three decades after the collapse of Communism, or the fact that huge numbers of Hungarian citizens emigrate to the west in the hope of better living standards, are all criticisms of the period we left behind. Fidesz and Socialist politicians, who are responsible for all this, should apologize to the people of Hungary and be busy laying out a new vision for our country, too. However, they apparently find that quite difficult.

The West is also interested in our success

– What will Europe have to face if the huge wage gap between the EU’s central and the peripheral countries persists?

– The current trends show that Eastern Central Europe will become empty. The intellectual power of the region, the educated professionals of the best working age have left or are going to leave their countries en masse. If the young and talented layer of our society emigrates, it will lead to a social disaster as well as the collapse of our social security system in the mid and long run. The education and healthcare system will become unsustainable. The large state supply systems will be at risk if the active group ensuring their operation seeks and finds prosperity abroad.

Let me also note that the influx of cheap labour may trigger negative processes in Western Europe, too, such as the pressure on the wages and supply systems. As of January 1 this year, Austria already adopted measures attempting to slow down and block the employment of people coming from the east. One of the reasons why French president Emmanuel Macron is coming to Budapest for the V4 Summit is to discuss the problems arising in France due to the workers coming from the east of the EU.

– So, the convergence of Hungarian wages to the EU average is the means to prevent Hungary’s collapse?

– The wage union is a long-term goal. We are fully aware that it is a highly complex process which takes time. I can go as far as to say that it requires a national strategy. We must find the means to help the initiative succeed, which would also involve the rise of the countries in our region, thus leading to a well-functioning Europe with more solidarity. The citizens’ initiative is related to the vision of a new Europe, too. We want to offer our input to the debate, where so far only Juncker and Macron have laid out their concept for our continent’s future with their ideas that were somewhat unfavourable for us.

The wage union is a huge opportunity for Eastern Europe. After Brexit and the other EU crises, we can finally see a meaningful debate unfolding and, at last, the choice is not reduced to us either accepting the Federal Europe concept or leaving the Union. Now we have several proposals on the table, and some sort of dialogue has begun among the organizations of the EU. So the moment has come for Eastern Central member states to voice their difficulties in this process as well as to come up with their proposed solutions.

Leave the past 27 years behind

– The attacks on the wage union initiative are typically characterized by two approaches. The first says that Jobbik relies on Brussels to get a wage increase and is willing to give up some more of our national sovereignty in return. The second is that the wage union has no legitimacy as the European Commission has no competency over wages.

– These critics either do not know the point of the initiative or have a malevolent approach to the project in the first place. By launching the wage union initiative, we leave the disastrous policy of the past 27 years behind. We want to create a comprehensive programme to raise Hungarian living standards and Hungarian wages. It is quite naive to think that Jobbik turned to the European Union to get the EU bodies determine a particular amount of money a Hungarian citizen should make.

We are fully aware that the European Commission has no competency to do so. However, it does have the competency, together with some other organizations, to determine and identify the means that member states can use to eliminate economic differences. The EU has a programme to do just that, it’s called cohesion policy.

– How effectively is it applied now?

– The EU spends billions of the taxpayers’ Euros for this purpose without any visible result. The Union lacks the mechanisms to monitor and follow up these monies and to verify if they were truly spent usefully for the purpose they were allocated. There is no Commissioner for the cohesion policy, there are no reports, and Brussels does not seem to be bothered if some of that money is stolen or spent on totally useless projects. The reform of the cohesion policy would not only benefit the recipient member states but the EU’s net contributors as well. It is in the interest of all EU citizens to see how their taxes, the millions of Euros are spent.

[button link=”https://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/33/public/index.do?lang=en” type=”big” color=”blue” newwindow=”yes”] WAGE UNION – European Citizens’ Initiative can be found here![/button]

Contemporary Hungarian fashion, part 2. – Richárd Demeter

According to Tropical Magazine, more and more talented designers, also capable of competing internationally, are appearing in Hungary. They are taking part in an increasing number of prominent events in Hungary presenting their implemented designs. Nini Molnár, Richárd Demeter and the DVA team are the dominant actors in the contemporary Hungarian fashion. Their designs and accessories pop up in many places, online, on the catwalk or in everyday life. Yesterday we published an interview with Nini Molnár, and now we focus on Richárd Demeter fashion designer.

Richárd Demeter is a 21-year-old young talent. Apart from fashion design, he is also studying and works as a stylist. He learned the basics of design from a Hungarian fashion designer. It was important for him to learn about the profession precisely, though his plans also include further studies abroad.

“In our world today, it is important to have our character reflected in our clothes.”

Photo: Orsolya Hajas

When did you decide to become a fashion designer and to create your own brand?

I have been interested in fashion since my childhood and am mostly fascinated by the creations of Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. Everyday life inspires me: the scenes on the street, the people and anything can put my imagination into gear. I founded the Richard Demeter brand almost 2 years ago. My team has changed a lot since then and know I feel that I am working with the right people. At the launch of my brand, I received very little help and did almost everything on my own. I prepared for the first show and collection for almost 1 year and I received my first big order after fashion show, which was one of the most beautiful moments in my life.

Who inspires you? For whom do you design? How would you define your own style?

In the world today, it is important to have our character reflect in our clothes. Strong women inspire me and I design for them. It is most important to me is that when someone wears my product, they should radiate self-confidence. I make my designs individually, but production is done by my team takes under my supervision. I general, I create street and glamour styles, in fact combining the two. Each of my collections contains black, white and neutral colours, complemented with gold. My target clientele are women aged 18 and 35. The satisfaction of my customers and my clients is my success.

Photo: Orsolya Hajas

What are your goals for the future?

My long-term goal is to expand abroad and to add a greater reputation to my name through my designs. After a small sabbatical, I shall return with a 2018 spring/summer collection.

Photo: Orsolya Hajas

Featured Image: Oleg Borisuk

Contemporary Hungarian fashion, part 1. – Nini Molnár

More and more talented designers, also capable of competing internationally, are appearing in Hungary. They are taking part in an increasing number of prominent events in Hungary presenting their implemented designs. Nini Molnár, Richárd Demeter and the DVA team are the dominant actors in the contemporary Hungarian fashion. Their designs and accessories pop up in many places, online, on the catwalk or in everyday life. In this part, we are focising on Nini Molnár, the interview published in the GLOBS Magazine. 

Nini Molnár launched her own brand in 2015. Her philosophy has always been to come up with a special statement accessory in each season. The ‘Pombag’, which is a large pompom bag made of Mongolian sheep wool appeared in the first season. The model became a hit with girls soon and the designer became immediately popular.

My personal goal is to give confidence to my customers with my accessories. Hence my motto: Do not forget, confidence is your best accessory. Though our accessories will help you, too!’

Where did you study?

I went to university in London and studied Business Management on a bachelor degree course and International Management on my master course. I did not study fashion in school, I learned it by myself and I believe that I absorbed it while staying and working as a model in London.

When did you decide to engage in design? Was it your dream or a sudden idea? Where did that love come from?

I have always been interested in fashion but never thought that it would become part of my life. Partly, because I thought it was a cliché, as most girls would like to work in this industry. After finishing university, I was attracted to fashion although did not have any specific plan for it. I took a job in marketing and worked as a marketing assistant at a luxury hotel in London. While working there though, I realised that, in fact, I had an entrepreneurial spirit. I combined my love of fashion with that spirit and began to build my own brand alongside my employment.

To create your own brand is not easy. Did you have any assistance? How did you start and of what are you most proud?

