Pécs

Fall festivals in Hungary you do not want to miss – VIDEO

Hungary, chimney cake, Christmas, market

While many are sad to see long and hot summer days come to an end, the nice weather in the first half of the fall season still allows for some interesting programmes.

We have recently compiled a list of things you can do and places you can visit in Hungary while the weather is still warm. You can read the article HERE. Now we would like to recommend some great fall festivals featuring diverse programmes, interesting films, great music, delicious Hungarian food and wines.

CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival, 10 September – 18 September

Cinefest-Miskolc-festival-Hungary — Photo: video still from 17. CineFest Miskolci Nemzetközi Filmfesztivál (2021) spot

One of the most popular film festivals in Hungary, CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival, awaits filmmakers, professionals, and movie lovers to watch the most outstanding films of the year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the festival was postponed last year, but after this forced break, the 17th CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival has returned with renewed vigour and amazing movies this year.

The organisers continuously strive to keep up with the latest international trends – in 2019, they created a new competition programme for creative feature documentaries named CineDocs − and compile a line-up of truly extraordinary masterpieces of the international cinema and Hungarian classics. The Festival works together with several international organisations, and the International Federation of Film Critics sends a jury of film critics to the Festival.

In order to make the festival accessible to as many people as possible, organisers have introduced a symbolic fee of HUF 400 (~EUR 1,14), but professional programmes and information screenings can still be visited free of charge.

Zsolnay Light Festival (Pécs), 30 September – 3 October

https://www.instagram.com/p/CL6eg4ljTYr/

This year, Hungary’s first and only festival of light awaits visitors with a more diverse programme than ever. From 30 September 30 to 3 October, the whole city of Pécs will be clad in light, the streets will be carpeted with light. The façade of the Cathedral and the Downtown Candlemas Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and two iconic works by the famous Hungarian painter Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka will be brought to life by amazing animated light projections.

After New York, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, and Toronto, the spectacular light art installation of Viktor Vicsek and Limelight will be on display for the first time in Hungary.

The “Talking Heads” installation consists of two heads interacting with each other with the help of 4,000 individually controllable LED lights. The main event of the festival will be the Zsolnay Light Art International Mapping Competition, featuring animated 3D light creations of the most talented Japanese, Spanish, Ecuadorian, and Hungarian artists. Most of the programmes can be visited free of charge.

Wine Days of Mór, 30 September – 3 October

The Wine Days of Mór is one of Hungary’s oldest and largest wine events held on the first weekend of October. The organisers await visitors with delicious Hungarian food, excellent Hungarian wines, and various cultural programmes, such as concerts, pottery demonstrations, and folk fairs.

Chimney Cake Festival in Budapest (City Park), 8 October – 10 October (the official date has not been published yet)

The Chimney Cake Festival is one of the most delicious festivals in Budapest, and the season’s sweetest gastronomical event, presenting various techniques of preparing chimney cakes − such as baking the pastry over charcoal or frying it in oil – as well as a wide array of flavour variations and sizes. The purpose of the festival is not only to promote the Hungarian chimney cake (‘kürtőskalács’) but also to present its traditional way of preparation, preserving and promoting Hungarian traditions.

September 13, 2021

Mandatory mask-wearing in Hungary? – University of Pécs already took actions

According to recent data, the delta variant of the novel coronavirus seems to have reached Europe and a new, fourth wave is impacting the continent. Unfortunately, the number of infections in Hungary also rose over the past few weeks. Some institutions are considering bringing back mandatory mask-wearing for their facilities.

According to the latest European Covid map updated on September 9, although Hungary is still green along with some other neighbouring countries, the capital has been changed to orange. This means that the number of infections between week 34 and 35 of 2021 have been between 75-200 per 100,000 population.

EU Coronavirus Map — Source: ecdc.europa.eu

The latest Hungarian Covid data said that there were 345 new infections while this number was only 110 at the end of August. In our previous article, we have reported that according to János Szlávik, chief infectologist of the South Pest Hospital Center, the new variant of the coronavirus is much more dangerous for young people.

In contrast to the variants before, the delta already contaminates two days before the first symptoms appear. Just at the start of September, he already mentioned that mandatory mask-wearing might be reintroduced in Hungary.

Although schools and universities start their semester with normal, personal education, some of them have required students to have an immunity certificate if they want to move into the dorms. Others will adhere to stricter rules such as using thermometers at entry and the use of hand sanitisers.

How effective are COVID vaccines really in Hungary? – Recent statistics show

These mandatory Hungarian vaccines may promote immunity against COVID-19

What kind of events can be attended without an immunity certificate in Hungary?

According to the most recent information, the University of Pécs requires people attending most personal activities and certain areas of the facility to wear masks, Portfolio reports. The statement highlights that:

“The most important element of epidemiological control is vaccination and according to the current information […], a significant number of the citizens of the University of Pécs have the necessary immunity.”

But the university then recognises the dangers of the new delta variant and the moderate increase in the number of infections in Hungary, combined with their experience of the start of the economic year, the university rules mandatory mask use from September 13 in the following ways:

in the Clinical Centre in accordance with the relevant legal and internal regulations,
during attendance education sessions held indoors (e.g. lectures, seminars, practice), except for the person giving the lecture,
in the course of administration with a personal presence,
in addition to personal presence, during closed-space meetings and board meetings, provided that safe distancing and/or adequate ventilation of the room cannot be ensured.

You can find the entire statement on the University website.

