migration

Hungarian methods used in the Dominican Republic against illegal migration?

Dominican Republic Péter Szijjártó

Hungary and the Dominican Republic have formed “an alliance to protect their citizens against the hazards of illegal migration” in the face of “hypocritical international pressure”, the foreign minister said in Santo Domingo on Thursday.

“While the international liberal mainstream says that migration is good and only has beneficial effects … we who directly face the challenges … know that migration poses a danger rather than opportunities, and could seriously impact national security,” the foreign ministry quoted Péter Szijjártó as saying.

Migration poses security risks such as “an increase in the threat of terrorism, spreading organised crime, a proliferation of drug trafficking or, as seen in Western Europe, the emergence of parallel societies,” Szijjártó said, calling for international cooperation on the part of “countries that directly face the dramatic effects of illegal migration”.

“Migration is not a human right … a human right for everybody is that they should be ensured a peaceful and secure life in their own country,” he said.

Dominican Republic building fence

“Nobody can strip Hungary or the Dominican Republic of their sovereign right to determine whom they wish to grant permission to cross their borders,” he said.

Neither Hungary nor the Dominican Republic supported the global migration pact in the United Nations, Szijjártó noted, adding that the Hungarian government built a fence to protect its southern borders, while the Dominican Republic “is building a wall along its border”. “Border violations are considered as attacks on our sovereignty,” Szijjártó said.

“We jointly say that the national interest comes first and everybody must respect our sovereignty; that migration should not be managed but curbed, and anyone trying to force the opposite on us stands against our national interests,” the minister said.

Szijjártó noted that he was the first Hungarian foreign minister to visit the Dominican Republic, and called his visit of “diplomatic historical importance”. “This year we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, so the time has come to elevate our relations to a higher level,” he said.

During the talks, Szijjártó and his Dominican partners signed six agreements.

Dominican Republic
Photo: FB/Szijjártó

Hungary helps the Dominican Republic

Trade turnover with the Dominican Republic multiplied by 9.5 in the past ten years, which “is an excellent basis to further develop economic cooperation,” he said, adding that one of the new agreements is designed to that end.

The other agreements are aimed at introducing Hungarian water management technologies to the Dominican Republic, setting up a political consultation mechanism, lifting the visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and service passports, joint diplomatic training, as well as offering five university scholarships for Dominican students studying in Hungary, Szijjártó said.

Dominican Republic
Photo: FB/Szijjártó

At a joint press conference with counterpart Roberto Alvarez, the Hungarian foreign minister said the world had confronted three serious crises in the last five years, and even though there were 8,000km between the two countries, both faced serious challenges in the form of mass illegal migration.

“I look forward to welcoming the minister in Budapest, and as we have agreed on this today … he will no longer need a visa,” Szijjártó said, adding that diplomats will be trained in Budapest, “and we are also expecting the first Dominican scholarship recipients” who will study in Hungarian universities in September.Hungary and the Dominican Republic have formed “an alliance to protect their citizens against the hazards of illegal migration” in the face of “hypocritical international pressure”, the foreign minister said in Santo Domingo on Thursday.

Read also:

  • PM Orbán in Brussels: Hungary does not want a mixed society – Read more HERE
  • Highly-skilled Hungarian workforce fleeing the country – cause for concern? – Details in THIS article

Hate speech? PM Orbán in Brussels: Hungary does not want a mixed society!

PM Viktor Orbán mixed society

Mixed society in Hungary and in Europe: that is what PM Orbán talked about again in a conference in Brussels. Hungarian law sees illegal border crossing as “a crime rather than human right”, and Hungary stops illegal migrants from crossing the borders, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at the NatCon event in Brussels on Wednesday.

Orbán against mixed society

Speaking at the National Conservatism Conference with Yoram Hazony, the head of the Herzl Institute, Orbán said migrants awaiting the assessment of their asylum request should wait outside of the borders of the European Union. Unless Europe achieves that, the issue of migration cannot be solved, he said.

Orbán said Hungary did not want a mixed society and wanted to protect its borders and to preserve its culture and traditions.

He said there was no need for a common EU migration policy, but member states should decide on the ways they wanted to “solve the issue of migration”.

The issue of migration hinged on matters of civilisation, Orbán said. Europe is rooted in Christianity, and those currently wanting to settle here were from other cultures, mainly with a Muslim background, he said.

Migration armed conflict mixed society
Illegal migrants. Photo: PrtScr/Youtube

Migration also had a historic perspective, Orbán said. People must ask themselves what Hungary would look like in future, and whether it would have a Christian, Muslim or other background, he said.

The prime minister said everyone should decide for themselves on the “environment and culture” they wanted to create in their country, and refrain from forcing their will on others.

PM Viktor Orbán mixed society1
Photo: MTI

Liberals want mixed society

Orbán said Hungary was of the opinion that the mixed society envisioned by liberals would “not end well”.

Countries, he said, could not be prescribed methods to combat aging societies. Hungary, he added, did not see “forcing migration” as a solution to that problem, but was working to improve the situation through a robust family support system.

Meanwhile, Orbán said conservative governments “seen as misbehaving by Brussels” were being “blackmailed”. Rather than “a guardian of the European treaties”, the European Commission had become a political player, he said.

Orbán insisted that the EU’s leadership was “forcing migration” because liberals wanted to collect more votes. The true reason was not economic or political, but an aim to obtain strength through votes, he said.

Viktor Orbán European Union Brussels migration mixed society
Photo: facebook.com/orbanviktor

Hungary “is an island” of difference in Europe’s “progressive liberal ocean”, Orbán said, adding that Hungary was a place where conservatives were free to speak and make political plans for the future.

He said freedom fighters must once again be active and take action in Europe. Conservative civil societies must join conservatives ready to fight for freedom, he said. “Hungary is the right place for this,” he added.