I took small steps in the beginning and did not want to invest a lot of money into an uncertain thing. That is why I opened with only one model, the production of which required a much lower investment than producing a whole collection. I had no assistance, apart from my friends and family, whom I consulted on a regular basis. My first success was the sale of the first bag, immediately after the first image had been uploaded. I still consider it a success when I read the happy words of my customers. It is a true professional success that I received the 2016 Special Creation Award and, this March, I was voted ‘Accessory Designer of the Year’ at the Glamour Women of the Year 2017 contest. It gave me great pleasure to have achieved such great recognition within such a short time. It also makes me proud that I have customers not only in Hungary but also in the UK and in numerous other places around the world.

Nini MolnárWho or what inspires you? In what style do you create?

Like any designer, I too follow the trends and try to supersede them and come up with an extraordinary, special bag. I also travel a lot and I am inspired by cultures, architectural styles and other motifs.

Do you design on your own or do others assist you?

There was a lot of pressure on me after ‘Pombag’ to design a similarly special and unique bag. Fortunately, I did not disappointment my customers with my second collection either. I have consulted a few designers and asked for their assistance in design though I have never been able to take fully on board their ideas and therefore I do my design alone. I have a professional team assisting me in the production though.

“My trademarks are special materials and the star motif often occurs on my bags.”

For whom do you design your bags? Who is the target audience for your products?

I design for women and girls to whom quality matters and who also like to stand out, with special pieces. However, I would not like to exclude anyone. One of my greatest fans for example is the grandmother of a close friend of mine who lives in Germany and who simply adores Pombag. My bags are durable and are made in luxury quality and I try to keep them within an affordable price range. Practically anyone can fall in love with a special piece.

What are your plans for the future?

My business goal is to expand with Nini Molnar bags. I wish to reach even more people with the help of the internet, because that is the key to the future and it can help you get anywhere, including Australia and the other side of the world. It is no secret that my dream is to, one day, see my bags on the shelves of really prominent international stores one day.

If you would like to read more interesting articles on GLOBS Magazine, please click HERE
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Photo: Márton Kecskés and Böbi Molnár

Socialist prime ministerial candidate: Our government to cut tax wages below HUF 600,000

László Botka

Taxes will be reduced for everyone earning below 600,000 forints (EUR 1950) a month if the opposition Socialists enter government, the party’s prime ministerial candidate László Botka said in an interview published in weekly 168 óra on Thursday.

The tax cut is part of the party’s programme to be launched this autumn, he added and confirmed that it also includes the introduction of 13th month pensions.

When 96 percent of the Socialist congress voted in favor of his nomination, his new programme was also accepted by that margin and now constitutes a part of the party’s official directive and strategy, Botka said.

He said he would not tolerate any form of “treason” and collaboration with ruling Fidesz.

“If we decide on something together and then someone openly criticises this in the press a month later, that constitutes treason”, he added.

In reaction to Socialist board member Zsolt Molnár’s statements at blog site sztarklikk.hu, where Molnár suggested that efforts should be dropped to convince green opposition LMP to cooperate with other parties and that the Socialists should not dispute that Democratic Coalition (DK) leader Ferenc Gyurcsány’s place is in parliament, Botka said that these remarks are against the Socialists’ interests. Gyurcsány has already given up on the general election of 2018 but wants to restore his earlier position in the Socialist Party and return as the opposition’s main leader in 2022, he insisted.

“I have resisted and will continue to resist to all forms of blackmail which aims to force me and the Socialists to enter a bad alliance,” Botka said.

At the same time, he said he seeks to come to an agreement with DK.

He confirmed that 106 joint individual candidates will be needed and a joint list will have to be drawn up. There are two main players in this election, with Prime Minister Viktor Orban standing against democrats who want a change in government. New players will not help the change of government but to keep Orban in power, he added.

“Voters cannot be fooled. If they do not see unity and dedication on the side of the democrats, they will seek something else,” he said and added that keeping this responsibility in mind, he is inviting all those wanting a change to the negotiating table.

He promised to carry on with his policies even if the alliance with other left-wing opposition parties fails.

In response to public opinion polls showing that the Socialists have not increased support since he became their prime ministerial candidate, Botka said everything progresses according to plan and there is no chance for fast change according to researchers.

The Socialists will launch a new campaign in August and visit dozens of locations to convince people of their ability to govern, he added.

As we wrote yesterday, support for the ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrat alliance increased while for three opposition parties weakened in the second quarter of the year.

Budapest will become the Capital of Sport – Interview with Sándor Balogh

Sándor Balogh

The GLOBS Magazine published an interview with Sándor Balogh, Finance Director of the FINA Aquatic Championships and President of the African-Hungarian Union which you can read on Daily News Hungary as well: 

Now that the preparations for the Aquatic World Championships have reached the finish line, many may have forgotten that originally Hungary should have organised this event only in 4 years’ time and not in 2017. How have you ensured that the urgency is not reflected in the preparations?

Many may not remember, but originally Hungary was granted the right to hold the event in 2021, though when, in 2015, Mexico, for financial reasons, withdrew from organising the 2017 World Championships, Hungary stepped in. That is why we have had only two years instead of the usual six available for preparation. In order to finish everything on time, we have needed enthusiastic and devoted contributions from many people: more than 5,000 are working on the project and they are assisted by approximately 3,500 enthusiastic volunteers. The actual organising committee consists of 200 people. The main point, and also the secret of the success, is that everybody feels that they own the project and put in the best endeavours. Naturally, we also needed full commitment from the Government and Ministers Zoltán Balogh, Sándor Pintér, Miklós Seszták and Péter Szijjártó did everything they could to help us achieve our goal. Now we can say that Hungary will soon organise the greatest event in its sporting history. We usually say that these are the third largest World Championships in respect of the number of spectators and in their complexity, coming directly behind the Olympics and the Football World Championships. The events of the World Championships include swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming, diving, high diving and open water swimming. There is no doubt that the organisation of the FINA World Championships in Hungary has brought forward the launch of a number of capital investment projects that were already planned. The majority of those planned projects only needed accelerating in a concentrated manner, facilitating revival and reconstruction according to a common goal, in a co-ordinated manner. It is a long time since so many development projects were taking place at once in Budapest and that is set to continue with the implementation of the Zsigmond Kemény Programme. Budapest will become the capital of sports. Margit Island is undergoing complete reconstruction and not only the Hajós Alfréd National Sports Complex but also the Császár-Komjádi pool complex are being refurbished.

The largest project has been was the construction of the Duna Arena complex that can host 12,000 people. In the summer, the Arena will be the venue of the swimming and diving event. After the Championships, the extended stands will be demolished and passed on for ordinary ever day use. One Japanese delegation has already expressed an interest in using the stands in the 2020 Championships.

The rest will remain…

That is true. The rest of the facilities will remain here for the sport-loving residents of Budapest and for those others who are also attracted to the Hungarian capital as Budapest is the city of water, aquatic experiences and sport. The development of the country1s image and the increase of tourist attractions are among the greatest positive effects of such global sporting events. Our goal is to keep tourists coming to Hungary, both to Budapest and to elsewhere in the country for as long as possible and for that, we need programmes. The events will be adapted to, and integrated into, the other cultural activities of the city. Together we can show that Budapest is the capital of sport, culture and beauty. In addition to the FINA World Championships in Budapest, the summer offers many other exciting programmes. Those include: the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Red Bull Air Race, the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Győr, the Sziget Festival, the Judo World Championships and the FINA World Championships followed by the FINA Masters World Championships. In addition, the performances of the Margit Island Open Air Theatre, which is extremely close to the venues of the aquatic World Championships, also fit very well into the summer programme of events.