If the number of infections continues to rise, it is likely that many other institutions will follow the practice of the University of Pécs, or it is not out of the picture that the Hungarian Government will make mask-wearing mandatory again.

September 13, 2021

The most valuable Hungarian casinos given to government-close oligarchs until 2056!

The previous concessions would have expired in 2024, but the National Bureau of Concessions, a body under the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, issued new licenses now. They tried to keep it secret, but one of the readers found the decision on the website of the Gambling Supervision Board.

We wrote before that the National Bureau of Concessions would give the operation of the Hungarian motorways into the concession of companies for 35 years. Opposition parties say that the decision will be the biggest theft of the past 30 years. Párbeszéd party called on Hungary’s data protection authority (NAIH) to review whether the calculation of motorway concessions should remain subject to secrecy for the next ten years.

Interestingly, the length of new concessions in the case of the casinos is the same. The decision would give the most valuable Hungarian casinos

to two government-close oligarchs until 2056.

Before, Andy Vajna, a Hungarian film producer, owned the concession rights of the Hungarian Las Vegas casinos. After he died in 2019, István Garancsi and Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, the former husband of the government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkirályi, received it in 60-40pc.

The biggest online casinos in Hungary

The “casino family” contains the Atlantis, Atrium Eurocenter, Corvin Promenade, Sofitel, and Tropicana casinos. All of them are in Budapest.

These five places generate a solid 10 billion HUF (EUR 28.7m) annual profit.

Based on telex.hu, this is why the National Bureau of Concessions did not announce the new concessions but tried to hide it from the public. According to the website, everything happened by following the laws. However, the parliament modified those laws during the spring session. One of the amends made operating casinos a national interest. Furthermore, it allowed the bureau to prolong the concessions if half of the previous concession’s session was up. And that was the situation in the Las Vegas casinos.

But how did the public not get any information about that?

The law enables the bureau to prolong the concessions of the so-called “trustworthy” concession owners without an open application process. Thus, the company only had to submit a new bid.

In Hungary, there are 11 casinos.

Five of them in Budapest, and 3-3 in East and West Hungary. Gábor Szima owns the casino of Debrecen and Nyíregyháza, Zoltán Rákosfalvy has the casinos of Győr, Pécs and Miskolc. In Sopron, there is an Austrian-Hungarian casino. 51 pc of it is owned by Casino Austria, while 49 pc is in the hands of István Garancsi.

Read alsoRidiculous rules!? Coronavirus does not enter casinos in Hungary – VIDEO

September 8, 2021

The tragic story of a Hungarian woman who nearly lost all her limbs

Within just 11 days, a Hungarian woman from Pécs has had multiple surgeries, and the doctors needed to amputate three of her limbs because of a genetic disease.

According to Mónika and her family, she was always on the go, came and went all day. She liked to drive and loved her work at a grocery store and would even work the second shift as a cleaner. At 39, she lived an average life when, suddenly, everything changed in just a day, says Blikk.

According to Mónika, everything started with a minor injury during one of their vacations, Bors wrote. She had a small wound on her feet which ulcerated and had to be treated for two years. This might have been the foreshadowing of the tragic story.

The woman told Pécs Aktuál that one day, she felt a strong stomach pain, and the muscle relaxers did not work, so she decided to go to the doctor but ended up in the ER and had to be operated on.

Her stomach pain was caused because her stomach ruptured and perforated. During the operation, the medical staff found out that Mónika had thrombosis in her stomach and limbs.

Within three months, the 39-year-old woman was operated on a total of 16 times and was diagnosed with a genetic vascular disease that causes severe thrombosis. Unfortunately, the doctors could not repair every vein and had to resort to amputation.

Amputation Mónika Tragedy — Image still from Pécs Aktuál’s video Source: facebook.com/pecsaktual

Within just 11 days, Mónika lost three limbs.

The doctors first amputated her left leg, but within a week, she was told that they could not save her right leg either. The most shocking to her, however, was that just four days after losing both of her legs, she was told that her left arm had to go as well.

Amputation Mónika Tragedy 3 — Image still from Pécs Aktuál’s video Source: facebook.com/pecsaktual

Margit, Mónika’s mother, remembered that her daughter called her from the hospital and asked her: “Mum, this cannot happen, right?”

She was devastated, and now she is being taken care of by her husband, Péter, and her mother. Mónika says that she was so shocked she could not even go to the streets for several weeks.

Mónika says that bathing is a difficulty, and her husband has to take her to the shower. She also mentioned that sometimes, she has severe phantom pain, and the tragedy has an emotional toll on her, too.

She is looking forward to speaking with a psychologist to ease her emotional pain, but the family has difficulties as the husband had to quit his job to be able to take care of Mónika.

Read alsoTragic accident – no survivors, no eye-witnesses!

September 5, 2021

Hungarian drug lord caught by Montenegro police after dangerous gunfight

Igor Grubacs, the Hungarian drug lord from Pécs was caught in an action-movie-like scene after a gunfight has erupted in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro.

Igor Grubacs, the Hungarian-Croatian citizen has made quite a name for himself in his illegal career in Hungary. According to Blikk,

Igor, who has been known in the criminal underworld as ‘Ingenious Igor’ was one of the most well-known and feared personas of Pécs.

He has been on the Hungarian Police’s list of most dangerous criminals since January 2021. According to the Police.hu, under well-founded suspicion, the authorities have arranged a raid on a garage in district XIII. In Budapest. The police found two of Igor’s men in the middle of selling drugs.

