survey

Even Orbán’s supporters would introduce the euro in Hungary

forint euro bills

2/3 of the supporters of Fidesz, Orbán’s ruling party, are in favour of the European Union. Furthermore, a solid majority of them would introduce the euro in Hungary.

Hungarians are pro-EU

Based on the Policy Solutions’ most recent study, the Hungarian public values the EU membership. The majority of them believe that the country’s membership is beneficial because of the financial support Hungary receives from Brussels. One of the other strongest arguments is the freedom of travel. Meanwhile, the Hungarian public is passive regarding EU affairs. 

Only a few people in Hungary would go on the streets to support an EU policy.

The new study titled “How much Europe would we like?” was published last Friday. The research analysed what the EU means for the Hungarians, and it seems that the most frequent association is financial support. Furthermore, Hungarians link the EU with certain positive values such as strength, freedom, opportunities and common goals – telex.hu reported.

Among the negative associations, the study highlighted the ideological pressure the EU exerts on citizens.

Travelling freely in the EU is a deciding factor

In general, Hungarians like to travel freely within the EU because it helps them study and work abroad. Illegal migration pops up as a crucial issue in this regard, but it has lost much of its former significance in the last three years. Still, migration was the second most frequent association among the survey participants regarding the EU.

Interestingly, only 14 per cent of the people regarded democracy, human rights, and the rule of law as significant values. However, that means a four-fold increase compared to 2019 data. Only 5 per cent brought up the subject of EU attacks against Hungary. Furthermore,

1 per cent linked the EU with George Soros.

The corruption of EU funds does not affect Hungarian citizens. OLAF or the European Public Prosecutor’s Office are also irrelevant topics for most of them.

Among the greatest benefits of Hungary’s EU membership, most mentioned the economic support and development.

70 per cent of the people highlighted these two factors while European values were at the bottom of their list. Regarding the disadvantages, most people mentioned that some decisions should remain the competence of the member states.

Migration is still a crucial issue

In the 2019 study of Policy Solutions, migration was in first place among the drawbacks. In 2022, it fell back to second place with 24 per cent. Meanwhile,

50 per cent agreed that Brussels bureaucrats want to enforce their will on Hungary.

The rates of respondents among government and opposition supporters who think this way are 70 and 33 per cent, respectively. 

The relative majority of the Hungarians (44 per cent) are pro-EU, and they would be okay with the EU even if Brussels had more power. Another 27 per cent favour the Europe of Nations program without giving up sovereignty. Meanwhile, most people would not protest regarding EU policies.

Only 8 per cent are the hardliners who would leave the EU.

However, neither the government nor opposition supporters would entrust the EU to decide migration issues.

The number of forint supporters is decreasing

2/3 of the people would introduce the euro in Hungary. Compared to the Think-tank’s 2019 survey, the rate of those opposing that idea fell from 34 to 27 per cent. Interestingly, even 60 per cent of the supporters of Orbán’s ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition would introduce the euro in Hungary.

This rate goes up to 3/4 in the case of opposition supporters. The majority of the non-aligned voters are also pro-euro. 

All age groups are pro-EU, but this rate is the highest in the 18-59 age group, while it falls to 12 per cent among people above 60. 17 per cent of the Fidesz supporters would vote for leaving, but 60 per cent would like to remain in the EU.

 

forint euro bills
Read alsoHungarian forint plunges ahead of Orbán’s announcements

Hungary is home to almost 35,600 international students

Semmelweis University

Nearly 35,600 international students studied in Hungary by the last academic, higher education search platform Erudera reports. 

Hungary hosts almost three times more students than it sends abroad. The latest statistics indicate that, recently, Hungary hosted precisely 35,579 foreign students, and it sent up to 13,038 students to pursue higher education abroad – Erudera said. 

From the figures mentioned above, more than 100 different nationalities decide to pursue their higher studies in Hungary. 

This large number of foreign students coming to Hungary for higher education, mainly comes from these countries: 

  • Germany – 3,430 students 

  • China – 2,377 students 

  • Romania – 2,216 students 

  • Iran, Islamic Rep. – 2,216 students 

  • Serbia – 2,169 students 

  • Slovakia – 1,750 students

  • Ukraine – 1,202 students 

  • Turkey – 1,138 students 

  • Nigeria – 970 students 

  • Norway – 906 students 

These foreign students particularly choose these Hungarian Universities: 

  1. University of Debrecen: number of international students – 6,297

  2. University of Pécs: number of international students – 4,156

  1. University of Szeged: number of international students – 4,020

  1. Eötvös Loránd University: number of international students -3,437

  2. Semmelweis University: number of international students – 3,274

“Hungary is becoming an increasingly favored study abroad destination, maintaining great credibility over the years, and has a solid tradition in the sciences, particularly medicine. Farther high-quality education, Hungary also offers a cheerful and welcoming culture, a fascinating history, and beautiful cities.”