The events were deliberately planned to take place at emblematic venues so that the public may also learn more about our historic and cultural monuments. How much did that idea complicate organisation?

Usually, the Aquatic World Championships are held at one venue but that is not the case here. Given the short time we had available, this idea was another challenge. In addition to the sights of Budapest that surround the event venues, I must also mention the other main venue of Balatonfüred, where athletes will compete in the open water swimming. Each event will be broadcast on huge display screens and we are seeking to project our best image to the world and provide a long lasting experience for the spectators and encouragement for all the visitors to return to Hungary.

How do you select the volunteers?

The selection process has been taking place for more than a year. In general, we have had very good experiences with our selection, though there is also a disadvantage. Many things can happen in the life of a person over a period of a year, so there have been changes. However, we have also managed to benefit from the early organisation. Most volunteers are professionally interested young people who intend to obtain work experience, establish contacts and also get to know world famous athletes. They have applied for various roles such as ‘team companion’, ‘medal hunter’ or ‘airport receptionist’. Once we had tested their aptitude, we ran a number of situational tests to make sure that they would be able to cope in all situations. The volunteers will have to deal with athletes and visitors from 207 FINA member, swimming federations and from more than 190 countries who have expressed their intention to take part in the championships in Hungary. In Kazany, the total number of spectators was approximately 6 million, but we plan to beat that record, too.

Gusztáv Bienerth, president of the Hungarian Swimming Federation and Sándor Balogh, Finance Director of the FINA Aquatic Championships and President of the African-Hungarian Union

The international delegations are arriving one after the other to check the work processes. What kind of feedback have you received?

Everyone is looking forward to the event. Many have commented, with admiration, that we have managed to create so many things in such a short time. This event is a good opportunity to prove that Hungary is capable of organising such a major event in a such a short time and that it could also be a target country for other sporting events.

As the President of the African-Hungarian Union (AHU), what are your tasks and objectives?

Our last event was ‘Africa Day’, on 24 May, where we celebrated the liberation of Africa from its colonial past with the African Ambassadors, Honorary Consuls and other diplomats serving in the region. When it was founded, 11 years ago, the African-Hungarian Union set an objective of reintroducing Africa to Hungary. Many things have happened in Africa over the past few decades and now Africa is the continent of the future. GDP is growing spectacularly, the middle classes are expanding and higher education institutions are also emerging. With its opening to the south policy, Hungary has also recognised what the African-Hungarian Union has been emphasising for almost 10 years. Over recent years the political, economic and cultural relations between Hungary and the African countries have become more dynamic. At present, there are thousands of African students studying in Hungary. Later those students may become sort of ‘civil diplomats’, because when a person lives in a different country for a longer time, they general come to regard it as their second home and promote it as such. Sports culture is also developing in Africa and Hungary has played a great role in that. For example, Hungary supplied the equipment for the Ghanaian water polo team. Like Nelson Mandela, I also believe that sports have the power to change the world. Sports need talent and diligence and, with sports, you can reach the top of the world even if you were not born into a position to do so. That is the slogan for our work. I am very pleased to be able to tell you that, in the near future, the African-Hungarian Union is to build Hungarian schools with optional sports programmes in five countries, starting in Uganda and Botswana. Unfortunately, as much as I would love to, I cannot send everyone to Africa, though I do think that everyone should visit it at least once in their lifetime as we can learn a lot from the people living there, for example about the human relationship with nature or human relationships themselves.

When do you next visit Africa?

I am plan to go every day! Right now, the organisation of the Aquatic World Championships requires all my energy and attention, but I will leave for Africa on 1 September, as soon as this giant project is over.

If you would like to read more interesting articles on GLOBS Magazine, please click HERE
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Russia Today interview with Hungary’s foreign minister – VIDEO

Moscow (MTI) – The Hungarian people deserve to know if there are any non-governmental organisations in the country that are financed from abroad, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in an interview to the English-language state-owned Russia Today.

Asked about recent comments from government officials that civil groups supported by Hungarian-born American financier George Soros need to be “swept out” of the country, Szijjártó said in the interview broadcast on Monday an “unfair and unjust approach [is] being spread” that NGOs represent the interests of the people of a given country. This is “a very dangerous approach,” Szijjártó said, arguing that NGOs had never been elected to represent the people, and that it was parliament and government that had a mandate to represent voters.

The minister also said there was a clear demand for politics to be transparent. He argued that in this case transparency should be demanded of all organisations that influence public affairs, including NGOs, “because the people have a right to know whom these NGOs, whom these organisations actually represent.” He said that if there were civil groups in Hungary “financed by foreign citizens, by other countries, by other governments, then it should be known to the people.”

Szijjártó said the Hungarian government was aware that Soros was funding a number of civil groups, noting that the financier had spoken openly about wanting the government to “fail … because he doesn’t like our approach, doesn’t like our policies.” But it is not Soros but rather the Hungarian people that gets to decide what kind of government leads Hungary, Szijjártó insisted.

The minister also spoke about US-Hungarian political ties. He expressed hope that political relations between the two countries would improve under the Trump administration, pointing out that the two government’s views on the role of foreign policy were similar.

On the topic of European Union sanctions against Russia, Szijjártó expressed hope that the US and Russia would soon start engaging in more pragmatic and rational cooperation and that in turn, the EU would change its approach as well.

The full interview – Russian Today

 

Hungary’s foreign minister: Unprecedented year lies ahead

Budapest, January 29 (MTI) – The year ahead will be “very active” in foreign affairs and will not be comparable to previous years, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in an interview to public radio on Sunday.

He said the United States was expected to pursue a far more patriotic economic policy and a far more pragmatic foreign policy.

The minister said the dynamic of increasingly irreconcilable differences between the US and Russia would change, and cooperation could emerge between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Europe is expected to weaken further in light of Britain’s exit from the bloc. Moreover, its energies will be exhausted on issues which otherwise could be spent on questions concerning the future, he said.

China is expected to continue its economic expansion, he added.

“All this means that 2017 will be such a year as we’ve never witnessed before,” Szijjártó said, adding that Hungarian foreign policy should be geared towards making sure that the maximum can be made out of this state of affairs. All the more reason, he said, that Hungarian foreign policy manoeuvers should be made in the interest of forcefully advancing the country’s interests.

Foreign minister Szijjártó: Hungary loses USD 6.5 billion due to Russia sanctions – Interview

Moscow, January 24 (MTI) – Hungary’s economy has suffered losses of 6.5 billion US dollars over the period of three years due to sanctions against Russia, Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s minister of foreign affairs and trade, noted in a Tuesday interview to Russian daily Kommersant.

“Given that annual Hungarian exports amounted to 90 billion dollars, that’s a sensitive loss,” he said in the interview carried by Russia’s Tass news agency.

Szijjártó said the sanctions were ineffective and damaging. He said it was hopeful that economic punitive measures would be eased at the European Union summit in March. Much depends on dialogue between Russia and the United States, he said, adding that if all goes well in that respect then it would be easier to convince European partners to follow suit.

 

“The EU follows the lead of the US in many respects in terms of relations with Moscow, and we have not liked America’s policy on Russia. This is why we welcome Donald Trump’s victory,” Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary supports US-Russia dialogue and it would also like to be a “pillar” of Europe-Russia ties. Unless Europe pursues pragmatic dialogue with Moscow, much will be lost, not least in the competition with China, the US and the UK, he said.