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal Igor — Source: Police.hu

The officers found 22 kilograms of marijuana, but Igor, who was overlooking the process from a nearby car, said Blikk, has managed to drive away

from the authorities. He left his luxury BMW X6 behind and changed cars to ensure to cover his tracks.

The police have found further 59 kilograms of marijuana, 220 grams of cocaine, but they have also confiscated two firearms and 24 million forints’ worth of euros. Since then, he has made it into the most dangerous criminal list.

Blikk reported that later this year, police have managed to track down Igor in Szabadka, and tried to capture him, but again, the drug lord have managed to escape before the policemen arrived.

However, ‘Ingenious Igor’ is not only a drug lord. He has plenty of other cases that the police are watching him for.

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal — Source: Police.hu

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal 4 — Source: Police.hu

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal 5 — Source: Police.hu

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal 2 — Source: Police.hu

Hungarian Drug Lord Catch Police Criminal 3 — Source: Police.hu

One time, he and one of his thugs tried to rob a ATM using a chainsaw, but the small room has filled with exhaust gases pretty quick and his partner-in-crime was found sick by the police in a nearby shrub, says 24.

In another case, Igor seduced a wealthy entrepreneur’s wife into giving him his husband’s money and then left with it.

As the Hungarian police’s website reported, the authorities in Podgorica have caught Igor Grubacs after a gunfight. According to some, he was then taken to a hospital. The Montenegro authorities also confiscated a large shipment of marijuana concealed as coronavirus vaccines. Igor’s connection to the shipment is being investigated.

The Hungarian drug lord Igor Grubacs is currently awaiting extradition, but meanwhile, the Hungarian authorities have managed to detain criminals connected to ‘Ingenious Igor’.

Read alsoThis is what you need to do if a police officer stops you in Hungary!

Featured image: Police.hu

September 4, 2021

Attention students: renting fees in Hungarian university cities skyrocketing!

The country experienced an average increase of 2.7% per month during the busiest part of summer.

Property and rent prices keep changing every couple of months due to many factors. Lately, the coronavirus pandemic and its restrictions introduced to protect the population influenced prices. As summer is over in a week and universities in Hungary start around the same time, the market of rentable properties is experiencing some changes again.

The biggest extremes from the Hungarian rental property market

As every year, due to the interest of many freshmen students ready to start higher education, prices start increasing. According to the property renting index of KSH-ingatlan.com,

the average monthly increase during the past month was around 2.7% in the country.

Still, these renting fees are still behind the record rates of January 2020.

Although the most considerable change was not experienced in the capital,

renting fees are the highest in Budapest, with an average of 145 thousand forints (414 euros).

The index shows a 2.4% increase.
The bigger university cities following the capital, like Debrecen, Pécs, or Szeged, saw a 10 thousand forints (28 euros) growth.

The average renting fee in Debrecen is around 120 thousand forints (342 euros), in Szeged 110 thousand forints (314 euros), and Pécs about 100 thousand (285 euros).

These current property fees are more than 8% higher than this January’s super low prices.

Index.hu quoted the words of László Balogh, leading economic expert of ingatlan.com. “This recovery and the increase of renting fees were expected, mostly because of the start of the high season of summer. Students also appeared on the market after the higher-education admission points were made public. Although they generate the biggest demand during the summer months, this group is further strengthened by those working in a given city.

With the recovery process after the pandemic, many people are moving from elsewhere to these university cities to find jobs.”

Prices, in general, went through a significant change in the past six years.

These current renting fees are 38% higher on a national level than in 2015.

Budapest properties require 30% more money than six years ago. Still, these prices did not reach the record of January 2020, when they surpassed the 2015 level, with 40%.

The number of those interested in renting a property has increased during the first eight months of this year, as opposed to the period before the pandemic, back in 2019.

In the middle of August, there were around 19 thousand properties offered for rent in the country, 13 thousand of which are in Budapest.

Those, who are starting their studies in September and are currently scared of these prices, should not worry. Ingatlan.com offers a solution for students to find the best place that suits their needs for the best price, with some security details included in the contract.

Read alsoHere are the cheapest Budapest districts for renting an apartment

August 23, 2021

Centenary of South Hungary liberation from Serbian occupation marked

Local and central government officials on Sunday marked the centenary of the liberation from Serbian occupation of an area in the southwest of Hungary, in Pécs.

State Secretary Árpád János Potápi said the Hungarians of today want the same thing as those a hundred years earlier: that “the independence of the thousand-year-old state of Hungary be respected and that our country not be treated as a vassal state”.

Breaking – illegal migrants tried to break through from Serbia!

In a speech delivered on the main square of Pécs, he said

Hungarians never again want “organisations funded by foreigners

to exercise their power against Hungarian interests as did the 1921 Socialist Party of Pécs” and “traitors like Béla Linder to fight against the sovereignty of Hungary and the common interests of Hungarians”.

László Őri, who heads the Baranya County Council, said the liberation of the region from Serbian occupation sends a message of hope for Hungarians today, too. “The nation, the homeland, our children call on us today, too, to be brave and

persevere against foreign powers that revile our values and our Hungarian identities,”

he added.

Hungary built a wrestling academy in Serbia

August 22, 2021

The best zoos in Hungary — PHOTOS

If you want to get out of your house but do not know what to do, the answer is simple: go to the zoo. No matter where you are in Hungary, you are guaranteed to find a good zoo nearby. Going to the zoo is an ideal program alone, with friends, with family, or for couples. Listed below are some zoos you are guaranteed not to be disappointed with.