Alma Miftari from Erudera said. 

Hungary’s higher education has been ranked 44 out of 148 countries in the Global Report of 2014. Currently, there are 67 higher education institutions in Hungary, public and private. 37 out of 67 of these higher education institutions are located in Budapest offering 428 study programs.

 The University of Szeged is presently Hungary’s highest-ranked university, placed 501-550 in QS World University Rankings and 27th in Emerging Europe and Central Asia.

Another reason that international students so frequent Hungary is that the cost of studying is not expensive compared to other European countries. Tuition fees usually stand on an average of  2,500 to 3,000 euros per year, and the

living costs can be low

especially if you budget your finances. 

ELTE university
Read alsoBudapest’s ELTE climbs over 70 positions on the list of the world’s best universities!

Survey: Voters support windfall taxes

Magyar Zászló Magyarország Hungarian Flag Hungary

Fully 79 percent of respondents in a recent Századvég survey expressed support for the government’s decision to levy a supertax on companies making extra profits to finance the government’s public utility cuts programme, the pollster said in Thursday.

According to the Századvég report,

89 per cent of respondents blame the war in Ukraine, 90 per cent the energy crisis, 79 per cent European sanctions, and 77 per cent for large companies raising their prices in anticipation of steeper inflation.

Fully 71 per cent said the EU’s energy and tax policy contributed to increasing inflation pressure, while 67 per cent also blamed the US government’s policies.

The majority of respondents, 84 per cent, “expect companies making extra profits in a war situation to help the Hungarian people and contribute to Hungary’s defence spending”, the pollster said.

orbán viktor pm
Read alsoOrbán’s announcement: govt to protect utility cuts, cut excess profits

New study reveals IT is the most popular digital job in Hungary

Are you a digital nomad wanting to visit another country, or an employee looking for a digital role? With the great resignation continuing into 2022, now is the time to think about a career change, or a change of scenery!

The number of digital jobs has exploded in the past decade, with more than 3.3 million search results for ‘digital jobs Europe’ generated on Google in less than a second2! In addition to this, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark topped the list of digitalization in 20203. In other words, employees are spoilt for choice!

Taking it upon themselves to find the most popular digital jobs per country, VoiceNation can reveal the countries where you are most likely to find an abundance of certain digital roles, from Web Developing and UX designers, to Digital PR Experts and Content Writers.

The most popular digital jobs based on the number of hiring ads online in every country are:

  • Germany – Project Management
  • France – SEO Specialist
  • Ireland – Project Management
  • UK – SEO Specialist
  • Hungary – IT
  • Greece – Social Media
  • Sweden – AI Engineering
  • Poland – Project Management
  • Italy – Social Media
  • Spain – Online Customer Service

Italy is one of the best places for Social Media experts

Are you a creative thinker wanting a career in Social Media and are thinking about moving abroad? Italy and Greece are the countries with most social media roles available. There, you can both work and enjoy the sun!

If you are an SEO Specialist looking for the best places to work, the UK or France might be the countries for you. Out of all the digital roles available, there were most SEO Specialist roles available there. For aspiring project managers, look no further than Germany, the job beating SEO, IT and Web Development!

Sweden turns out to be a hotspot for people looking for a role within AI Engineering. If you’re looking to soak in the sun while working, you don’t need to look far! Spain and Portugal are two of the best places to look for an online customer service role, with this digital job beating Web Development and SEO as the digital role companies are hiring the most for.

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson at VoiceNation said,

“We wanted to make it easy for job applicants to find the best places to apply for certain digital roles, and took the extra step to create a fully fleshed out map of digital jobs in Europe, suiting both natives and internationals who want to explore more of other countries while working within their field.”

To read more about the study and its findings, please visit VoiceNation’s blog here.

Budapest is Europe’s best hen do hot spot for 2022!

Hen party Budapest survey

A new study has named Budapest as Europe’s best hen do spot for bridal parties in 2022. 

Budapest Revealed As Europe’s Best Hen Do Hot Spot for 2022   

Swimwear retailer Pour Moi analysed everything needed for a great hen do, including accommodation costs, the number of bars and clubs, and the Instagramability factor for each city to reveal the best places to visit in Europe. This revealed

Budapest as the number one destination, followed by Benidorm and Madrid. 

  • Budapest named the best hen do destination in Europe, followed by Benidorm and Madrid 
  • Three Spanish destinations made the top five party hot spots, with Benidorm, Madrid and Barcelona all featuring 
  • Porto, Milan and Paris are all amongst the top trending hen do destinations for 2022/23  

As hen dos today are far more elaborate than they once were, with many using them as the perfect excuse to head away for some sunshine and partying, swimwear retailer Pour Moi has analysed everything needed for a great hen do, including accommodation costs, the number of bars and clubs and the Instagramability factor for each city to reveal the best places to visit. 