The minister said that the debate over sanctions against Russia had descended to a low level, and several European countries were by now opposed to them. When it came to a vote, however, Hungary was alone in its position and in the end decided against using its veto because it did not wish to upset EU unity, Szijjártó said.

When President Vladimir Putin visits Budapest on Feb. 2, talks will focus on economic matters, he said. Hopefully the European Commission will come to a decision regarding the expansion of Hungary’s Paks nuclear power plant and the investment will get the go-ahead, he said. Hungary also wants to negotiate with Gazprom on cooperation after 2021, he said.

Szijjártó also said Hungary would not tolerate any moves in Ukraine that may compromise the rights of the Hungarian minority living there.

Veteran American soldier currently living his life in Budapest

Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Panama, and now, Budapest. The journalists of Szeretlek Magyarország talked to a veteran American soldier, Gordon, who really knows what it means to be alive, and who considers the Hungarian capital one of his homes.

Here you can read the interview with Gordon by Szeretlek Magyarország.

As Szeretlek Magyarország writes, the fourty-eight-year-old veteran soldier lives in Toronto, but he often visits Europe, mainly Germany, where he has a music studio, and Budapest which he considers one of his hometowns. According to the journalists, you could see from his look and feel from his speech that he got through things that ordinary people can just guess, and that he interprets friendship, life and the importance of human relations in quite a different way.

Why do you often visit Hungary?
I was sent here to work before: I trained Hungarian soldiers at Szolnok. At weekends, I came to Budapest to look around. I made friends and I grew to like this city, so I keep coming back.

What was your first impression about our capital?
After an 18-year residence in Germany, Budapest shocked me at the first time: it seemed a little-bit old-fashioned for me. However, I discovered it, and I became fond of it, just like other European cities, Berlin, London.

What do you like so much in major European cities?
The busy city life, that there is always something happening.

As I see it, journeys to Panama, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq did not discourage you from travelling…
Not at all. Unfortunately, I have to return to the United States in a few days, so this was only a quick trip to Budapest. I am going to miss the city. I have been visiting Hungary for five years, and have made a lot of friends. Tears come to our eyes when we meet, friendly hugs, you know.

From 1988 until 2013 you were actively serving in the army. What happened after that?
I did a lot of things, but I, mostly, just lived my everyday life, in peace. I started playing music, I also launched a music studio in Stuttgart.

I sincerely tell you that I have never talked to a veteran soldier who went the round some of the war zones. I would have so many questions… Would you answer them?
There are so many things I am not allowed to speak about, but you might not be able to ask them just like that. I am alive. This is mainly what comes to my mind when I think back.

Do you often think back, think about real situations?
Of course, I do. I have experienced thousands of situations when I almost died.

I am lucky that I am alive.

Are you religious?
I am Catholic, but I do not believe that God saved me. It was the hard training and the decisions I made that saved me. 

If you would happen to write a book about the past, your soldier life, how would you start it?

I would start with Panama. The twenty days I spent there, and the dictator’s, Noriega’s regime. These are my most interesting memories.

What would stand in the second place?
The “Desert Manoeuvre”. That was something. I saw an extremely interesting world there. It was a completely closed world with a lot of ancient stuff. You just walk there and suddenly notice something. “Can you see that? What could it be? Oh, just a ziggurat.”

Do you like dealing with the past?
If it is about a historic thing, then I do. When I first visited Europe, people were very proud of showing me fifty-year-old churches and other buildings. Of course, these are valuable, but then I discovered Ulme Münster in Germany. This is one of the highest churches, you know. And it is a thousand years old. A thousand!

It is really amazing. And what about your own past? Would you go through the same things if you could go back in time?
Well… I sometimes watch baseball players in Toronto who do not live a real sporty life, still, they earn millions of dollars, and I think to myself: “Oh well, I could have been a baseball player.”

But I regret nothing I have done. And yes, I would go through everything again. I am quite a lucky man.

What made you want to become a soldier?
I have wanted to become a soldier since I was school-aged.

So, you did not choose this career because of parental incentive?
No, I did not. It is true that my dad served in Vietnam, but he has never talked about it. My grandpa and my uncle also served in the army as pilots. So, when I was even smaller, I wanted to do the same. „Uncle Jack, I want to be a pilot, too.” But, later, as I was becoming more and more familiar with the topic, I discovered the soldiers, too. You know, wow, how cool they are! They carry the guns, their shoulders are wide, and things like these.

How long did your training last?
First I was an engineer at the parachute regiment, the invasion of Panama happened at that time. After came the selection, the so-called „21 days in hell”. You have to cover long distances carrying heavy burdens, then you get some more, you have to build idiotic things, and you have to carry them, too, with yourself.

How could you deal with it? Did you collapse?
I did not. Actually, I was quite good. But, you know, you do this when you are young. And I was familiar with the fields, I knew the maps thanks to my previous experience.

What did you feel when you first got to a real war area?
Can we talk about Budapest instead, please? 🙂 Well, it has a feeling. After the many training when you use weapons and bombs under strict orders, you are suddenly given real bombs, real weapons and cartridges. Everything is louder, everything is flying over your head.

How often did you feel fear?
All the time. You feel fear there all the time.

What it felt like to kill someone for the first time?
Do not ask this.

Is it forbidden, or do you not want to talk about it?
I do not want to.

OK. How could you cope later with what you went through?
Work, work and work. I needed much self-cure. And beer, of course. When I came here to Budapest five and a half year ago, and met the locals who became my friends, then I was still curing myself. But I have not talked about it to anyone.

Was it a good idea not to talk about it?
Everyone has their own way. This one worked for me, more or less. There are many people in here, by the way, who also go through things like these, they only do not talk about it.

What was the best thing the army gave you?
Well, first, I could save a lot of money. Moreover, the friends I made. I could meet you, now. And, of course, I am alive.

Do you keep in touch with you colleagues?
I do. We are there for one other in a chat group on Facebook. We talk every day, and if one of us needs help, we help

Do you think you see the world, life in a different way?
I do. For example, I have four homes: Toronto, Buffalo, Stuttgart and Budapest. And here we have this Republican-stuff: Since Trump was elected, I have been pecked, too, because I am a Republican, too. You have to know that the major part of the army is Republican. And yes, we saw how the people in the war zone grew used to the fact that someone dies among them every day. At the beginning they were like “Oh my God, someone was shot.” Later, twenty was shot one day, and they did not care. I saw, in Iraq, how people went shopping, being completely calm when a bomb exploded.

What other things would you talk about?
About Budapest, of course. I am here because of Budapest. By the way, I can see what is going on here: “The other is better off.” People keep on yammering: what will happen tomorrow, what will the future bring? Everything will be OK with Budapest. It develops slowly, but it will be OK, it is developing.

What do you think about the Hungarians?
They undervalue themselves, and I can see that national pride is missing a little bit. You are not like the Germans. But, when there is a swimming competition, for example, and if one of the competitors is a Hungarian, it attracts the attention, and cranes their neck. Hungary could take far more pride inkább herself.

Photo: Gordon

Copy editor: bm

Interview – Orbán: Clashes with Brussels expected on migration and economic issues

Budapest, January 13 (MTI) – Further clashes with Brussels are expected this year on issues concerning migration and economic management, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview to public radio on Friday. Hungarians should have access to information about all public personalities and their sources of financing, he said.

“We’ll have to defend the country’s sovereignty,” the prime minister said.

Attempts by Brussels to curb national competencies on migration issues should be stopped, Orbán said.