Sóstó Zoo- Nyíregyházi Állatpark

Nyíregyháza zoo — Photo: www.facebook.com/sostozoo

The Nyíregyházi Zoo is located in the Sóstó resort area near Nyíregyháza. One of the largest animal herds in Europe awaits visitors. The zoo also has its own hotel called Hotel Jungle. There is also a beach bath, a village museum, and a park forest nearby. The 32-hectare zoo has been welcoming guests since 1974. Among other things, it has the most bear species in the country and the largest collection of parrots. The purpose of the zoo is to preserve endangered species. It is worth enquiring because the zoo also offers various programs.

Xantus János Állatkert — Győr

Győr Zoo — Photo: https://www.facebook.com/zoogyorofficial

Sports, cultural and family programs can be found at the Győr Zoo. In the past, animals native to Hungary could be seen, but now, the range of animal species has been expanded. This is evidenced by the South American house right at the entrance. There is a strong emphasis on education in the Xantus János Zoo.

Pécs Zoo — Pécs

animal zoo iguana — Photo: www.pecszoo.hu

The Pécs Zoo is known for its many family programs, the feeding and presentation of species. Mammals, reptiles, birds, and amphibians all live here. The aquarium-terrarium in the main building has a 100,000-litre pool as well. The zoo has animals from all six continents. The zoo opened in 1960 has recently been completely renovated. With constantly changing exhibitions, they ensure that there is always something new to see.

Veszprém Zoo — Veszprém

Veszprém Zoo – Best photo gallery of Christmas in Hungary

The Veszprém Zoo is the most traditional rural zoo in Hungary. The zoo, located 15 kilometres from Lake Balaton, opened in 1958. One part of the park is located in a valley and the other on a hill. This makes Veszprém Zoo very specific. Various feedings and the Dino park are the highlights of the Veszprém Zoo experience. In addition, the Monkey House, the Elephant Park, and the Bird Flyer, which is also unique in Europe, attract many visitors.

Fővárosi Állat- és Növénykert — Budapest

budapest zoo baby monkey — Photo: www.facebook.com/Fővárosi Állat- és Növénykert

budapest zoo monkey — Photo: www.facebook.com/Fővárosi Állat- és Növénykert

Founded in 1866, the Budapest Zoo has the largest collection in Hungary. Until 1950, it was the only institution of its kind in Hungary. Every year, 1 million visitors come to the 18.4-hectare zoo. Six playgrounds, feedings, and the Seal Show provide a stunning experience. In addition to the representatives of the Hungarian wildlife, we can also meet exotic creatures. In 2013, even the area of the Budapest Amusement Park was added to it, further increasing the range of programs.

July 3, 2021

The first-ever Pride in the Hungarian countryside to be held in 2021!

Due to the coronavirus pandemic that has struck the world unprepared, many programs and festivals had to be cancelled last year, and this Summer will still not be the same as it was pre-pandemic. That being said, the first Pride in Hungary outside of Budapest will finally be held this year.

According to Telex, the idea of the Pécs Pride march came into existence back in 2019 and would have been held last year. Still, due to the restrictions imposed by the government in response to the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, no events were allowed that could attract the masses.

Thanks to the relatively large number of vaccinated people in Hungary and the low infection numbers, the Summer of 2021 could finally be somewhat similar to what it was before the pandemic.

According to Hvg, while the one month long Budapest Pride has already started with programs and will culminate in a march on July 24^th, the first-ever Pride march outside of the Hungarian capital will only be held on September 18^th. The organisers targeted Pécs with this special march, because the Diverse Youth Network non-governmental organisation said that

“Pécs is much more accepting than many other (rural) cities in Hungary”.

On the Facebook page of the Pécs Pride event, the organisers also said that this event is important for two things:

“Pécs Pride 2021 is both a human rights demonstration and a day of celebration. We are demonstrating for the equal rights all people deserve, and we are celebrating our bravery and daringness to be ourselves even in the current situation!”.

Recently, the Hungarian government has passed a law that aimed to protect children and to impose harsher punishment on paedophiles. The law has sparked significant controversy, and many have demonstrated their disapproval. You can find out why many people have nicknamed the law at issue the “homophobic law” HERE.

Also, since then, the international media has observed Hungary with watchful eyes and have expressed their opinions on the law. If you did not follow the recent events, you can get information from the following articles:

Everything you need to know about the new Hungarian “homophobic” law

The Allianz Arena might be welcoming the Hungarian team rainbow-coloured – UPDATE

Rainbow flags continue to show up in protest against the Hungarian “homophobic law”

Read alsoHuge demonstration against Hungarian homophobic law – Photos

June 30, 2021

The first Hungarian festival of the summer: Fishing on Orfű – Minifishing

The first festival this summer was the family-friendly, summer-launching mini version of Fishing on Orfű, Minifishing. The festival was founded in 2008, and the most important bands and musicians of Hungarian pop music have given concerts every year ever since. We visited the picturesque village of Orfű.

The festival was cancelled last year due to coronavirus restrictions, so this year, the organisers decided to hold two versions. The real, “big” Fishing on Orfű will be held from August 25th to 28th, and we have visited the Minifishing from June 17th to 19th.