Budapest, known for its famous thermal baths and incredible sights, tops the list as Europe’s best hen do destination.

Those looking for a combination of culture and clubbing will be spoilt for choice. Not only does the city boast plenty of beautiful landmarks for you to visit during the day, as well as river cruises and day trips, but it also has a vibrant nightlife, with plenty of bars and clubs for you to dance the night away in.  

Spain dominates the top five hot spot destinations, with Benidorm, Madrid and Barcelona coming in second, third and fourth place respectively.

Benidorm ranked as the second-best hen do spot in Europe, with the Spanish town being cheaper than both Madrid and Barcelona for accommodation, a glass of wine and a McDonald’s meal. Benidorm also benefits from over 2,800 hours of sunshine each year, making it a great destination for those looking for some affordable fun in the sun.

Top 20 Hen Do Hot Spots In Europe  

Ranking 

City 

Average Airbnb 

No. of clubs & bars 

Cost of wine 

Cost of McDonald’s 

Instagram-ability (/5) 

Annual Rain (mm) 

Annual Sunshine (hours) 

1. 

Budapest, Hungary 

£220.33 

293 

£2.58 

£4.04 

3 

183.2 

1980 

2. 

Benidorm, Spain 

£343.33 

160 

£2.94 

£6.14 

4 

49.3 

2870 

3. 

Madrid, Spain 

£518.66 

663 

£2.90 

£6.71 

3 

170.4 

2740 

4. 

Barcelona, Spain 

£558.33 

584 

£3.35 

£7.67 

4 

144.8 

2530 

5. 

Thessaloniki, Greece 

£166.00 

89 

£3.27 

£6.00 

1 

135.5 

3234 

6. 

Lisbon, Portugal 

£345.33 

222 

£6.70 

£5.97 

2 

294.8 

2801 

7. 

Sofia, Bulgaria 

£100.00 

149 

£4.27 

£4.97 

1 

260.7 

2223 

8. 

Albufeira, Portugal 

£557.00 

93 

£2.52 

£5.57 

3 

183.2 

3030 

9. 

Playa de las Americas, Tenerife 

£339.66 

30 

£2.94 

£6.86 

2 

234 

2890 

10. 

Athens, Greece 

£263.66 

182 

£3.77 

£5.92 

1 

380.9 

2769 

11. 

Marbella, Spain 

£815.00 

84 

£3.78 

£6.22 

2 

139.1 

3427 

12. 

Bratislava, Slovakia 

£209.66 

77 

£2.43 

£5.92 

1 

255.9 

2042 

13. 

Krakow, Poland 

£191.33 

201 

£3.22 

£4.49 

3 

374.7 

1402 

14. 

Rome, Italy 

£526.66 

439 

£2.93 

£6.86 

1 

258.4 

2470 

15. 

Vienna, Austria 

£226.66 

173 

£3.77 

£7.62 

1 

128.4 

1925 

16. 

Prague, Czech Republic 

£536.66 

703 

£4.62 

£5.56 

3 

257.2 

1670 

17. 

Berlin, Germany 

£349.00 

545 

£4.19 

£6.77 

3 

335.4 

1712 

18. 

Valencia, Spain 

£394.66 

94 

£2.26 

£6.82 

3 

427 

2701 

19. 

London, UK 

£472.33 

699 

£5.70 

£6.08 

5 

596.5 

1640 

20. 

Riga, Latvia 

£244.00 

91 

£3.36 

£5.11 

1 

386.9 

1760 

About the top 5 European hen do hot spots  

  1. Budapest, Hungary  

A city full of culture, impressive sights and epic nightlife, what more could you ask for!  Budapest is also famous for its impressive thermal baths, perfect for brides-to-be looking for somewhere to relax and unwind during the day. And with such impressive nightlife, they can also dance the night away in one of the many impressive bars and clubs the city has to offer.  

  1. Benidorm, Spain  

With almost 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, bargain booze and beautiful beaches, Benidorm has plenty to offer hen parties looking for some fun in the sun. Only a few hours away by plane, the seaside town is a great destination for those who want a really fun weekend, with plenty of water-based activities such as water skiing and a thrilling ride on a banana boat.  

  1. Madrid, Spain  

A slightly chicer hen do destination, Madrid is a great choice for those looking to soak up some sights, take in some culture and enjoy some delicious local cuisine. With plenty of city tours available, you’ll be able to make sure you don’t miss the must-see sights, including the Royal Palace of Madrid. The city is also home to many a designer store, perfect for those who love to shop till they drop, followed by some essential refuelling at one of the city’s many incredible restaurants.  

  1. Barcelona, Spain   

A perfect destination for those who love the beach but still want the hustle and bustle of a city, Barcelona really does give you the best of both worlds. Also home to plenty of bars and clubs, offering everything from classy wine bars and jazz, to all-night raves where you can dance until sunrise. Those needing a little recovery from the night before can also laze around on the beach and take a refreshing dip in the ocean.  