Hungary has reinstated the detention of asylum seekers, a step which clearly conflicts with EU policy but necessary due to heightened terror threat in Europe, he said. Laws that make terrorism easier to carry out should be changed for reasons of self defense, he added.

Of the second “battle”, Orbán said Brussels was increasingly interfering in economic management. Citing matters such as energy prices, taxes and wages, he insisted this tendency must be stopped.

Orbán highlighted measures to cut household utility fees, saying the scheme must be protected in light of EU plans to harmonise energy fees, thereby taking price-setting out of the hands of national governments. This would put an end to Hungary’s centralised measures to cut utility fees, he warned.

Orbán dubbed 2017 the “year of revolt”. EU member states will openly and unrelentingly oppose EU policies which “covertly or overtly” deprive them of their competencies, Orbán said. French presidential candidate Francois Fillon’s programme is “revolutionary” and opposed to EU immigration policies, among others, Orbán said.

This year will bring serious strain between policies aiming to protect national policymaking and the EU tendency to curb it, he said.

“Western reasoning is defined by frustration,” Orbán added. The West has been used to setting norms for eastern European countries in terms of modernising and democracy. “And now, they are failing: their indices are bad and ours are good because we do not do things their way. They do not want to admit our way works better”, he said. Instead of facing reality, western countries “keep on playing the same old record”, he added.

Commenting on Visegrad Four cooperation, he said that during the Hungarian presidency starting in July he would attempt to further deepen cooperation within the group. Referring to Hungarian-Polish relations, he said “solidarity is working well”, citing Hungary’s stand in the European Union on the issue of coal mining in Poland’s favour and Warsaw’s backing for Hungary in efforts to have the VAT on internet services reduced to 5 percent.

Orbán said government economic policies were bearing fruit and “a change is slowly happening in people’s lives resulting from the work-based economy”. Everybody has the opportunity to work, unemployment is rapidly falling, wages are growing and taxes and contribution payments are being cut, Orbán said. Commenting on the shortage of labour, he said this showed that investment in Hungary was continually expanding.

Referring to the extreme cold weather currently experienced in Hungary, he asked homeless people to use the available shelters. He added that more places are available than the number of homeless.

The prime minister said Hungary’s energy reserves were sufficient to guarantee the country’s operation, adding that the scheme to cut household utility fees meant that energy bills were now “tolerable”.

Orbán: Sources of financing for public personalities should be made transparent

In response to a question about NGOs, Orbán said in an interview to public radio Kossuth that “we live in a world today” where attempts to influence are frequent in all countries and by almost all countries.

He cited the example of the US during the presidency of Barack Obama which had developed many varied methods for trying to exert influence around the world.

“I could tell you about it in length … we have seen it all in the recent period, including the most primitive methods to exert influence,” Orbán said. He added that since the US was an ally he would not focus on the past. Orbán said he trusted that such attempts by the US would not be made in the future.

The opportunity should be given to all Hungarian citizens to find out where public personalities receive funding from, whether from Hungary or abroad, the prime minister said. In the case of foreigners, it is also important to know whether they are subject to certain expectations.

“We want transparency,” Orbán said, adding that Hungarians have the right to understand “the system of manipulation that attempts to exert influence on our everyday political life.”

Commenting on President-elect Donald Trump, he said a new style of US leadership is about to start. While the outgoing Obama administration has been “globalist”, the next one would not prevaricate or overcomplicate, Orbán said. The Europeans will need to readjust to the new attitude and new system of relations, he added.

In response to a question about a future US visit, Orbán said no concrete details are as yet publicly available.

Photo: MTI

Interview – House speaker: Europe should continue to belong to Europeans

Budapest, December 21 (MTI) – Europe should remain for Europeans and Hungary should continue to belong to Hungarians, Parliamentary Speaker László Kövér said in an interview to regional daily Észak-Magyarország published on Wednesday.

The sources of migration appear to be unremitting and even if the crisis in the Middle East is settled relatively soon, Africa will still remain with a population boom and poor climate prospects, Kövér said. The situation will deteriorate, and if Europe continues to do what it has done so far, it will run into catastrophe, he added.

He said he saw a chance for change in Germany and the European Union’s migration policies, which could result in priority given to the protection of external borders and stopping migration outside the EU.

Kövér said emigration from Hungary was a serious loss, though Hungary was not the only country affected by it. Among the former eastern-bloc nations, Hungary’s problem is the least serious. Some 825,000 Lithuanians, or one-third of the population, have emigrated since 1990 and some 2.5 million Bulgarians work abroad, more than the number of workers in Bulgaria, he said, adding that the trend could change by, for instance, encouraging people to have children, boosting wages and strengthening the sense of responsibility in young people for their home country, their nation and their parents.

The government has done much to stop population decline by focusing resources on its demographic policy, offering tax breaks, and also by introducing family-friendly labour market measures, he said. The government does not want to encourage all families to have children but only those that have the skills and material means to properly raise them, he added.

Commenting on ethnic Hungarian minorities abroad, he said global challenges have made it clear that “we must rely on each other with our neighbours”, and in light of this, all politicians in the former Soviet-bloc states must realise that “it is insane to consider the ethnic Hungarian minorities as a threat to national security”. He said relations are most problematic with Romania because anti-Hungarian sentiments have become stronger since 2012 and minority rights have gradually become limited, a trend which has even appeared at the level of state policy, including the administration of justice.

In response to a question, he said the destruction committed by Communism and Liberalism to the foundations of Europe’s Christian culture during the 20th century was so severe that it was impossible to restore everything. Politics must not force things on people, but people of faith with large families should lead by example, he added.

Photo: MTI

Interview – Orbán expects 2017 to be “year of revolt”

Budapest (MTI) – The year 2017 will be characterised by a “rebellion” by the middle classes and nations that are “tied by political correctness”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in an interview with news portal 888.hu posted on Thursday.

Orbán said he expected an “intellectual revolt against isolation and stigmatisation”, with upcoming elections in Germany, the Netherlands and France. He said it was because of a “middle class revolt” that in the US the “Clinton clan” lost the presidential election, and insisted that similar reasons were behind Brexit. In France, he said, “the neglected and vulnerable are seeking a way out and their helplessness will translate into political votes”.

Concerning the European Union, Orbán said that senior positions were occupied by “globalist-liberal forces representing a status quo”, seeking to build a European United States. “Christian, nationalist Europeans will have no say,” Orbán said, but added that global tendencies were not favourable for “Brussels dictating to nation states”. He vowed not to allow “Brussels to dictate energy prices or ban (Hungary’s) public utility cuts”. European leaders would not realise that governments “going against the will of the people” are “toppled one after the other”. “It is not the Hungarian government rebelling; it is the people, and the government represents what the people want,” Orbán said and added “this is in our genes; we are a nation of freedom fighters”.

From this time on, a “more distinct, cooler” politics will prevail, with “self-made characters” as politicians of his ruling Fidesz party or incoming US President Donald Trump.

Referring to the US, Orbán said ties and cooperation with the American people and US businesses have been good, but “some US politicians” have been “uncompromisingly belligerent” toward Hungary and the central European region because they thought local leaders would “act as yes men and accept all their conditions”. “Those Americans” sought to implement their “shrewd action plan” through civil groups, foundations and media outlets financed by George Soros, Orbán insisted.