We wholeheartedly recommend checking out this festival this summer if you would like to visit a wonderful location in a nice little corner of the country near the cultural capital, especially if you are interested in Hungarian pop and rock bands.

Summer programmes in Hungary without an immunity certificate

Orfű is a small village on the shores of a small lake, not far from Pécs.

The village, located in a beautiful Mecsek valley, has been hosting the family festival for more than 10 years. Fishing on Orfű was named after a song by the festival’s founder, András Lovasi, one of the key figures of the last two and a half decades of the Hungarian music scene.

The Panoráma camping site and Orfű itself are easily accessible by car, and there are festival buses from Pécs as well.

Panorama camping — Photo: Zsuzsi Varga/Daily News Hungary

Both the big names of Hungarian popular music and new, young bands perform on the stages of the festival. This year, the audience could see 30Y, Bori Péterfy, Kiscsillag, and Hiperkarma on the big stage, and several younger, emerging Hungarian bands also performed, like Carson Coma, Galaxisok, or Ricsárdgír. If you like authentic and popular Hungarian pop and rock bands, this festival is for you.

In addition to the selection of music, you can taste local wines, buy specialities from Pécs, and, of course, if there is a 40-degree heatwave, like this week,

fortunately, the lake is there for you.

Lake Pécs — Photo: Zsuzsi Varga/Daily News Hungary

There are also pedal boats and sup facilities, and in addition to the typical beach food, it is worth visiting the restaurant called Szomjas Vándor on the beach. Naturally, there is a gastro corner within the festival: festival-goers can choose from a selection of street food-type dishes.

The festival also offers so-called “off programs” for those who like to spend the days actively as well. There is usually a theatre garden with plays by small companies or one-man shows. Fröccs tours are also available for the few lucky ones who can buy the tickets in time. These are organised tours around the lake led by some of the performing musicians, accompanied by wine tasting.

According to ATV, this time, the number of participants in the festival was limited at 3,000, but if the corona situation keeps improving, the “big” Fishing will not have a limit at all.

If you are wondering what the concerts and the atmosphere of the festival is like, you can check out the concerts of previous years in THIS archive.

Read alsoHungarian festival guide: which are cancelled and which will be held in 2021?

June 21, 2021

Number of international students in Hungary up two-thirds since 2013

bme_university_budapest_hungary_kató_alpár_dnh

The number of international students studying in Hungarian higher education institutions has increased by more than two-thirds since 2013 thanks to the government’s strategy aimed at strengthening the international role and relations of Hungarian universities, an official of the innovation and technology ministry said on Wednesday.

The number of international students enrolled at Hungarian universities climbed over 38,000 in the 2019/2020 academic year, close to the 40,000 target for 2023 set by Innovation and Technology Minister László Palkovics in

2014, the ministry cited state secretary Tamás Schanda as saying.

The government’s aim is for Hungarian universities to have a central role in research, development and innovation and to strengthen their relations with businesses and international institutions, Schanda said.

Though the pandemic has brought

the increase in international students studying in Hungary to a halt, the reopening could attract foreign students again,

Schanda said.

About half of foreign students believe a degree earned in Hungary will be more valuable than one awarded in their home countries, he added.

The ministry highlighted the role of the government’s

Stipendium Hungaricum programme,

which awards scholarships to foreign university students, in attracting students to the country.

Eight Hungarian universities have been ranked among the best in the world!

May 26, 2021

Skinhead assault against two Yemeni students: the court decided

The appeals court in Pécs, in southern Hungary, has handed suspended prison sentences to two men for the racially motivated assault on two Yemeni university students, the court said on Wednesday.

The two men were sentenced for pushing and kicking two Yemeni university students after hearing them speak Arabic outside a shopping mall in August 2018. One of the attackers was sentenced to 15 months to be served in a youth detention centre, while the other was handed two-year prison sentence, both suspended for three years.

And since we are writing about Yemen and Yemeni students, we reported HERE that a Hungarian man was tortured to death in Yemen where he went to marry a local girl. Blikk reached the head of a Yemeni human rights organisation that tried to put together the last weeks of the life of the Hungarian man.

György Koltai, who had previously been imprisoned and tortured, travelled back to Yemen to marry the sister of a former fellow prisoner, Yemeni human rights activist Tawfik al-Hamidi, who knew Hungarians who had

converted to the Muslim faith,

they told Blikk. I have known György, ie Abdul Hakim, for a long time because we worked in a similar field. […] I helped him organise interviews with Arabic TV channels, but I also visited Hungary, where we had lunch at his mother’s house, said Tawfik al-Hamidi, head of Geneva-based human rights organisation SAM. After al-Hamidi saw that Koltai had returned to Yemen, he could not contact him.

The reason for this was recently revealed when a local activist, Adel al-Husseini, told Twitter that a Hungarian man with Yemeni citizenship had been captured and practically

tortured to death by the people of the Southern Transitional Council (STC),

which controlled the south of the country. Al-Hamidi and his organisation then began investigating the details. “It’s not easy to get information. We got sound recordings from people who were with George in prison. […] They are afraid, so they could not tell everything with full openness. The sound recordings were also sent in secret,” al-Hamidi said. In the audio recordings, the liberated Yemenis said that Koltai was captured by the Aden anti-terror squad.

A certain Yisran al-Maktari, the leader of the local anti-terrorist squad, is responsible for the arrests and interrogations. “The conditions were terrible. Some of the cells were so cramped that the prisoners were virtually unable to turn around,” Tawfik al-Hamidi explained. Koltai was brutally tortured in prison, according to testimonies, almost all of his teeth were knocked out, and then when he caught the coronavirus, he was simply left to die. What his interrogators wanted from him can only be assumed.