PM Viktor Orbán mixed society1
Photo: MTI

Ukraine: protectorate of the West

Commenting on the geopolitical situation, Orbán said Hungary did not want to have a common border with Russia once again, as it had during Soviet times. Hungary recognises Ukraine’s rights and independence, he said, adding that the Russian attack against Ukraine went completely against all international treaties and all commonly respected values. At the same time, it must be acknowledged that Ukraine “is currently a protectorate of the West”, which means that the country would not exist without the continual supply of weapons and financial support, he said. “Ukraine is not an independent country anymore,” he added.

Orbán said the Hungarian government did not want to give up good economic cooperation between Hungary and Russia, adding that the Russia-Ukraine war was not Hungary’s war. The Ukrainians “want to protect their country, which is their decision”, he added.

At the same time, he said the reason for the war was connected with the issue of Ukraine’s prospective membership of NATO, adding that Russia would never allow Ukraine to become a member of the alliance in its current form. He said they would do everything to ensure that a buffer zone remained between NATO and Russia. A ceasefire and peace talks would be better than pursuing the war as it must be accepted that Ukraine “cannot win on the battlefield”, Orbán said. “This is the reality,” he added.

He also said that Hungary condemned all attacks against Israel and recognised the country’s right to self-defence. The broadening of the Middle East conflict must be prevented because this would destabilise Europe and threaten peace and security, Orbán said.

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Highly-skilled Hungarian workforce fleeing the country – cause for concern?

Hungarian workforce - Passport Travel Luggage

Both the emigration rate and the number of Hungarians working abroad remain high. Despite the availability of 70,000 unfilled jobs in the Hungarian market, many in the Hungarian workforce try their luck abroad due to higher real wages and better living conditions.

Pénzcentrum.hu recently explored trends in the foreign employment of the Hungarian workforce, highlighting in its article that:

“emigration and employment abroad is a decades-old phenomenon and has a clear negative impact on the Hungarian economy.”

The news site reached out to Attila Katkics, a business consultant and HR specialist, who highlighted various factors influencing emigration, including economic recession, social disparities, high inflation, persistently low real wages, corruption as well as deficiencies and deterioration in the health and social systems. All these factors can well contribute to the outflow of the Hungarian workforce.

Worker Factory Job
Photo: Facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official

Considering the advantages offered by host countries, such as improved working conditions, better work-life balance, more leisure time, career advancement opportunities and higher professional recognition, it’s no surprise that many find working abroad attractive.

The Hungarian workforce on the international market: trends and characteristics

Germany, Austria, and England (despite its exit from the European Union) emerge as the top destinations for Hungarian workers, with around 400,000 Hungarians residing in these countries, a significant portion of whom are employed.

Additionally, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, the United States, Canada, and Australia also host a substantial number of Hungarian workers. Moreover, over 100,000 individuals living in Hungary commute to neighbouring countries for work.

Hungary salary worker
Photo: facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official

Typically, working abroad is common among younger individuals, singles, childless couples and recent graduates. Katkics distinguished between three groups of employees who work in foreign countries: highly qualified professionals, skilled workers on shorter-term assignments and seasonal workers engaged in temporary border-area contracts.

  • highly qualified professionals (the “victims” of the brain drain process), who often settle for several years or even for the rest of their lives in the host country,
  • skilled workers who work abroad for a shorter period of time,
  • seasonal workers, who typically do contract labour for only one or two months, usually near the border of Hungary.

Brain drain severely affects the Hungarian workforce severely

In Hungary, the emigration rate among highly educated individuals stands at almost 7 percent, as highlighted by the HR specialist. Pénzcentrum noted that in 2022, the country experienced a substantial outflow of highly qualified Hungarian workforce, posing a significant challenge to the economy. This exodus results in a loss of valuable expertise, skills and creativity that could otherwise be utilised domestically.

“One of Hungary’s most pressing problems is that we are one of the countries least able to retain their talent”

–  Attila Katkics explained.

While it is unrealistic and impractical to completely halt emigration, policymakers should aim to diminish both the quantity and quality of emigration from the Hungarian workforce.

Encouraging the return of expatriates should be a priority, as they bring back fresh perspectives, knowledge, ideas, foreign contracts and social capital, which could greatly benefit the Hungarian economy.

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PM Orbán: “we are fighting against the Soros empire”

George Soros

The most important question concerning the European Union migration and asylum package is whether those that want to come to Europe can stay in EU territory while their application is being processed or they must wait outside the EU borders until a decision is made, the Hungarian prime minister said in Brussels on Tuesday. He also said he was fighting the Soros empire.

Viktor Orbán told a public discussion held in the European Parliament with former Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki, and Fabrice Leggeri, the former head of Frontex and leader of the French right-wing National Rally (RN) party’s list that as long as this question was not answered, no measures linked to migration would work.

Regardless of what proposals are made in connection with the EU’s migration package, the issue of where the applicants stay while their request is being assessed must be answered, Orbán said. “This is a red line. If this is not done, everything else remains unresolved,” he said.

“If we are not brave enough to say that everyone must stay outside the borders while a decision is being made on their application, then no matter what other decision is made, that will not work,” he added.

Euronews bought by Orbán-close company
PM Orbán in Brussels in 2018. Photo: depositphotos.com

Orbán said that if the approval of the migration package does not require unanimous support, only majority support at the vote, then the entire pact would not work and its implementation would be stymied. The European Commission has taken Hungary to the EU’s court because it considered the Hungarian migration regulations not to comply with EU law, Orbán said. “But Hungary has resisted and will continue to fight,” he added.

Fighting the Soros empire

Orbán said that “one must not forget about the Soros plan which is aimed at organising migration”. “We are fighting against an organised group which is called the Soros empire,” he added. “The Soros empire was paying civil organisations to attack Hungary’s legal system and carried out unlawful activities against Hungary,” he added.

Orbán said the way US businessman George Soros got involved demonstrated how the EU operated.

George and Alex Soros
Father and son: George and Alex Soros. Photo: FB/Alexander Soros

“This is against us and about how to change Europe; and how to get rid of Christian, conservative, national political leaders and voters, and how to make them insignificant,” he said.