  1. Thessaloniki, Greece  

A fantastic destination for Instagram lovers, with so many beautiful sights, Thessaloniki offers incredible views, especially for sunset. Whilst it might not be the largest Greek city, it still has plenty to offer and makes the perfect setting for a girls’ trip away. Once the sunset shots have been captured, the city has plenty of nightlife to offer those looking for a fabulous night out with the girls.  

2022/23’s Trending Hen Do Destinations  

To reveal which destinations are going to be up and coming for hen dos over the next year Pour Moi looked at the destinations with the biggest increases in interest. The Portuguese city, Porto, is the number one trending destination with a 100% increase in searches. The other top-five trending destinations include Milan, Paris, Rome and Dubrovnik which have all seen an increase in searches of at least 45%.   

  • Porto, Portugal +100%  
  • Milan, Italy +83%  
  • Paris, France +82%  
  • Rome, Italy +64%  
  • Dubrovnik, Croatia +45%  
  • Dublin, Ireland +44%  
  • Brussels, Belgium +40%  
  • Palma, Mallorca, Spain +38%  
  • Lisbon, Portugal +27%  
  • Madrid, Spain +26%  

Hen dos are a great opportunity for the bride’s closest girlfriends and family to get together ahead of the big day and have some fun whilst celebrating their bride-to-be, whether it be a relaxing getaway in the countryside or a wild weekend abroad exploring somewhere new. Hen dos are a fantastic way to create memories that will last a lifetime, and after a couple of years of cancelled trips, they can also be the perfect excuse to plan a fun girls’ weekend away.      

More information on the top European hen do hot spots can be found HERE

Map shows tile designs from every country, including Hungary

Museum of Applied Arts Budapest culture

Decorative tiles are a quiet miracle: hygienic, durable, low-maintenance, and sustainable. Their aesthetics have developed over thousands of years.

But, perhaps because tiling as an industry took off in Victorian times, the wonder of the tile is often
overlooked. After all, can there be true glamour in a decoration whose use depends on a substance called
‘grout’? Actually, yes. From vintage patterns to streamlined sophistication, tiling can make anybody’s
bathroom or kitchen a place they want to be.

While some cultures have a world-famous tiling tradition from which to draw inspiration, others are less well known. That’s why QS Supplies decided to create a mapped guide to the most desirable tile designs from every country on Earth…

Zsolnay tile culture Hungary
Zsolnay tiles. Photo: Press release
1. Europe

Europe is a meeting point of tiling traditions. The Arab conquests of the first millennium brought Islamic tessellation from the east to complement Ancient Greek and Roman ceramic mosaics. This and later migration from North Africa to southern Europe ‘cemented’ the influence, most famously admired in the azulejo form of tin-glazed ceramic. The azulejo was a Spanish take on North African traditions which found its most enduring expression on the walls of Portugal’s gothic and Pombaline style buildings.

Traditional Tile Designs of Europe

A perfect storm of Gothic revivalism and industrial advances made the geometric and encaustic tile highly popular in Victorian England. The pattern in the map exemplifies a style that was achieved by layering coloured clay rather than hand-painting glazed tiles.

2. North America

The United States imported most of its tiles up until 1870. At this point, demand soared due to the Victorian clamour for better hygiene. Technical advances made mass production viable, but the example on the map is an example of the Arts and Crafts style, which emerged against industrial tendencies. These tiles were produced at the short-lived Arequipa Pottery (1911-18) in California, where tuberculosis survivors worked with local clay as a form of therapy.

Traditional Tile Designs of North America

Other North American countries have a longer tradition of pottery. The Talavera Poblana style in Mexico grew from the application of Spanish traditions to fine local clays during the 17th-18th centuries. High demand for tiling for new churches fast-tracked the development of the craft. The natural cobalt blue in the mapped example is an expensive natural pigment. The value of these ceramics led to the phrase “to never be able to build a house with tiles” – meaning to never amount to anything. Today, only those made by certified local potteries can use the Talavera name.

3. South America

Colombia has its own take on the Portuguese azulejo (see Europe above). Interior design production was in short supply at the turn of the 20th century, leading builders to import and later re-produce European styles. The Colombian azulejo evolved through the modernist era from plant-like to geometric patterns, with important buildings enjoying a more diverse colour palette.

Traditional Tile Designs of South America

Colonial Brazil began importing Portuguese tiles at the peak of the art’s sophistication in the early-mid 18th century. But the development of the traditional Brazilian tile also encompassed influences from Dutch, French, and English ceramics. Some say that Brazilians were the first to use decorative tiles like these on the exterior of buildings – to protect against tropical humidity.