According to al-Hamidi, it is conceivable that

he was arrested just because he was a foreigner.

The Hungarian tortured to death in Yemen went there to marry a local girl

Featured image: illustration

May 19, 2021

Would you invest in Hungarian champagne? Here is the opportunity, buy a factory!

Hungary’s second-oldest champagne factory, the 150-year-old Littke Palace in Pécs, is offered for sale. Here are the details.

After a short break, the factory restarted its operation four years ago and has become widely known for its exceptional French champagnes.

The 150-year-old champagne factory – along with the belonging property – is offered for sale at a purchase price of EUR 5.88 million (~HUF 2.1 billion).

As the Hungarian news portal Napi.hu reports, Littke Palace is the second oldest champagne factories in Hungary, established in 1859. The factory was deprivatized in 1949. The production of champagne in the factory started in 1966. A few years later, the Winery merged with the Villány-Siklós Farm and continued to operate under the name Villány-Mecsekalja Winery. In 1982, the champagne factory produced 11 types of bottle-fermented and 4 types of tank champagne. In 1996, the factory was purchased by a Swedish citizen of Hungarian origin who expanded the company’s activity with viticulture and winemaking, and since 2003 it has operated under the name Cezar Winery Ltd. The company temporarily stopped making champagne in 2015 but restarted its operation two years later.

Related article: WOW! The University of Pécs in Hungary to enter the market with a brand new champagne

In 2019, the net sales revenue of Littke Pezsgőház Ltd. was EUR 120,000, and the after-tax profit was a loss of EUR 61,000. The tendency was almost the same in the last few years, with a slight increase in the sales revenue.

According to the advertisement, the complex offered for sale at a purchase price of EUR 5.88 million (~HUF 2.1 billion) includes:

a conference room with a floor area of 600 m2 and a capacity of 300 people.
2km long cellar systems comprising 5 levels, with an air temperature of 14 degrees Celsius in winter and summer. The cellar passages are huge and spacious, as wagons used to run between the passages.
170 m2 wine tasting room with a capacity of 40 people.
A champagne restaurant, a café and a gift shop.
Above the restaurant, there is a residential area with 5 offices and 11 rooms, 3 bathrooms. Recently, a hotel department has been established with 15 – 2-3 bed – hotel rooms.

The advertisement was posted a few weeks ago; since then, inquiries have been made by foreign and domestic investors as well.

Read alsoHungarian champagne awarded among the best ones in the world

Featured image: www.facebook.com/LittkePalace/

May 13, 2021

Eight Hungarian universities have been ranked among the best in the world!

The Center for World University Rankings (CWUR) has released its latest list of rankings. Eight different Hungarian universities were included among the two thousand best higher education institutions in the world.

Based on hellomagyar.hu-s report, Harvard from the United States came in first, followed by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). The third prize was given to Stanford, California, founded in 1885 by Leland Stanford Shrine and a railway tycoon. At fourth, Cambridge, at fifth, Oxford, sixth is Princeton. The top ten also included Columbia University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania and Yale.

Universities in the United States and the United Kingdom have taken over the top 20 places. Boasting 13th place, the University of Tokyo was the only one who got into the Top20 as a representative of another country outside the USA or the Uk. Among the European universities, the French PSL University (21st place), the Swiss ETH Zurich (29th) and the French Paris-Saclay University (32nd) were also included in the Top40 list, as well as the Swedish Karolinska Institute (35th), the French Sorbonne (36th) and the Danish University of Copenhagen (37th).

This year, as well as last year, eight Hungarian institutions were included in the list, so there was no change in this area. Of the Hungarian universities,

Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) performed the best,

the university finished in 591st place. The second was the University of Szeged (SZTE), which improved one place compared to last year and was placed 678th. Semmelweis University was in third place with 683rd place. The University of Debrecen (695th) entered the top 700, and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics became 887th. The University of Pécs was the 1090th, and interestingly, the CEU, which officially moved to Vienna, was also ranked Hungary, which became the 1669th. The University of Pannonia was also the last Hungarian to appear on the list at 1949th place. Last year, ELTE finished at 588th, so the best university in Hungary only fell behind a few places.

China’s Fudan University, which is currently sparking major domestic political controversy, finished in 115th place. Among the neighbouring countries, Austria has excelled, with 17 higher education institutions on the elite list. A total of 7 Austrian universities are ahead of our gold medalist, ELTE, and the University of Vienna, for example, is 207th.

The Center for World University Rankings has been ranking higher education institutions since 2012: of the 20,000 higher education institutions, they select the world’s top 2,000 universities based on 7 criteria. Key aspects include the quality of education, employment opportunities for graduates, the excellence of faculty, the number of publications, and the citation rate.

As hellomagyar.hu wrote a few days ago, the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact list includes six Hungarian universities in their lists in multiple categories.

Read alsoRuling parties votes to transfer several Hungarian universities from state to foundations

April 28, 2021

Want to study abroad? Choose from the best Hungarian universities

Have you ever dreamt of leaving your country for a semester, for a year, or even for the length of an entire university career? If your answer is yes, let me tell you why you need to choose Hungary and provide you with a little help when choosing the best institution that fits you.

Let me start with a quick pros and cons list. Cons: none. Pros: a ton.