Orbán said the liberals and communists were close to each other because they both liked centrally controlled bureaucratic procedures instead of believing in freedom. He said experience in central Europe showed that former communists could easily turn into liberals.

EU blackmailing member states because of migration?

Speaking about the EU’s policy, Orbán said that the past five years had been dedicated to implementing goals of the current leadership. “Green transition has failed because it has gone against economic and industrial evidences,” said Orbán. He said green transition must not be “politically motivated”, adding that if the opposite was the case, “it would destroy the competitiveness of the European economy”. “That is where we stand today,” he said.

As regards the economic impacts of the war in Ukraine, “decisions may be taken despite all good-will” on measures that could cause difficulties in the European economy “which is prevalent already in the case of farmers,” said Orbán.

Hungary migration border control
Illegal migration in Hungary. Photo: FB/Máté Kocsis

The EU should define “what it should do with the issue of the war” in order to find a solution and prevent further crises, Orbán said, adding that it should be handled separately from the issue of Ukraine’s EU integration as much as possible.

Concerning the EU’s Resilience and Recovery Facility (RRF), Orbán said that Hungary had not received “a single penny” from the funds until now, adding that the fund had become “a tool of blackmail” because of its migration policy.

He said every comprehensive initiative of the current leadership of the EU had failed and he called for the “departure” of current EU leaders in office.

Read also:

  • Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Hungary meet to discuss stopping illegal migration – Read more HERE
  • What’s happening? Police raid trains in Hungary – PHOTOS and more in THIS article

The truth is out there – conspiracy theories in Hungary and why some believe them

conspiracy theories

From aliens and 5G towers to vaccines and chemtrails, conspiracy theories have permeated almost every aspect of contemporary society, often spreading like wildfire on some recesses of the internet. Here is a look at some statistics from Hungary that illustrate what sort of conspiracy theories have found fertile breeding ground in the country.

What are conspiracy theories?

The European Commission defines conspiracy theories (CTs) as narratives that explain events as the products of the secret machinations of powerful, malevolent groups. CTs divide the world into good and bad, scapegoating some individuals or groups as the source of evil: historical events are the results of these bad people plotting in secret.

CTs are popular as they give simple answers to complex problems. In times of uncertainty or crisis, they provide a sense of control. It is much easier, for example, to comprehend the so-called Great Replacement Theory (the idea that global elites are planning to replace white populations by moving migrants into Europe), than to consider the infinitely complex political, social, and economic factors that drive international migration.

Some popular contemporary conspiracy theories in Hungary

Recently, Telex published an article detailing how anti-vaxx parents are suing their GPs, because the doctors are not willing to issue a health certificate that would allow them to refuse mandatory childhood vaccines. Such rejection of modern medicine is often based on conspiracy theories.

Coronavirus Vaccine Pfizer BioNTech Vakcina Oltás Koronavírus COVID-19
Photo: Pixabay

Indeed, a part of Hungarian society was a great sceptic of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pénzcentrum wrote that Hungary was the 4th most sceptical country in Europe when it came to the pandemic: a significant number of people thought the dangers of the coronavirus were overestimated, and out of 20 European countries, Hungary had the most people who believed that lockdowns caused more harm than good.

Political Capital analysed conspiracy theories and disinformation in the country in several representative studies. In 2018, they found that 41% of Hungarians thought that “events that seem independent of each other are often the result of secret activities.”

Over one-third of people thought that Jewish people wanted to rule the world for which they had secret agreements in place, and 45% believed that “Muslim leaders have a secret plan to take over Europe and turn it into an Arab continent.”

42% agreed that “pharmaceutical companies are hiding the antidote to diseases from us” in 2018. In 2023, researchers of Political Capital found that 39% of those surveyed thought that the statement “Pfizer’s internal documents prove that many people died because of their vaccination against the coronavirus”, was at least partially true.

16 and 19% of the respondents thought that it was, respectively, certain, or rather true, that “left-wing liberal forces are trying to destroy Christianity and nation-states in Europe”. Among Fidesz voters, more than half agreed that this statement was at least somewhat true.

The statement that “the Russian secret service has incriminating evidence against Viktor Orbán, with which they blackmail the Prime Minister” was considered at least somewhat true by almost one-third of all respondents. 10 and 8% of Fidesz members thought that this was definitely or rather true, while 26 and 16% of the opposition held these opinions.

Studies have shown that conspiracy beliefs “stack ”. That is, those who believe in one CT are likely to believe in others, as well. This is the case in Hungary, too, where in 2022, studies found that Covid-scepticism was closely correlated with believing in Russian propaganda about the war in Ukraine.

Of those who agreed that the coronavirus was the work of a background power, 76% agreed with the statement that Ukraine is a Nazi country. Telex also highlighted that the COVID and pro-Russian conspiracy theories were mainly accepted among Mi Hazánk and Fidesz voters.

At the same time, Political Capital writes that “a significant number of Hungarians are receptive to disinformation about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 27% believe the most common disinformation narratives about Ukraine’s role and responsibility, and 22% believe those related to the United States.”

Overall, party preferences define what CTs people believe. Fidesz voters are more likely to believe anti-Muslim, anti-West, and anti-Soros CTs, while those on the opposition side believe CTs that target the Orbán government. Only the far-right Mi Hazánk voters were susceptible to almost any conspiracy theory.

Indeed, in 2018, Deutsche Welle called Hungary “Europe’s conspiracy champion” in an interview with Péter Krekó, a Hungarian scholar of CTs. Krekó explained to the magazine how after the 2015 refugee crisis, conspiracy theories became part of the official government narrative.

The Orbán government churned out propaganda that Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros had a plan to bring masses of migrants to Europe. As a consequence, in Hungary, we are now dealing with a situation where CTs are not just on the political fringes. Instead, the government itself spreads them as official policy.

soros plan hungary
National consultation slip about the so-called “Soros Plan”

How to spot conspiracy theories?

Here is the difficulty: real conspiracies do exist. Assassinations, political coups, and cover-ups of political scandals are all real-life conspiracies.