4. Middle East & Central Asia

These Herat-style Afghan tiles are made by hand for the city’s Great Mosque. Artisans draw the patterns with pencil and then fill tiny holes along the lines with charcoal and black paint. Colours are ground in the workshop and applied with careful reference to a handmade palette. The craft has been passed from generation to generation but is at risk due to competition from cheaper industrial production.

Traditional Tile Designs of Middle East & Central Asia

Suleyman the Magnificent sent ceramicists from the famous pottery town of Iznik in Turkey to fix tilework in Jerusalem in the mid-16th century. When the work was done, the workers settled in Damascus, Syria.They developed their style through a vegetal palette of greens and blues to depict floral and geometric patterns, abandoning the “vibrant tomato red” of their hometown. Today, the Damascus ceramics of Syria are celebrated as a style in their own right.

5. Rest of Asia & Oceania

The familiar blue and white ceramic look originated in Tang dynasty China with the use of cobalt blue pigment applied under the glaze with a brush. Chinese artisans became skilful at creating detailed narratives using contrasting shades of blue. One such technique was known as fenshui, which developed in the Ming era – the period from which the design in our map is from.

Traditional Tile Designs of Rest of Asia & Oceania

Majolica tiles took a long journey from Iberian Islamic roots via Italy and Victorian England into Taisho-era Japan (1912-26). Japanese ceramicists developed the picturesque, multi-coloured aesthetic of the Victorian tile, accentuating the tactile ‘relief’ aspect of designs that occurred due to the need for multiple layers of paint. Hindu iconography was introduced into the canon to exploit the Indian market, where Japanese ceramics were a welcome alternative to British colonial wares.

6. Africa

The zellij tiling of Morocco is both ancient and influential, having evolved into the azulejo style upon its entry into Europe and South America. In its purest form, the tile is a hand-chiselled geometric shape of a plain colour, used to create elaborate, polychromatic geometric mosaics. Today, the style offers an intricate alternative to patterned tiles or larger individual blocks of colour.

Traditional Tile Designs of Africa

Algeria has a vibrant pottery culture, and the floral design seen here would have been created in the early 20th century using a technique called dry line. Its special shine is down to a technique called lustre painting, whereby metallic pigments such as copper or silver were added between repeat firings.

Budapest one of the best European destinations for marathon runners?

18 years - 18 km Budapest running competition

A new study has revealed that Budapest is the 9th best European city to run a 2022 marathon. 

The new study by Runners Need examines the air quality, weather conditions, number of landmarks, cost of running necessities, and marathon popularity of over 60 European cities to rank Europe’s marathon destinations.

Budapest scored in the top 10 for one factor.

Budapest is one of the most affordable destinations for marathon runners, and a running package (which includes water, bananas and running trainers) costs 18% less than average . The city also offers runners an attractive running route, with 394 landmarks across the city to take in.

Top European destinations to run a marathon Budapest
Source: runnersneed.com

You can see how Budapest ranks for all factors below:

 

Overall Rank

Landmarks

Running package cost

Air Quality

Rainfall

Popularity

9th

13th

8th

40th

24th

27th

You can compare all cities in the study and find out how they rank for each factor in the interactive tool here.

Overall Findings

Overall Barcelona, Madrid and Athens top the European marathon destinations. Barcelona won overall, and placed in the top 10 for both its number of historical landmarks (with a whopping 756 to take in, the 3rd most in the study) and the 10th cleanest air.

Just behind its Northern counterpart, Madrid ranks 2nd in the study, also scoring highly for the number of landmarks to pass by and offering predictably dry weather conditions. In 3rd place is another mediterranean city, Athens. Athens is one of the most affordable and popular marathons on the list. Completing the top five are Seville and Lisbon respectively.

With poor air quality and heavy rainfall Locarno came last, and Caen and Zurich completed the bottom three. London, despite having a 1,564% higher search rate than the study average, and over 1,000 landmarks to sightsee, London ranked 12th overall due to its rainfall and pollution.

Cultural Capitals

The study can also reveal the top destinations per category. If you’re after a scenic route, Rome, London, and Paris all offer over 1,000 landmarks to pass by. Alternatively, Milan ranked in 2nd position with 960 points of interest and Barcelona came 3rd with 756.

Best running conditions

The best cities to avoid a run-day wash-out are Apeldoorn in the Netherlands which has the least annual average rainfall (61 mm) followed by Gran Canaria in Spain (135 mm) and Athens (366 mm). Tromso, Norway, has the cleanest air of all the cities in the study, with the lowest levels of PM 2.5 (particle pollution) in the air, followed by Galway in Ireland and Venice in Italy.

Most Affordable

To discern the most affordable destinations, the study calculated the price of one litre of water, one kg of bananas, and a pair of running shoes in each city. The most budget-friendly city is Cordoba, Spain, where a running package will cost you just

€43, narrowly beating Istanbul with a cost of €47. Placing third with an appetising cost of just €56 is Kosice, the largest city in eastern Slovakia.