Hungary is a beautiful little country in the middle of Europe that has everything.

Modest-sized mountains reaching to the sky in winter, nice beaches around the largest Central European lake, the coolest music festivals all through spring and summer, cosy yet vibrant cities specialised in giving the best university experience. Moreover, it is a rather cheap option wherever you decide to study in the country for a high-ranking university diploma. No matter if it is for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or a PhD. To top it off, a standard university course (not medical or law school, of course) lasts 3 years in Hungary, as opposed to the 4 years of many European universities.

If this did not convince you, the Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings definitely will.

9 Hungarian universities are featured on the list of the UK-based university ranking magazine.

These institutions, of course, are considered the best, most popular, and most famous in the country – no wonder they made it to this prestigious list.

For many years, the Semmelweis University of Medicine in Budapest (SOTE, as we call it in Hungary) is leading this mini-list. The university was last ranked between the 400-500^th position in the world. Apart from offering an extremely prestigious degree whichever course you choose,

32% of all students come from other countries,

so a multicultural environment is already a given. Moreover, the university is also a list-leader when it comes to another factor, the ratio of female and male students. A little over two-thirds of all students are women.

If you want a school dominated by women but you are not keen on learning all the details of human anatomy because you are more into social issues, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) is your destination. Just as in the case of SOTE,

almost twice as many female students attend lectures than their male colleagues,

and I do not refer to the fact that men tend to skip more classes. ELTE is a bit behind SOTE on the international list, and “only” 10% of all full-time students are foreigners. However, you can quite literally study anything in English from an undergrad to a PhD level. Apart from living in Budapest, you can also be a part of amazing scandals like when

a participant appeared without pants at the scientific conference of the university.

When it comes to the ranking, the University of Pécs follows. First of all, Pécs is one of the most amazing cities in Hungary that was transformed into a university paradise. Moreover, 24% of students come from all over the world to study at Hungary’s first university. The ratio of female and male students decreases compared to the already mentioned institutions, but the university is still dominated by the weaker but not less intelligent sex.

pécs university pte btk — *https://pte.hu/karok*

The University of Debrecen offers several BA and MA courses in Business, Commerce and Marketing, Business Economics, or Tourism, among others, all of them in English. A little less than a quarter of all students are foreigners. Apart from the undeniable beauty of the Northern Great Plain’s capital, the city offers many possibilities to have fun while spending your summer vacation. The most well-known event is the Debrecen Flower Carnival, a 55-year-old tradition organised every year on the national holiday of August 20.

If you are looking to study in a breathtaking and vibrant university city with a cosmopolitan vibe, you have to choose Szeged. It is not only one of the most beautiful cities of Hungary but the high number of international students will make sure you do not only learn whatever your course includes but everything there is to know about your favourite country you are dying to visit.

All BA courses of the university related to economy, business, and tourism are available in English.

If you would rather explore all the beauty and fun the Hungarian capital has to offer, I would recommend you choose between the two rival universities situated on the opposing banks of the Danube, almost right opposite each other. Both the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and the Corvinus University of Budapest (Corvinus) are excellent choices, as they are two of the most prestigious institutions in the country.

There is a huge variety of courses offered completely in English, be it International Relations, International Economics, or Communication and Media.

While most of the courses offered by BME are more technical and related to engineering, Corvinus rather concentrates on social training and qualification, apart from its excellent courses in economy and business. If you found the course you like at both universities, maybe the higher number of university students attending Corvinus can help decide.

BCE Corvinus University Budapest Hungary 2020 — *Corvinus University*

Whichever university, city, or course you choose, you can be very sure that

you will have an amazing time, acquire a world-class education and will spend much less money than you would in almost any other European city.

Read alsoFudan University, one of the world’s best, to build a campus in Budapest by 2024

April 24, 2021

Breaking – government wants to vaccinate everybody above 45

GPs received two emails about the new program from the National Health Insurance Fund of Hungary on Tuesday. Their content is that since large quantities of vaccines are expected to arrive in Hungary at the end of April, the government plans to inoculate everybody above 45 in only ten days.

According to telex.hu, news came on Monday that Botond Sára, leader of the Budapest Metropolitan Government Office, promised money for the GPs if they use Sinopharm, but later the central team denied that.

István György, head of the central team, wrote in the emails that the government plans mass inoculation

between April 26-30, and May 3-5.

He clears that, thanks to the large quantities of vaccines expected to arrive in the next few days, the program needs the active cooperation of the whole Hungarian healthcare system.

However, based on Budapest GPs, many of the people refuse to accept Sinopharm vaccines. Telex.hu wrote before that there are GPs who care for more than 2,000 people, but they could convince only a few dozens of them to take the Chinese jab.

The news website says that, based on the letters, the government would like to inoculate all those who registered and are above 45.

That is probably because the new variants of the virus are more dangerous for the younger generations than the original one starting to spread last spring.

The more people get vaccinated, the faster “normal life” can return and the stronger protection can be gained against a fourth wave of the pandemic, the state secretary for regional public administration said on Wednesday.

István György, who is also the head of the central team in charge of the national vaccination programme, told an online press conference that

the number of people vaccinated exceeded 3.36 million, close to 60 percent of whom are older than 60.

He noted that more than 90 percent of those who registered for vaccination in this age group have received their jabs, noting that “a few ten thousand” of them with an acute underlying illness could not be subject to receiving any type of vaccine.

As regards the age group of 18-54, György noted that 54 percent of the 2,362,000 who registered for vaccination have received their jabs.