The European Commission gives this example: “In 2006, the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. (USA) ruled that major cigarette companies were guilty of conspiracy. For decades, they had hidden evidence of health risks attached to smoking to promote higher sales.”

However, Péter Krekó also asserts that “conspiracy theories are gaining traction all across the globe.”

“That has a lot to do with the prevailing mood of the day, which shows how little trust people have in international institutions and how changes in our world lead people to believe the craziest theories about their causes. We are dealing with a global crisis of confidence.”

Indeed, Political Capital found that “the majority of the respondents (59%) agreed to some extent with the statement that objective reality does not exist, there are only different opinions.” We are living in a world, it seems, where basic truths about facts and reality are up for debate.

As such, it is worth looking at what individuals can do to effectively identify CTs in their lives. The European Commission shares these three tips to help you decide if you are dealing with a conspiracy theory:

  1. Check the author: who is writing what you are reading and what is their goal?
  2. Check the source: is it reliable and reputable? Has it been confirmed by independent fact-checking?
  3. Check the style and tone of what you are reading: is it balanced, objective, and thorough?

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Featured image: depositphotos.com

Foreign Ministers of Denmark and Hungary meet to discuss stopping illegal migration

Péter Szijjártó met his Danish counterpart Lars Lokke Rasmussen in Copenhagen. They talked about illegal migration

Hungary and Denmark are committed to a strict immigration policy, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in Copenhagen at a joint press conference held with Danish counterpart Lars Løkke Rasmussen on Monday, adding that during its EU presidency Hungary would prioritise stopping illegal migration.

Szijjártó said improving Europe’s security and competitiveness would be the chief aims of its presidency.

The minister said that as long as Europe continued to act as a magnet to migrants, security challenges would mount up, with organised crime and terrorism gaining ground.

He added that Hungary’s strict immigration policy is based on strong border protection and stopping migration instead of managing it.

Migrants, he said, should only be allowed to enter Europe if they are legal, and help should be given at the location of the problem rather than the problem being imported.

Africa’s population, he said, was on track to grow by an estimated 750 million in the next twenty years, and jobs, health care, and education must be made available to these people.

The minister said, “We’ll find ourselves facing a challenge we’re unable to meet” unless such conditions are provided.

Szijjártó hailed Denmark’s immigration policy, saying the country was one of the very few countries in the EU that showed “common sense” on migration.

Meanwhile, he said Hungary and Denmark were both successful export-oriented economies, “so it’s in our common interest that world trade should be free of barriers as well as fair”.

Szijjártó called for the EU to accelerate free trade negotiations with rapidly growing states such as those in South-East Asia.

He also said trade disputes should be resolved on a common-sense basis without being mixed up with ideological issues.

He noted that Danish companies are among Hungary’s top 20 foreign investors, and the government has concluded strategic partnerships with three of them. Last year, bilateral trade turnover hit a record 1.6 billion euros, the minister added.

Responding to questions, Szijjártó said he and Rasmussen had discussed criticisms of the state of the rule of law, “but Lars Lokke Rasmussen must be respectful even when there is a difference of opinion.” At the same time, Szijjarto noted he had not brought up Danish internal affairs.

Szijjártó said he was “proud” of Hungary’s situation. He said the best judges of whether a country was a democracy were its people. Hungarians have voted to allow the ruling government a two-thirds majority in four consecutive elections, “and that mandate shows that it is doing its job well,” Szijjarto said.

Regarding criticism on Hungary’s child protection law, he called on journalists to “read the law before talking about it”. The government continued to see sex education as parents’ exclusive right, he said.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, Szijjártó said neighbouring Hungary “has immediate and grave experience of the negative consequences of the war”, and it has a vested interest in a speedy end to the conflict.

“Clearly, neither party can win the war, and European politicians counting on Ukrainian victory are wrong,” he said. We are hoping for peace as soon as possible, a ceasefire, and peace talks.”

He also reiterated that Hungary would not back former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s bid for NATO Secretary-General, because earlier “he talked about bringing Hungary to its knees”.

Fidesz: Brussels is threatening us over migration pact

szijjártó zsigmond németh brussels migration

“Brussels is already threatening an infringement procedure unless Hungary implements the (EU’s) migration pact,” Barna Pál Zsigmond, a state secretary of the ministry for European affairs, said on Friday.

The pact, recently adopted by “the leftist majority” of the European Parliament, seeks to “make Hungary accommodate migrants with greater force than ever,” he said.

The government’s position is unchanged: Hungary must be saved from the settling in of migrants. “Hungarians don’t want Hungary to become a migrant country,” the state secretary said.

After Hungary and Poland openly opposed the pact, “a threat immediately arrived from Brussels: the commissioner of domestic affairs threatened members not implementing the migration pact with an infringement procedure,” he said.

The state secretary noted that the migration pact would not take effect before the European Council also adopted the package.

“Brussels could not even wait for the final decision, they have already started blackmailing the anti-migration members,” Zsigmond said.

“Change is needed in Brussels; we need European leaders and EP members that will protect Europe and Hungary from migration and war,” he insisted.

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PM Orbán slammed EU migration pact in Africa

Viktor Orbán Hungarian super secret service

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán assessed Europe’s political situation in his speech at a Centrist Democrat International leadership meeting in Marrakesh, his press chief said on Friday.

Orbán addressed the problems of the “green transition” in Europe, economic growth, and the subjects of migration and the war in Ukraine, Bertalan Havasi said.

Orbán, a vice president of CDI-IDC, discussed decisions made in Brussels which had worsened the situation of European agricultural producers and car manufacturers, the press chief said.

The prime minister insisted that Europe’s competitiveness was deteriorating, and both the US and China were generating far higher economic growth than the bloc, he added.

Commenting on migration, he criticised the migration pact approved recently, which he said went against an earlier court decision and forced the EU’s “migrant-friendly policy” on countries that opposed migration. Hungary and Poland have already announced that they would not implement the “harmful and dangerous” pact, Orbán said.