Trendiest marathons

By looking at the google search volume for each marathon, the study also reveals Europe’s trendiest running locations. London came out top, with a 1,564% higher search rate than the study average: the London marathon. Berlin’s marathon ranked 2nd, with a search volume 1013% above average, and trailing behind in 3rd position was Stockholm, with a score 398% above average.

New survey: Brussels oil embargo plan unpopular among public

Oil and gas pipe Russian oil

Three-quarters of respondents would not support Hungary shutting off crude oil and natural gas deliveries from Russia under pressure from the US and the EU, while 21 percent would not oppose the measure, according to a fresh survey by the Századvég Foundation.

The foundation canvassed the views off 1,000 people in May regarding the economic consequences of the sanctions imposed on Russia in response to the war in Ukraine.

Rejection of the proposed phased embargo on Russian energy resources traversed “traditional party lines”, the survey said.

A majority (51 percent) of the sympathisers of the opposition alliance, 58 percent of the opposition Two-Tailed Dog party, and 91 percent of the radical Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) party opposed Hungary banning oil and gas deliveries from Russia.

“On the issue of the oil embargo, the ruling parties represent the opinion of the majority of opposition voters,” Századvég said.

Fully 89 percent of respondents said sanctions against Russia harmed the EU and its economy.

Some 10 percent said the sanctions had no meaningful impact on the European economy, Századvég said.

von der leyen orbán budapest
Read alsoOrbán cabinet calls for pipeline deliveries to be exempt from EU oil embargo

25 pc of Hungarians think Russia is only defending itself in Ukraine

Putin Russia Victory Day Moscow military

The number of Hungarians who think that Russia’s war in Ukraine is aggression is falling, according to a recently published survey. Furthermore, 25 pc of Hungarians think Russia is just defending itself in Ukraine.

Is Russian propaganda flourishing in Hungary?

The Publicus Institute found that the number of Hungarians who think about Russia’s war in Ukraine as aggression fell by 8 pc in just two months, Népszava wrote. In March, 64 pc of Hungarians regarded the war as aggression. This rate decreased to 56 pc by May. Meanwhile, the number of people who think Russia is only defending itself in Ukraine increased from 15 pc to 25 pc. Népszava believes that the government media’s manipulation is behind the trend since it uses the arguments of the Russian propaganda in their news explanations in connection with Ukraine.

42 pc of Fidesz supporters think the war is Russia’s aggression. Meanwhile, this number is 85 pc in the case of the supporters of the Our Homeland (Mi Hazánk) party and the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party.

The rate of Hungarians who think that the war would not spread to Hungarian territories grew from 79 to 81 pc. 77 pc does not see a Russian nuclear attack to be realistic. Moreover, the number of those satisfied with the government’s reactions to the war in Ukraine rose. Interestingly, even 39 pc of opposition supporters would not back the expansion of sanctions on the Russian energy sector because they would not like to pay more.

The number of refugees coming to Hungary is still above 11 thousand

The survey of Publicus showed that 60 pc of Hungarians supported Ukrainian refugees in one way or another. 53 pc gave donations in kind, 51 pc donated money. 3 and 6 pc said that they offered accommodation or were volunteers.

A total of 5,670 people crossed into Hungary directly from Ukraine on Thursday, while another 5,777 people from Ukraine crossed via Romania, the national police headquarters said. The police issued temporary residence permits valid for thirty days to 463 people, the police website said on Friday. Holders of such permits must contact a local immigration office near their place of residence within thirty days to apply for permanent documents, it added.

The Budapest police received 305 refugees, 89 children among them, by train, according to the municipal police website.

dmitri_medvedev Russia Orbán
Read alsoFormer Russian president Medvedev wrote that Orbán was brave to reject the EU ban on Russian oil

Majority of Hungarians against Russia sanctions? – survey

putyin

Some 89 percent of Hungarians interviewed in a recent survey said that sanctions on Russia also hurt the European Union and its economy, and 71 percent said that they did not support expanding sanctions to energy resources, including natural gas and crude oil, economic researcher Századvég said on Monday.

The survey based on phone inteviews with 1,000 people in May showed that 72 percent had a negative opinion on Russian President Vladimir Putin as against 68 percent in February. At the same time, 62 percent had a negative opinion on US President Joe Biden in May as against 58 percent in February.

A total of 65 percent had a negative opinion on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in May as against 52 percent in February.

Survey said this was likely the result of criticism voiced by Zelensky and several members of his governmment about Hungary because the Hungarian government continues to buy crude oil and natural gas from Russia and refuses to send weapons to Ukraine.

Some 79 percent of respondents said in May that they were against Hungary sending weapons to Ukraine.

Some 28 percent said that Putin’s Russia had the greater responsibility for the escalation of the confrontation, and 21 percent said that Ukraine was to blame. Some 50 percent of respondents said that Russia and Ukraine were both responsible for the situation.