An acceleration of the vaccination drive is expected from the weekend with the arrival of a consignment of 600,000 doses of Sinopharm,

he said.

György said that the government was introducing a pilot system for vaccination reservation. In the first round, some 70,000 residents in and near Budapest, in Pécs, Debrecen and Szeged can participate, he said. They will be sent a text message on Wednesday which they can use to book online their vaccination for next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

April 21, 2021

Hungary to become the new tropical zone of Europe?!

A recently published climate research has revealed how the number of tropical nights – extremely warm nights exceeding 20°C – will increase in Hungary in the upcoming decades. Let’s see which are the most affected Hungarian cities.

A recently published climate research examined the expected impact of climate change in the Carpathian Basin, including various Hungarian cities. In terms of climate indices, the research focused primarily on the increasing number of so-called tropical nights, referring to those nights when the lowest temperature is above 20°C. The study examined both an optimistic and a pessimistic scenario.

According to the research results, the number of tropical nights will increase significantly in several Hungarian cities until the end of the century.

As we previously reported, the temperature rose to a record high in Budapest this February. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Hungarian capital is also involved in the increasing number of tropical nights. In the city centre, an average of 13 tropical nights per year was measured between 1981 and 2010, while in the rural outskirts of Budapest, it was only 3. In the period 2021-2050, their number is expected to increase to 20-22 in the city centre, while in the suburbs it might be around 8. The discrepancy can be explained by the fact that in the most densely built-up parts of Budapest, surface temperatures of up to 5°C are higher during the day than in the suburban areas.

As the Hungarian news portal Portfolio reports, by the end of the century, the number of tropical nights per year in Budapest might increase to 54, while in the optimistic version, “only” 29 such nights are likely. The situation can be even more difficult in the most densely populated areas of the capital, where the annual number of tropical nights can exceed 60. Significant growth is also expected in the areas around the city, with 12-31 tropical nights.

Besides Budapest, the number of tropical nights will grow significantly in Pécs, where the current 6 tropical night per year can increase to 21 or even 48 hot nights on a yearly basis. Another drastic change, a tenfold increase, is forecasted in Miskolc, where the current 3 tropical nights per year can range from 14 to 35 until 2050.

Among the most affected Hungarian cities, Nagybecskerek, Siófok, Kecskemét, Szeged, Debrecen, Baja and Békéscsaba are also listed, each of which is expected to have more than 20 tropical nights per year according to the optimistic scenario. However, these Hungarian settlements can even reach 40-50 extremely warm nights per year, considering the pessimistic scenario.

By the end of the century, even the coolest Hungarian settlements – namely Eger and Salgótarján – can expect some tropical nights above 20°C.

In the last decades of the 21st century, 2-10 extremely warm nights are expected in the outskirts of Eger and 5-19 in the city centre, while in the case of Salgótarján, the number of tropical nights may increase to 2-11 and 4-17 on an annual average.

Read alsoMinister identifies pillars of Hungary’s climate action plan

April 20, 2021

Hungary’s most expensive properties for sale – PHOTOS

Browsing a list of properties, whether they are ridiculously expensive or much easier to afford, is always fun. What if these buildings were actually for sale?

Even if we do not have the intention or the sufficient resources to invest in something big, it is always a nice feeling to look for available properties on the market and play with the thought:

What would I do with this place if I had the money to buy it?

This is exactly the experience I am offering you here, in the form of a list of the most expensive Hungarian properties that are for sale at this very moment.

Before starting, check out Balaton’s most expensive property

If you have a ton of money to invest in something and you would like to have a reason to spend more time in beautiful Budapest, this

huge gourmet establishment with everything to run it can be yours for 4.7 billion forints – a little over 13 million euros.

The property situated in the city centre, only 3 minutes away from Ferenciek tere, takes up 3 entire floors and a cellar. It has a wine cellar, a showroom, freezing chambers, changing rooms, 6 elevators, storage areas, a kitchen, and a food preparation area, a self-service restaurant, a cloakroom, and it even has offices, little shops, and further showrooms.

If you are looking for something a little less expensive and you do not have a knack for business, here is

the perfect opportunity to buy a hotel together with the company running it, for 1.2 billion forints – 3.5 million euros.

The 4-star hotel is situated in the centre of Transdanubia’s biggest city, Pécs.

It was built 20 years ago based on the designs of a Kossuth and Ybl Award-winning architect. It has a huge restaurant, a wellness area, a conference room, a huge balcony with a breathtaking panorama, its own garden, a gazebo, and an underground parking lot.

Ever since 2007 and 2008, when the city was elected the third and second most liveable city at an international competition in the category of 75,000-200,000 inhabitants, Pécs has been listed among the nicest European cities.

In the case that hotels are not your thing and you prefer having less noise and fewer people, I have a

100-acre property for you that comes with its own lake and 26 small, wooden houses.

The lake’s history goes back to Roman times. Its surface is 12 acres and its average depth is between 1.5 and 3 metres. The property also includes a main building of 110 square metres and a solar power plant.

It is only two kilometres away from the town of Tata, which was chosen as the Hungarian capital of biodiversity in 2010. Already the lake offers huge potential, let alone the equipped wooden houses. The total price is 1.15 billion forints – a little over 3 million euros.

In which property would you invest if you had all the necessary money to do so?

Read alsoGiant boom in real estate sector at Balaton – 2020 a record year

April 17, 2021