Commenting on the war, he said that pro-peace Hungary confronted 26 pro-war countries in the EU. “We continue to support ceasefire and peace talks,” he said.

He also noted changes in NATO’s policy. Whereas in the past the organisation had not taken any role in the Ukraine war, last week it started preparing coordination activities in weapons supply and financial support, he said. “Hungary will stay out of this planning process,” Orbán added.

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Fidesz MEP Deutsch: Hungary ‘under attack’ for pro-peace stance

Hungarian MEP Tamás Deutsch fidesz tisza

Hungary is being attacked in Brussels for its pro-peace stance and for rejecting gender ideology and illegal migration, “even at a plenary held at the end of the last session of the European Parliament,” Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch said.

In a video on Facebook, Deutsch noted that the EP was slated to table a resolution condemning Hungary, among other matters, and pledged to “protect Hungarian interests”. “No matter the machinations of the dollar left and its European comrades, Hungary will stick to its pro-peace stance and reject gender ideology madness, protect its sovereignty and reject illegal migration,” he said.

He slammed the EP for tabling two proposals condemning Hungary, rather than tackling “Europe’s deteriorating economic performance, the problems of farmers, or skyrocketing energy prices and terrible inflation caused by the Brussels response to the Russia-Ukraine war”.

The EP’s leftist majority “has also decided to adopt a resolution slamming Hungary and echoing the dollar left’s well-known lies at the closing plenary in two weeks,” he said.

Despite all the pressure, Hungary will reject accepting migrants, Fidesz MEP Deutsch said.

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What’s happening? Police raid trains in Hungary – PHOTOS

railpol railway police train

Almost 700 trains were checked by police officers as part of a 24-hour international operation to ensure rail safety in Hungary.

Hungary joined Railpol’s (European Organisation of Railway Police) action on Monday to prevent and disrupt violent acts against railway wagons, to detect unruly passengers, to prevent metal theft, drug-related crime, illegal migration and other related illegal acts, and to check trains at rail border crossings, Világgazdaság reports.

Police raid Hungarian trains

police
Source: Police.hu

The officers, together with cooperating organisations, checked 683 freight and passenger trains and 589 stations, the authority said.

During the 24-hour operation, the identity of 4,623 people was checked, 15 criminal and 49 offence reports were filed; 27 people were arrested, 15 of whom were wanted. On-the-spot fines were imposed in 189 cases and administrative fines in 87 cases.

Raids like this have been carried out before: in January, uniformed officers raided domestic and international passenger trains, passenger luggage and luggage lockers at stations in a 24-hour operation, including the use of service dogs.

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railpol railway police
Hungary joined Railpol’s (European Organisation of Railway Police) action. Photo: MTI/Máthé Zoltán

Hungarian government outraged over the EU ‘migration pact’

Migration refugee camp EU migration pact

Hungary will continue to reject migrants and will maintain the legal and physical border seal, regardless of the migration pact adopted in Brussels on Wednesday, the foreign minister said.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Paks, in central Hungary, Péter Szijjártó said the migration pact being debated in the European Parliament “is green-lighting illegal migration”.

The pact, Szijjártó said, would expand a “Western European problem” to central Europe, “rooted in them giving up their identity, culture and the protection of their society”, and had created parallel societies and increased the threat of terrorism, the ministry said in a statement.

Hungary has been protecting the Schengen borders and the external borders of the EU for 9 years, Szijjártó said.

“Not only did the government not receive support from Brussels for that, but there is constant pressure to give up border protection,” he said.

Regarding the upgrade of the nuclear plant in the town, Szijjártó said stability was a key element of the works, “so it would be helpful if we could continue to work with the current [municipal] leadership”, he said, referring to the local elections in June.

He regretted that the EU’s approach to matters of energy were subject to a “politicised, ideological debate”. Those debates “are threatening the energy supply of European countries”, he said.

Paks upgrade progressing on schedule

Hungary, a landlocked country without oil and gas, relies on nuclear energy to produce large quantities of cheap, reliable, safe and sustainable energy, he said.

The upgrade of the plant, led by Russian state-owned Rosatom, is progressing on schedule, according to an “agreement that is advantageous concerning the technology as well as financing”, he said. The new blocks are expected to start operation at the start of the next decade, enabling Hungary to detach itself from the “turmoil of international energy markets”.

Meanwhile, “the EU discusses weekly ways to cram a ban on Russian nuclear industry down Hungarians’ and central Europeans’ throats”.

“That would threaten our national security and economic interests. We have made it clear that we would veto any sanctions targeting nuclear cooperation with Russia,” he said.

The delivery of nuclear fuel has been uninterrupted so far, and Hungary has no intention to change suppliers, he said.

Government: Migration pact to further aggravate situation in Europe

The European Union’s migration pact would “further aggravate an already serious migration situation in Europe . it would contribute to the emergence of further migrant ghettos,” an MEP of ruling Fidesz said in Brussels on Wednesday.

Balazs Hidvéghi said after an European parliamentary debate on new migration and asylum regulation that the package would “forcibly introduce” a system in which decisions on asylum applications would only be made “after the illegal migrant [applicants] are allowed to enter”. “And we know that Europe is unable to send migrants back to their countries of origin . even if they could not lawfully stay in the EU.”

“The migration package … would open Europe’s gates wide before illegal migrants,” the MEP insisted. The package is aimed to “repeat and push all the earlier proposals that have turned out to be impracticable and unsuitable for resolving this problem,” he said. A mandatory distribution of illegal migrants and penalising member states refusing to accommodate those migrants were among the failed, earlier ideas, he said.

Hungary only EU member having a really effective system

Hidvéghi said Hungary was the only EU member having a “really effective system … built on a legal and physical border seal”. “Hungary has demonstrated that migration could be stopped if there is a political will and action … we will insist on maintaining that system,” Hidveghi said.

The EU package is “an open attack” against Hungary and its migration rules, he said, adding that “Hungarians made it clear on several occasions that they don’t want illegal migration and would not accept Hungary’s becoming a migrant destination … they don’t want us to give in to pressure from Brussels,” Hidvéghi said.