Answering a question about corruption, the prime minister said that the fight against graft will “never be off the agenda”, but warned that accusing anyone without evidence is slander, which is “just as serious a crime as corruption”. He said “looking for loopholes, resorting to tricks, and envy” or the attitude that “anyone successful cannot be but suspicious” were remnants of Hungary’s communist past. “We must be happy to see one another’s success, because that will contribute to the country’s development”, he said. “This country will develop as we educate our children. If we set a good example and teach them not to seek the easier way but find their own even if that looks more difficult, this country could be great again”, Orbán added.

Photo: MTI/EPA/Julien Warnand

Jobbik’s president on governance: We must prove taht our ideas work

In his with interview Unser Mitteleuropa, Jobbik’s president talked about the Constitutional amendment, the lies of Fidesz’ media machine, Jobbik’s immigration policy and how he related to Western Europe’s move to the right of the political sphere.

Immigration, quota referendum, constitutional amendment

Gábor Vona said that the migration wave was not just a significant problem for Viktor Orbán to solve but an issue that can help him divert attention from the catastrophic conditions in healthcare and education as well as the increasing emigration of Hungarians or the rampant corruption.

“Fidesz’ political activity is characterized by this duality: they fight a problem that they need to maintain in order to keep up the deception.” Jobbik’s president asserted that before agreeing to backing the Constitutional amendment, his party set the condition of withdrawing the residency bonds which the general public is not quite aware of but they nonetheless enable rich non-EU citizens to buy residency permits in Hungary and thus the European Union.

“The government party refused to back this motion because their corrupt dealings with the bonds were apparently more important for them,” said the head of the leading opposition party. As he put it, while Viktor Orbán is known in Europe for his anti-migrant stance, the public is hardly informed of the residency bonds or the fact that “Saudi billionaire Ghaith Pharaon is the PM’s neighbour and his son-in-law’s close business partner, even though he is internationally wanted for such crimes as financing terrorism, for example”.

Mr Vona asserts that Jobbik’s position is clear: “We do want the Constitutional amendment but we refuse to back half-measures – while Fidesz keeps rejecting the full solution. Many citizens have realized afterwards that the Hungarian ’emperor’ has no clothes.”

Noting that Fidesz had spent 15 bn HUF on the unsuccessful referendum, Mr Vona pointed out that the government kept selling residency bonds in territories where migrants were coming from. Furthermore, the bonds are sold via opaque offshore companies linked to the government. “This is a scandalous arrangement which cannot be justified by economic interests since Hungary bonds could be sold in the regular market at much better rates,” said the party president. “Not to mention what an utter provocation it is that Hungary opens a sales office and looks for potential “residents” in Iraq, right when the terrorists of the Islamic State want to flee from there,” Mr Vona added.

He also explained how his party would handle the immigration issue in government: “While considering the international treaties and EU regulations, Jobbik will do whatever it can to preserve Hungary’s monocultural society.” As he put it, multiculturalism is a wrong path, which is bound to fail in Western European countries, and if they still keep forcing it, they will eventually eradicate European culture. In his view, Central and Eastern Europe still has the option to make a different choice and decide not to follow this misguided concept, and he believes such a decision is inevitable. “Multiculturalism is not our way. The current demographic, cultural, economic and social challenges must be solved in a Christian and truly European context.”

The challenger’s role

Talking about Jobbik’s progress into a people’s party, Mr Vona explained it was time for the party to grow up and become a clear challenger for the current government party since it can reach out to large voter groups which is proven by the findings of an international poll concluding that 53 per cent of below-35 citizens would vote for Jobbik.

He emphasized that he wasn’t worried about Jobbik undergoing a similar split as Jörg Haider’s FPÖ, since it is Hungary’s most stable political organization, unlike the government party, for example: “If you took Viktor Orbán out of Fidesz, the party would immediately collapse into squabbling, corrupt clans.”

As he put it, he has been Jobbik’s president for 10 years but his party is not kept together just by him, but by the patriotism of their voters, which has always helped them to overcome any difficulties.

Referring to such allegations that Jobbik was serving Russia’s interests and he supposedly participated in homosexual orgies or kept contact with Turkish terrorists, Mr Vona said: “The fact that the government party and its media spread so many lies about me clearly shows they are afraid of us and afraid of me.”

Mr Vona considers these libels as a positive feedback on his efforts but he is going to take legal action for the ones that are way out of line even in a political discourse. However, he’s not going to let them distract him from working with his party for a “fair, free and democratic” Hungary.

The new forces of the right must prove they are worthy of the voters’ trust

Regarding the increasingly pro-right and anti-globalist international political sphere, Mr Vona stated that the common feature of the processes going on in the West is that all point to the end of the liberal opinion shapers’ dictatorship as well as the political course built upon it, which he sees as a positive outcome.

However, the party president warned that “changing the liberal approach is important but not sufficient. We cannot build on rejection only, we must also show what it is that we, the force of the change, would do differently, (…) and when we are given the mandate of the people, we must prove that our ideas work.”

“While I am happy about the changes going on in various parts of the world, I am also excited and looking forward to how we are going to cope with the responsibility ahead of us.”

Discussing Jobbik’s relation to the radical parties of the German-speaking countries, Mr Vona stated: “It is a great pleasure for me to see AfD’s and FPÖ’s accomplishments and I still root for them. The efforts of these forces to seek relations with Hungary’s current governing parties is understandable but it is just a temporary phenomenon.”

In his view, political relations are in a state of change just like all other matters, so if Jobbik gets into government, these parties will seek cooperation just as they do with Fidesz now.

Read this interview in German. 

Photo: MTI

Orbán’s interview about migration, energy price cuts and other interesting topics

Budapest, December 2 (MTI) – The Hungarian government will not allow Brussels to interfere with the decision-making of the authorities over energy prices, the prime minister said in an interview to public radio on Friday.

Viktor Orbán said that if the right of authorities to determine energy prices were to be taken away then the government’s scheme to keep utility bills low would be compromised.

He insisted that competition in the energy sector did not lead to lower prices due to “all sorts of backroom deals”, and prices would rise instead.

The government will defend low utility bills, and while the struggle will be hard “we have every chance of success,” Orbán said.

Orbán said Hungary’s unemployment rate, below 5 percent, goes to show that people who are willing to work can work. He added, however, that the state of the country’s labour market is still not ideal due to regional inequalities and that employees do not always get the jobs they want. “But at least we can say that everyone has access to some kind of a job.” Orbán said that “even in the worst-case scenario”, people at least have access to jobs within the fostered work scheme.

He said the logic behind the government’s recent economic policy decisions was that every employer willing to raise wages would be given tax breaks.

The state of the Hungarian economy is now better than at any time since 1990, he said. “It’s not that we’ve arrived; we’re on the road [in the right] direction towards success.”

Orbán said Hungary was now “on the winning team” of countries, which he said had not been the case for a long time.

“Slowly but surely, Hungary is going from being a black sheep to becoming a success story,” the prime minister insisted.

Commenting on German projections that see that country’s economy slowing down until 2018, Orbán said the world was “more than just Germany”, noting his government’s eastern and southern opening policies.

Govts that fail to grasp opposition to migration destined to fall

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday that he expects governments that fail to understand that people are opposed to migration would eventually be ousted.

“This is only a matter of time … but we have to hold out until democracy is restored,” the prime minister told public Kossuth Radio.

“Democracy in Europe has been upset. There is no democratic balance because the people are not on board with what their leaders want to force onto them.”

But Orbán said that based on the rules of democracy, “even those who have not applied this democratic attitude from the start” would come to realise that they would either have to “become democrats” or fail. “This is what is happening in Europe today, step by step. In fact, this is also what has happened in the United States,” he said , referring to the election of Donald Trump.