In March 2022, 32 percent of respondents said that Russia was to blame and only 13 percent said that Ukraine was responsible for the escalation of the conflict.

Some 66 percent of Hungarians expect an extending Russia-Ukraine war, as against 30 percent expecting that it will end in the near future.

A total of 40 percent of respondents said the economic sanctions already introduced against Russia were sufficient and 31 percent said they were excessive.

At the same time, 24 percent said the sanctions against Russia were not sufficient and they support extending them to natural gas and crude oil.

Only a total of 10 percent said that the sanctions against Russia did not have a significant effect on the EU economy.

As we wrote on Saturday, Former Russian president Medvedev wrote that Orbán was brave to reject the EU ban on Russian oil, details HERE.

Hungary is the 6th safest country in the world for driving!

Budapest traffic car drive Danube
Hungary is the #6 safest country in the world for driving, according to new research.
 
New data by Zutobi, analyses factors such as the number of alcohol-related road traffic deaths, the maximum motorway speed limit, and the front seat-belt wearing rate, to reveal the world’s safest countries to drive in.
 
View the full research HERE
 

The world’s 10 safest countries for driving

 
 

Rank

Country

Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100,000 population)

Maximum motorway speed limit (kph)

Front seat-belt wearing rate (%)

Road traffic deaths attributed to alcohol (%)

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers (g/dl)

Overall Safety Driving Score/ 10

1

Norway

2.1

110

95.2

13

0.02

8.20

2

Iceland

2

90

93

14

0.05

8.05

3

Estonia

4.5

120

97.3

10

0.02

7.90

4

Japan

3.6

120

98

5.6

0.03

7.88

5

Moldova

7.3

90

61.8

9.4

0.03

7.73

6

Hungary

7.7

130

82.8

7.1

0

7.68

7

Israel

3.9

110

88.7

3.6

0.05

7.59

8

Sweden

3.1

120

96

24

0.02

7.52

9

Czech Republic

5.9

130

98

9.5

0.03

7.32

10

Switzerland

2.2

120

94

13

0.05

7.20
 
 
Norway ranks first with a safety driving score of 8.20/10, due to low road traffic death rates and high seatbelt use.
 
Iceland is a close second with a 8.05/10 safety driving score. Iceland’s maximum motorway speed limit is set at 90km/h, which is much lower than the average (120km/h for countries in this rating).
 
Estonia is the third safest country to drive in with a 7.90/10 safety driving score. Estonia has one of the highest seat-belt wearing rates for front-seat passengers in the world (97.3%), while the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers is one of the lowest (0.02%).
 
 

The world’s most dangerous countries for driving

 
 

Rank

Country

Estimated road traffic death rate (per 100,000 population)

Maximum motorway speed limit (kph)

Front seat-belt wearing rate (%)

Road traffic deaths attributed to alcohol (%)

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers (g/dl)

Overall Safety Driving Score/ 10

1

South Africa

22.2

120

31

57.5

0.05

3.41

2

Thailand

32.2

120

40

14.1

0.05

4.35

3

United States

12.7

130

90.1

29

0.08

5.03

4

Argentina

14.1

130

40.8

17

0.05

5.06

5

India

15.6

120

7.3

4.1

0.03

5.48
 
 
On the flip side, the research also reveals the most dangerous countries for driving. 
 
The most dangerous country to drive in is South Africa, which has by far the lowest safety driving score of just 3.41/10. There are an estimated 22.2 road traffic deaths per 100,000 of the population in South Africa and only 31% of front-seat passengers in South Africa are estimated to wear a seat belt.
 
Thailand is the world’s second most dangerous country to drive, scoring just 4.35/10. This is due to Thailand having one of the lowest seat belt wearing rates, and possibly the fact that the primary mode of transport used in the country is motorbikes.
 
The United States is ranked as the third most dangerous country to drive in,
 
with a driving safety score of 5.03/10. This is due to 29% of road traffic deaths in the US being attributed to alcohol, which is consistent with its high limit for blood alcohol concentration for drivers (0.08%).
 
 
Further findings:

  • South Africa is the country with by far the biggest rate of road traffic deaths caused by alcohol consumption – over 57%.

  • Bolivia is the country with the lowest maximum speed limit – 80km/h on motorways. 

  • Hungary and Cuba impose a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards driving under the influence – driving with any concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream is not permitted. 

  • Thailand has the highest amount of road traffic-related deaths per 100,000 people. 

  • India saw its road traffic death rate increase by over 50% from last year, from 15.6 to 22.6 per 100,000 people.

 
The full research with a breakdown of the methodology can be found here.

Budapest’s ELTE climbs over 70 positions on the list of the world’s best universities!

ELTE university

One of the most prestigious higher education institutions in Hungary, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), is in the global spotlight once again, and for good reason. Based on the latest CWUR statistics, ELTE climbed over seventy positions on the list of the best higher education institutions around the world.