MEPs of Hungary’s Fidesz rejected the package and “will protect Hungary’s independence, sovereignty and the security of its citizens among all circumstances,” he said.

Illegal mass migration would lead to the “disintegration of society”.

In his contribution to the debate, Hidvéghi said the “essence” of the debate was not helping refugees. “We all want to help people in need. This debate, in its essence, is about whether or not we are able to preserve our European identity, our way of life, norms, culture and traditions,” he said.

He said supporting mass migration was putting those values at risk. “It is in reality a social transformation project that is imposed upon the European people”, mostly without asking their opinion, he said. He warned that illegal mass migration would lead to the “disintegration of society”. “Public safety is deteriorating, the state is losing control,” he said.

Hungary would not relinquish its way of life and the protection of its safety and culture, he said. “The Hungarian people have been asked about this issue, and they repeatedly rejected illegal mass migration. This is why we firmly reject this pact,” he said.

Orbán cabinet: Pro-peace and anti-migration shift on the EU stage would not be possible without a shift to the right

szijjártó

The coming local council and European Parliament elections will be crucial factors in Hungary’s fight to protect its sovereignty, the foreign minister said on Monday.

Addressing a podium discussion in Békés, in south-eastern Hungary, Péter Szijjártó said that Hungary had succeeded in protecting itself and its interests amid the various crises in recent years.

The minister noted Hungary’s swift vaccination campaign during the pandemic, the government’s investment promotion scheme and Hungary’s ability to stay out of the war in Ukraine “in spite of the immense pressure put on our country”.

He said Hungary had stood firm on “the only morally acceptable position” of calling for peace in the war.

Meanwhile, he noted that the government had succeeded in evacuating all Hungarian nationals following the outbreak of the war in Gaza, and in freeing all but one of the Hungarian hostages taken by Hamas.

Szijjártó said all of this had only been possible because of the country’s “exceptional political stability”.

He said that over the coming years Hungary would have to keep defending itself against “attacks” questioning or “seeking to eliminate” its national sovereignty.

“It’s clear that this liberal mainstream is trying to rule over us both at the European and global levels,” the minister said, adding that because Hungary had a “patriotic and sovereigntist government”, it could expect to keep having to fight to protect its national interests in the coming years.

Concerning the EP elections, Szijjártó said a pro-peace and anti-migration shift on the European political stage would not be possible without a rightward shift, saying it was crucial for the patriotic right-wing parties to have a successful showing at the June ballot.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the Visegrad Group cooperation was “at the heart of” Hungary’s foreign policy, and Hungary, Czechia, Poland and Slovakia were far more effective together when it came to crucial issues than they would be on their own.

As we wrote earlier, Orbán government scares with migrants again, EU plans “pro-immigration campaign” – details HERE

Minister Bóka: 2023 ‘year of failures’ for European Union

minister bóka eu affairs hungary

On Monday, 2023 was “a year of failures” for the European Union, Hungary’s minister for EU affairs said on Facebook.

János Bóka said the EU had “failed to take a constructive role in restoring peace and security in Europe . Brussels supports war and will do everything to get Europe directly involved in the conflict.”

The EU has also failed “to provide substantive assistance to its members in restarting their economies after the crisis and reinforcing the community’s global competitiveness,” Bóka said.

The EU has not managed to stop illegal migration and failed to help member states protect the external borders, Bóka said, adding that “Brussels abandoned European farmers and took sides with Ukrainian oligarchs.”

“Brussels has done nothing to fight corruption and conflicts of interest within the EU institutions, but it uses (restriction of) access to community funding to exert direct political pressure,” the minister said.

But, Bóka said, referring to the upcoming European parliamentary elections, 2024 “could be a year for change.”

The community calls for change “to make Brussels support peace rather than war, to focus on connectivity and competitiveness instead of economic isolation and unreasonable central planning,” Bóka said. He also suggested the EU should “only allow those to enter who have an authorisation and ensure fair conditions for European farmers as well as sovereignty to the EU in terms of food supplies. “Access to EU funds should not be a tool to exert political pressure,” he added.

Bóka said the upcoming Hungarian European Union presidency would work to promote those goals.

As we wrote today, with its affordable workforce, Hungary attracts international companies. Yet, while assembly plants provide jobs for Hungarians, the country may not reap significant benefits from these setups. Details HERE.

read also:

  • Hungary’s retail tax under fire: EU investigates discrimination claims by Austrian government and SPAR, details HERE.

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Hungarian ancestry unveiled: Fascinating study links ancient Hungarians to Hun warriors

kurultaj hungary Hungarian

Extensive international archaeogenetic research has unequivocally established that Hungarians are direct descendants of the formidable Hun warriors. This finding was highlighted by Sándor Nagy, a Fidesz MEP from Debrecen on his social media platform.

Sándor Nagy, a Member of the Hungarian Parliament, referenced a study on his official Facebook page, published in Current Biology. The MEP emphasised the conclusive genetic evidence linking Hungarians to their Hun ancestry, shedding light on the historical continuity of this lineage, as reported by Index.

Nagy emphasised that recent genetic research has further substantiated the longstanding perspective that Hungarians did not conquer the Carpathian Basin a millennium ago but rather merged with the preexisting populations already residing there.

Contrary to previously suggested Finno-Ugric origins, genetic studies have debunked such claims and revealed a lack of Finno-Ugric genetic heritage among the founding Hungarians.

He also noted the presence of Hun, Avar and Iranian ancestries alongside minor genetic admixtures from various origins, underscoring the complex and multifaceted genetic history of the Hungarian people.

The Member of Parliament shared a video on his Facebook page depicting a young man shooting arrows from horseback, aiming to recreate the combat techniques used by ancient Hungarians.

The study on Hungarian ancestry

The study involved sequencing 9 Hun, 143 Avar and 113 Hungarian occupation-age samples, identifying three core populations representing recent immigrants from each period without European ancestry.

The findings revealed that these “immigrant cores” from both the Huns and the Avars likely originated from what is now Mongolia, aligning with historical suggestions linking them to the Xiongnus (Asian Huns).