“We must hold out until we [who oppose migration] are in the majority,” Orbán insisted.

Orbán welcomed the Constitutional Court’s Wednesday decision declaring that it can review EU measures to assess whether they violate Hungary’s sovereignty or harm its constitutional identity. Orbán said the court’s ruling would be of “huge help” to him in his “battle with Brussels” on migration.

“We can now finally forget that the opposition had chosen to side with Brussels … because now we’ve managed to bypass them,” he said.

The Constitutional Court made it clear that based on the constitution, the government has a right and obligation to protect the country’s national and constitutional identity and basic interests, Orbán said. This means that the cabinet cannot support any EU decision that violates Hungary’s sovereignty. “Nobody but we can decide whom we should live together with,” the prime minister said. Orbán said the top court’s decision was “good news” for those who did not want Hungary to be “occupied”.

Regarding the EU summit on migration to be held later this month, Orbán said “the match is tied”. He described the balance of power between the opposing sides as that between “David and Goliath” in which he said the Visegrad Four grouping of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia was in the role of David. “But the EU’s decision-making process is designed in a way that the prime ministers have to reach a consensus when it comes to important decisions, so even David has a chance,” he added.

Asked to comment on the situation in Turkey, Orbán said the country had a “good chance” of preserving its stability. He said this was vital from Europe’s perspective, arguing that an unstable Turkey would have serious negative effects on Europe.

The success of one of the Hungarian “Noses”

We do not have many perfumers, and it is even rarer that a Nose is corroborated by the capital city of the scents with international success on the market. Viktória Minya built up her store in Paris with hard work, and she does not rest on her laurels; she never stops working and always searches for the ways of innovation. She puts her new travel-sized gift pack on the market this week. Üzletrész.hu made an interview with her on the occasion.

How do you start your day?

I push the snooze button on my phone several times, then, I swear myself to go to bed earlier from now on.

Were did you get your knowledge before you became famous?

From the job itself. I believe that a master has to faile much more time than a beginner even tries. The road to the world success of Hedonist was through thousands of messed up scent compositions.

What did you learn from the worst boss of your life?

Since I am my own boss I became aware of how this boss was not that bad!

What inspires you?

Lately: everything. Like nature, nice lightings, a show-piece, a meaningful conversation caught on the subway, others’ creativity – everything, in short.

Have you ever had a journey that changed you?

I was invited to Shanghai to the annual International Perfume Exhibition last year. I was giving autographs, like a Hollywood star while being watched by a guard, then I was cycling along a rice field in the provinces of China the next day. I prefer being close to nature, and I like to explore different cultures in an authentic environment.

minya_viktoria

What was the best professional advice you got?

Broadly, the best advice of my life was to not compare myself to others.

And the worst?

To not get lost in the details, because it is not worth the energy to spend time with working out all the details perfectly. Actually, (as the Hungarian saying goes) “the devil hides in the details” – especially in my profession.

Do you have an app on your phone, which makes you feel that your day was effective, when you use it in the evening?

No, and I didn’t even known that I could wish for anything like that – where can I download it?

What do you do to create a balance between work and private life?

Sometimes, I indulge myself to not work on Fridays.

How do you resolve if you block in any creative exercise?

With procrastination.

How did you imagine your first company million and how did it feel like?

My first million was not as determinant as the process of the first perfume: I actively took part in its production until the last moments. When I held the bottle in my hands I think I grew a few centimetres because of the pride I felt.

Who is your favourite out of the ones who started in a garage and are known by the whole world now?

Bill Gates, who spends a significant part of his money on charitable purposes.

What are you reading now?

Oliver Burkeman: The Antidote.

What will be the main development in the next five years?

By that time, I hope, I can skip Thursdays, too.

 

Photo: Facebook.com/ Parfums Viktoria Minya

Copy editor: bm

Orban: Labour-based economy successful

 

Budapest, November 21 (MTI) – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán hailed Hungary’s labour-based economic model as a “success” in a pre-recorded interview to public radio aired on Monday.

Orban said the foundations of Hungary’s economy and financial system are stable enough to handle a significant increase in the minimum wage and a decrease in the corporate tax rate.

“The reason why we could implement these measures now is because we have done the work. Hungary’s economic model, the labour-based economy, is successful. We’ve always believed in it and now the outside world acknowledges it, too,” Orbán told Kossuth Radio.

The prime minister said the government was now preparing to implement the next phase of its economic model, adding that Economy Minister Mihály Varga had been tasked with negotiating a “six-year economic plan” with employer and employee representatives.

Orbán said the government’s planned minimum wage hikes for next year were realistic goals.

The government has proposed hiking the minimum wage of unskilled workers by a 15 percent next year and a further 8 percent in 2018, while the minimum wage for skilled jobs could grow by 25 percent next year and by 12 percent in 2018.

Talks with employers about the planned hikes, however, have been “problematic” so far, Orbán said, but expressed hope that an agreement would be reached within the coming days. The economy minister has been given “room for manoeuvre” in the talks, he added.

Orbán said employers were right in saying that payroll taxes are too high and should be lowered. He noted that the economy minister had proposed a six-year plan to businesses for lowering payroll taxes. Orbán said Hungarian businesses had never been given such an offer over the past 30 years. He said that if businesses have to pay less in payroll taxes, they would be able to pay higher wages.

If the government can reach a deal with businesses on a greater increase in the minimum wage then the higher wages and higher inflation could create room for increasing pensions, too, Orbán said. If the government’s talks are successful, pensions could be raised by 1.6 percent next year, rather than by 0.9 percent as earlier planned, he added. He said the government had kept its promise to maintain the purchasing power of pensions, raising them by at least the rate of inflation.

Asked about the government’s goal to have real wages rise by 40 percent over the next six years, Orbán said the target figure was an “acceptable starting point”. He said a 40 percent rise in real wages at the end of the six-year cycle would be a “nice success” but added that the government should aim even higher.

Orbán said the government’s plan to introduce a flat-rate 9 percent corporate tax would be advantageous for businesses. If done right, the measure will boost economic activity, generating more tax revenue, he added.

He said the government would not take measures affecting the local business tax as it provides much needed revenue for the municipalities.

Orbán said he considers Hungarians taking up jobs abroad an opportunity. He said that over the coming years, Hungarians were likely to “come and go according to where they see opportunities”, adding that the government should not restrict their right to free movement.

On the topic of Monday’s joint cabinet meeting between Hungary and Serbia, Orbán reiterated Hungary’s support for Serbia’s accession to the European Union. “The EU’s future doesn’t look bright if it doesn’t integrate countries that are qualified and able [to join the bloc] … Serbia is that kind of country,” Orbán said. The prime minister praised Serbia’s minority policy as “more than fair”. He said the Hungarian government was now looking to boost the opportunities available to Hungarian businesses in southern Serbia.

Photo: MTI

Interview with Julia Buxton, the Acting Dean and Professor at Central European University

Several foreigners live in Hungary, who have contributed to the country’s development with their intellectual and financial capital. The “Study In Hungary” education service made an interview with Julia Buxton, the Acting Dean and Professor of Comparative Politics in the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University

julia_buxton_4Study In Hungary: Dear Julia, please introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the Acting Dean and Professor of Comparative Politics in the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University. My geographic area of specialisation is Latin America. Thematically, and in terms of my academic and policy experience, I work broadly on security, development and public health covering issue areas such as narcotic drugs, violence and gender based violence, democratization and post-conflict reconstruction.