In contrast, the ‘immigrant core’ of the conquering Hungarians stemmed from an earlier blend of the descendants of the Mansi, early Sarmatians and late Xiongnus, shedding light on the complex genetic heritage of these ancient populations.

The research has demonstrated the emergence of a shared “proto-Ugric” gene set during the Bronze Age, resulting from the intermingling of Meskovian and Nganasan populations, thereby corroborating both genetic and linguistic evidence.

Furthermore, genetic outliers from the Avar and Hungarian occupation eras have revealed shared Hun ancestry, indicating genetic continuity among successive nomadic communities. Alongside these immigrant core groups, the majority of individuals from each era were identified as local inhabitants with a predominant ‘European aboriginal’ genetic heritage, highlighting the diverse ancestral contributions shaping the genetic landscape of these ancient populations.

The comprehensive study can be accessed on the following page, featuring detailed analysis through the use of maps to illustrate the Hungarian lineage and delve further into the aforementioned claims and topic.

Read also:

  • Uncover the epic Battle of Isaszeg: Join the 35th Commemorative Spring March for an unforgettable experience – HERE
  • The fascinating details of the Hungarian national anthem – HERE

Hungary’s Embassy in Cyprus reopens

hungary opens embassy in cyprus

Hungary and Cyprus “will never accept that the European Union should be divided up to first and second class member states,” Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Nicosia on Tuesday, adding that the two countries “firmly oppose scrapping unanimous decision making” in the EU.

At a press conference held jointly with his Cypriot counterpart Constantinos Kombos, Szijjártó said the economy and security of the community were “worse than after the coronavirus pandemic”, with particular regard to the EU’s decreasing competitiveness, the war in Ukraine and the risk of its escalation, as well as difficulties posed by illegal migration. He hoped the upcoming European parliamentary elections could bring changes “with the bloc turning in the right direction and the peace camp gaining strength”.

The Hungarian government urges peace as soon as possible, Szijjártó said, but admitted that its position “is not in the mainstream and not supported by a majority”. Hungary does not send weapons to Ukraine and “sharply opposes declarations concerning the possibility of sending Western troops”, he said.

He said those “promoting the peace camp’s position are stigmatised” and “there is a tiny room for a sober dialogue” on the matter, adding that “similarly, there was no opportunity for a meaningful debate concerning some kind of compensation for member states seriously impacted by the sanctions against Russia.”

Concerning the proposed scrapping of unanimous decisions in the EU, Szijjártó said,

“We will never accept a situation in which the big countries could make decisions on issues also impacting us, leaving us the only possibility to say ‘yes, sir.'”

The EU’s Hungarian presidency in the second half of the year will be aimed “to stop a further weakening of the community”, he said, adding that “a strong Europe requires strong members.” The EU needs “new momentum and energy, which could only come from the outside; the (Hungarian) government, therefore, will have the promotion of the integration of the Western Balkans high on its agenda,” he said. He added, however, that some countries should not be granted a “fast track” procedure for political reasons; “each candidate must be assessed on their actual merits.” The Western Balkan states “deserve a fair and positive attitude”, he said. Hungary and Cyprus will join forces to promote the issue, he added.

The Hungarian presidency will place increased focus on the fight against illegal migration, Szijjártó said. “The government considers migration as a hazard rather than an opportunity,” he said, adding that “migration must be stemmed rather than managed”.

Szijjártó welcomed that “similarly to Hungary, Cyprus always promotes its national interests in the EU”, and noted a regular political coordination between the two countries.

Regarding the economy, Szijjártó pointed to tourism as a fast-developing sector and said

over 66,000 Hungarians had visited Cyprus in 2023, up 31 percent from the previous year.

The turnover of bilateral trade is above 100 million euros, Szijjártó said, adding that energy offered further opportunities for cooperation, with special regard to new resources in Cyprus.

Szijjártó also mentioned that Hungary had sent troops to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNFICYP), “thus contributing to peace and stability.”

Hungarian embassy opens in Cyprus

Considering the economic relations, the future energy cooperation, the large Hungarian community, and the many tourists and soldiers, the government decided to reopen the embassy in Nicosia and to improve services.

He said that it is important to provide better services to Hungarian citizens visiting or even permanently living in Cyprus, but that a personal diplomatic presence can also be a means to further improve bilateral relations.

“I hope that the presence of the embassy will clearly demonstrate the importance that the Hungarian side attaches to this relationship,” he said, thanking the local authorities for their help in dealing with the matter quickly.

read also:

Orbán government scares with migrants again: EU plans “pro-immigration campaign”

Migrants Hungarian government

“Brussels is planning to accelerate the process of distributing migrants across member states,” Bence Rétvári, state secretary at the interior ministry, told MTI on Thursday, adding that the EU was also planning to launch “a pro-immigration campaign”.

Following the EU migration pact’s taking effect this summer each member state “will be given six months to prepare an implementation plan,” Rétvári insisted. “Brussels is seeking to cut a part of cohesion funding and use it for migration purposes . they will employ staff to control if the distribution quotas are implemented,” he said. “Brussels continues managing migration rather than stemming it . they want to carry through their will . even if that harms Hungarian and European families,” he added.

The European Commission would use public funds “to launch a comprehensive pro-immigration campaign in each member state to cast a favourable light on the migration pact and would involve the EU representations in those countries,” the state secretary said. “It is understood in Brussels that people won’t support migration and they seek to convince them through a campaign in the press that they would benefit from accommodating illegal migrants in line with the quotas,” he said.

“All this of course will cost a huge amount of money and it raises the question of how the bureaucrats . that have not seen any migrants . wish to finance that,” Rétvári said. Using cohesion funds for the purpose would be “shocking”, he said, adding that “it simply means that for Brussels the migration pact has precedence before health, education, welfare services or developing businesses and infrastructure.”

“Brussels would not admit that their migration policy has failed and they seek to forcefully pass laws and regulations . they aim to distribute migrants among the members and to fine those members that refuse to accommodate migrants, to the tune of 8 million forints (EUR 20,000) per migrant,” Rétvári said.

Read also:

  • Czech police cease assistance at Hungarian-Serbian border, citing drop in illegal migration – Read more HERE
  • Hungary restarts golden visa scheme: everyone can join

Hungary would like to modernise Kenyan farming

Hungarian foreign minister_Kenya is key to Europe's stability

African stability is key to European security, and Kenyan support is vital in terms of combatting terrorism and hosting refugees, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said in Nairobi on Wednesday, adding that Hungary is making large contributions towards these efforts.

Hungary and Kenya this year are celebrating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Szijjártó said at a joint news conference held with Kenyan counterpart Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi.

He said ties were based on mutual respect and were especially valued in the current era of wars and the mounting threat of terrorism, the ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying.

Hungary, he said, provides aid to Kenya, adding that the more stable and developed the country is the better the security situation. Hungary is launching a 6 billion forint (EUR 15.2m) lending scheme under which Hungarian companies are establishing two centres for the purpose of upgrading irrigation systems and fisheries in the country with the aim of improving the security of food supplies.

Also, Hungary is providing 200 million forints for setting up an agricultural education and research hub for modernising Kenyan farming using Hungarian seed technology.

Fairer, more balanced international political system

Meanwhile, the minister welcomed Kenya’s decision to build a nuclear power plant, saying the project would help to cut harmful emissions. The sides have signed a cooperation pact on nuclear education and training, with Hungary helping to train Kenyan specialists and sharing experiences in regulation.

Referring to Hungary’s EU presidency in the second half of the year, Szijjártó expressed recognition of Kenya’s call for a “fairer, more balanced international political system”, saying that Hungary supported this aim since politics was now geared towards “lecturing and criticising each other instead of cooperating”.

Noting that the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement was signed last year, he said Hungary would do its utmost to make sure it came into force during the six months of its EU presidency.

200 Kenyans can come to study in the Hungarian higher education

The minister noted the expansion of the Education Hungary office, and said that as well as the founding universities of Pécs, Debrecen, IBS International Business School and Agriculture and Life Sciences, Miskolc and Sopron universities have also joined the scheme that advises students interested in training opportunities in Hungary.

Before, Hungarian agriculture minister István Nagy was on a visit in Kenya:

Hungarian government built a model farm in Kenya
Photo: FB/István Nagy

Out of the 290,000 people studying in Hungarian higher education, 40,000 are foreign and Kenyans have access to 200 scholarships each year, he noted, adding that they could go on to help develop their country with the knowledge they had gained. Given the popularity of the programme, Hungary is considering expanding the number of participants, he said.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Njuguna N’dungu, Kenya’s finance minister, Szijjártó said the east African region provided a great opportunity for Hungarian companies, adding that he was being accompanied on the trip by executives of 17 companies interested in possible investments and partnerships.

Szijjarto said the business leaders in his delegation to Kenya represented cutting edge technologies in farming, food safety, water management and administrative services, whose projects could contribute to Kenya’s economic development. He said representatives of the two countries were set to sign a mutual investment protection accord, while preparations for an agreement aimed at avoiding double taxation were on the agenda.

The minister highlighted Kenya’s stabilising role in the region, noting that country’s efforts to fight terrorism and its accommodating hundreds of thousands of refugees.

Read also:

  • Hungarian government built a model farm in Kenya – Read more HERE
  • Journey of tribute: Zsolt Vadász and the Trabant Expedition’s African adventure – Read his story in THIS article

Foreign Minister: Central Europe fully backs Hungarian EU Presidency’s expansion plan

hungary slovakia czechia slovenia austria

Central European countries fully support Hungary’s policy of promoting the EU integration of Western Balkan countries during its EU presidency in the second half of the year, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign affairs and trade minister, said in Ljubljana on Tuesday.

EU presidency and the Western Balkans

He told a press conference after a meeting of the foreign ministers of the C5 format of the Central European countries, Austria, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, and Slovenia, that security must be reinforced, the European Union needs new vigour, and enlargement will be centre stage during Hungary’s presidency starting in July.

Integrating countries of the Western Balkans could energise the EU, and central European member states should take on special responsibility accordingly, according to a ministry statement quoted Szijjártó. He added that whereas they openly and genuinely backed enlargement, others elsewhere merely gave the impression of doing so in public while actually blocking the process.

Genuine supporters, he said, were in the minority, and so he urged central European countries to join forces and “promote the cause”. He said all sides at the meeting supported Hungary’s related goals.

Szijjártó noted that the five Western Balkan countries had been waiting to join the EU “for 14 years and 10 months on average”. “This shows the real attitude of the community,” he said, and pledged that Hungary would “work to change that vigorously”.

“We Hungarians will do everything to bring the Western Balkan countries closer to the European Union,” he said.

Immigration

On the subject of restoring security, Szijjártó called for increased efforts to stop illegal immigration, and said its causes should be dealt with in the countries of origin, while protection of the external borders should be intensified “just as Hungary has done”.

He said the Hungarian government considered border violations as attacks against the country’s sovereignty, adding that rounding up people smuggling gangs was crucial.

“Criminals and migrans have fired shots at border guards on several occasions, which is completely unacceptable… We do not need such people in the EU,” he said.

The minister said pull factors of illegal migration should be reduced, adding that mandatory distribution quotas “act in just that way”.

Gaza, Ukraine

Answering a question, Szijjártó confirmed the government’s support for any initiative aimed at freeing hostages held in Gaza, including a Hungarian national.

The success of Israel’s anti-terrorism operation, he said, was of global importance, but “saving the civilians should also be an important aspect.”

Regarding Ukraine, he mentioned that over one million refugees had crossed into Hungary since the outbreak of the war. He said “neither side can win on the battlefield” and the armed conflict could only be resolved through negotiations; “the question remains when, and it would be sooner than later.” “The sooner there is a ceasefire and peace talks, the fewer people will die and destruction will be less detrimental.”