Study In Hungary: How would you briefly define CEU in 3-4 sentences?

CEU is a young and incredibly diverse graduate institution that delivers high quality, research based teaching in the social sciences and humanities. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, I was proud to see CEU ranked 7th for its international outlook. The School of Public Policy at CEU was established in 2011 with a practice focus; in addition to academic learning we provide training in applied skills that are fundamental for effective engagement with the policy and advocacy worlds.

Study In Hungary: What are the competitive advantages of your university compared to other Hungarian and European universities?

There are many. CEU is a relatively small university – 1400 students. This enables us to maintain a very favourable faculty to student ratio while creating a sense of community rather than anonymous existence. CEU facilities are world class, our new campus – and in particular the library – is state of the art, as well as aesthetically stunning. I stress again our tremendous diversity of faculty and students, which makes for a unique learning experience and exposure to a range of views, values and perspectives. Of course our location in Budapest, a vibrant and beautiful city is a major advantage. We are positioned at an internationally connected bridging point between East and West, North and South and this facilitates travel for guest speakers, hosting of international conferences, internships, and of course ease of family reunion for a global faculty and student body. We live in a volatile and unpredictable world but are fortunate that in Budapest we do not experience the security concerns of other countries. While of course Hungarian, European and also US universities are competitor institutions, we also see them as partners in research, education and knowledge generation, so we emphasise collaboration as much as competition.        

Study In Hungary: Which programs does CEU offer for foreign students and what are the languages of instruction?

CEU is an English language institution, with our programs accredited in the US. In the School of Public Policy we offer a one year theory focused Masters in Public Policy (MAPP), a two year practice oriented Masters in Public Administration (MPA), the two year Mundus MAPP, which provides for a second year of study in York or Barcelona and a doctoral track, as well as a host of professional short courses delivered by the School’s Global Policy Academy. CEU more broadly delivers one and two year masters programs in disciplines that include Nationalism Studies, Gender Studies, History, International Relations, Legal Studies, Political Science, Philosophy, Economics, Environmental Sciences, Business, Medieval Studies, Heritage Studies, Mathematics, Sociology as well as PhD programs, a range of language training options, certificated courses and summer school programs.

Tiered classroom, CEU Business School class
Tiered classroom, CEU Business School class
CEU's new "N15" building in Nádros street.
CEU’s new “N15” building in Nádros street.

Study In Hungary: Could you give information about the university campus to us? We got information that the new and renovated CEU campus was open to students few weeks ago.

It is pretty extraordinary. Designed by the Irish architecture firm O’Donnell and Tuomey the RIBA Royal Gold Medal winner in 2015, the redevelopment will create a sustainable, and cohesive urban campus that provides sufficient space for study, teaching and research; easy interaction between the university and local community, and it serves as a showcase for best practices in urban renewal in Budapest.  It includes a  450-seat library with multimedia collaboration labs,  a 400-seat auditorium suitable for lectures and performances, an international conference center, including a suite of six flexible-use spaces; technology-enabled teaching facilities and classroom space; a sky-lit atrium for community events, and a public rooftop café and garden with nearly 2,000 plantings of native species. The cakes in the café are also very nice.

Study In Hungary: What are the tuition fees, dormitory costs and other living expenses of your students?

CEU and School of Public Policy have extremely competitive tuition fees in an age of ever rising education costs and exchange rate uncertainties. We provide exceptional value for money, particularly when compared to competitor institutions in the US, UK and France – where fees can be double if not treble those paid at CEU – and when taking into consideration living expenses in Budapest. For example, average monthly rent for a one bedroom flat in the centre of Paris is 1000 euros, while in Budapest our students pay around 370 euros for accommodation within walking distance of the university. Food, public transport and ‘night life’ are similarly substantially cheaper. Our US accredited two year MPA at SPP provides financial support for our capstone student project with an external client, and both the MPA and one year MAPP are resourced to support internships. In this context, and taking into consideration the quality of our courses and tailored careers support, fees of 14,500 euros pa for the two year MPA program, 12,000 euros per year for the MAPP and 11,000 euros per year for Mundus MAPP are at the top end of global competitiveness.

Study In Hungary: Do you plan to launch new programs in near future – upcoming September and recruit now?

The School of Public Policy is, like CEU always looking to innovate and respond to changes in policy, disciplinary or methodological debate. Within the SPP our current focus is on expanding from our current five specialist tracks (development, governance, security, media and communications, higher education policy) to a new track focused on human rights for public policy professionals.

CEU's new "N15" building in Nádros street.
CEU’s new “N15” building in Nádros street

Study In Hungary: Do you have any scholarships or discounts for prospective students?

The University is committed to attracting talented students and therefore provides generous packages of financial aid on a merit basis. There is additionally a scholarship program for Roma students. At the School of Public Policy we award scholarships and discounts on the basis of merit, commitment to public service and also geographic allocation, the latter intended to support the diversification of our student profile.

Study In Hungary: What are your criterias for admission and granting scholarships?

Admission criteria at CEU varies from program to program, but there are some generally required documents (CV, BA degree, transcript of records, references, language exam certificate, etc.). For applications to the MPA at the School of Public Policy, we request a Statement of Purpose and for applicants to set out a public policy concern that they view of high personal or political salience. All applicants who have submitted by 1st February, 2017 are automatically considered for financial aid.

Study In Hungary: How would you describe social life of CEU students besides their formal studies?

I would like to think that our students are so deeply engrossed in their studies that the famous Ruin bars of http://visitbudapest.travel/Budapest, and the city’s many cultural events, music festivals and exhibitions pass them by, but the reality is that the social life of the city, in addition to the University – which has a thriving students union with clubs, gyms and organized visits and trips makes for an exciting cultural, emotional and intellectual immersion.    

Study In Hungary: What are the current and new target countries for CEU to recruit new students?

For CEU but more specifically for SPP the world is our target. Our strength lies in our diversity and the opportunity for students to learn key public policy lessons: that there is no one size fits all model; that community, cultural and historical contexts are important; and that to design, monitor and implement effective policies you need a range of skills, tools and perspectives that are fostered by learning and working together in an international, diverse and multicultural classroom.

Photo: www.vegeldaniel.com

Orbán: Europe ‘would have fallen’ without Hungary’s border measures

Budapest, September 29 (MTI) – Had Hungary not fulfilled its obligations concerning illegal migration, Europe “would have fallen” by now, the prime minister said in an interview to free-distribution daily Lokál on Thursday.

Viktor Orbán told the paper that by implementing strict border protection measures last year Hungary did not “reinvent the wheel” but simply “did what is done in more sober parts of the world from the US to Israel: we protected Hungary and with it the European Union’s borders.”

Concerning the Oct. 2 referendum on EU mandatory migrant quotas, the prime minister said Hungary and Europe’s future would be at stake on Sunday. He said the European Commission had not withdrawn its plan to impose migrant quotas on member states but in fact it reiterated it last week.

He said Hungary was still committed to a shared European future, but added, however, that the EU needed to make policy changes so that “we can preserve the Europe that we all love and consider home and for which we have already sacrificed so much.”

Orbán said it was highly problematic that EU member states cannot even agree on a common starting point for managing the migrant crisis.

He said migrants who had entered Europe illegally should be moved outside the EU’s territory, but added that many member states are not “brave” enough to do this. He said several countries believe that it is better to just “accept” illegal migration because Europe had “always gotten through” everything in the past. But this time it is different, Orbán insisted. “Either we are able to preserve our homeland and Europe as we love them or we will lose them,” he said.

Photo: MTI