Index reported that Eötvös Loránd University has greatly improved its ranking, rising seventy-four positions higher, landing in 517th position. The statistics were gathered by CWUR (Central for World University Rankings), based on their 2022-2023 evaluation. In the top three positions are Harvard, the University of Massachusetts, and Stanford respectively.

This means that the prestigious Hungarian university is in the upper 2.7 percentage of higher education institutions worldwide.

This is nothing to scoff at, seeing that ELTE is in the same category as the University of Verona, the University of Zagreb, Saint Petersburg State University, École normale supérieure de Lyon, Jiangsu University of China, and even Boston College in the US, says Eduline.

On the European Rankings, ELTE ranked 213th.

Notably, however, many other esteemed universities are on the CWUR leaderboards: the Central European University ranked 1,745th, the University of Pécs, the University of Debrecen, and the University of Szeged ranked 1,135th, 717th, and 679th respectively. Semmelweis University came close to ELTE, managing to take the 673rd position.

Continue reading “Budapest’s ELTE climbs over 70 positions on the list of the world’s best universities!”

Nobody would like to avoid getting involved in the war in Ukraine more than Hungarians!

Ukraine flag soldier

Ipsos conducted an international survey regarding public opinion about the war in Ukraine between March 25 and April 3.

According to telex.hu, they asked 19 thousand people under the age of 75 in 27 countries and published the results on Wednesday. Based on their findings, nobody would like to avoid getting involved in the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine more than Hungarians. In Hungary, 90 pc of people do not want to get involved. Most Hungarians think that sanctions against Russia are ineffective. Furthermore, only Hungarians do not support further sanctions against Russia.

Hungarians would not interfere in conflicts between other countries and would not send military support to Ukraine. Moreover, they are not afraid that Russians would endanger other states.

Meanwhile, a total of 4,761 people crossed into Hungary directly from Ukraine on Thursday, while another 5,001 people from Ukraine crossed from Romania, the national police headquarters said.

Police issued temporary residence permits valid for thirty days to 640 people,

the police website said on Friday. Holders of such permits must contact a local immigration office near their place of residence within thirty days to apply for permanent documents, it said.

Budapest police received 535 refugees, 220 children among them, by train, according to the municipal police website. Cooperating authorities provided transport and accommodation for 13 people, 8 children among them, in and around Budapest, the website said.

Refugees arriving on special train services at Kőbánya felső railway station, in eastern Budapest, were taken by bus to the BOK sports and events centre serving as a humanitarian transit point.

budapest_shopping_mall_duna_pláza
Read alsoThis is why several malls received bomb threats in Hungary!

Survey shows that third of young jobholders plan to find work abroad

young_hungarians_playing_the_guitar

A third of young jobholders plan to find work abroad according to a survey prepared by K and H released on Sunday.

The representative survey prepared in the first quarter of this year showed that 34 percent of young workers plan to find a job abroad, at least for a certain period of time, K and H said. During the past nearly ten years, since young people’s job plans have been surveyed, similarly high figures were only reported in 2013 and early 2017, it added. At the same time, 27 percent of the young people surveyed said they had no plans whatsoever to look for work abroad.

Some 36 percent of the young workers aged 20-29 said they expected to find a new job easily. K and H said this was the best result since 2020. At the same time, 11 percent of young people were pessimistic, saying that it would be very difficult to find a new job.

K and H said that the unemployment rate was declining in Hungary, at 11.1 percent for people aged 20-24 and 4.1 percent for people aged 25-29 in the first quarter of this year, as against 12.7 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively, in the third quarter of 2020.

There is a shortage of workers in certain sectors including retail trade but many applicants are not suitable for the positions available.

Family Család Baba Baby
Read also Hungary is the 2nd best country to go on parental leave!

Pollster Medián: the only question is how huge Orbán’s victory will be on April 3

Viktor Orbán peace march Budapest 15 March

It is “almost certain” that ruling Fidesz will win the Sunday’s general election, though by what margin is hard to tell, the weekly HVG said on Wednesday, citing a survey conducted by pollster Medián in the past few days.

Fully 40 percent of the voting age population and 50 percent of respondents with a clear party preference expressed support for Fidesz, HVG said on its website.

In February, 75 percent of the sample said they would cast their ballot in the upcoming election, as opposed to 80 percent in the latest poll, while 12 percent of those planning to vote did not know or would not say which party they would vote for.

One-third of the waverers wanted to see a different government, while another third held the opposite view; the rest were undecided, the survey found.

“A last minute decision of voters in this latter category would not change the outcome to the benefit of the opposition,”

HVG wrote.

According to the poll, two-thirds of the total population and one-third of opposition voters expect a Fidesz win. In Budapest, Fidesz would garner 27 percent of the votes, and 45 percent would go to the opposition, while in the provinces 43 percent would support Fidesz and 29 percent the opposition, hvg.hu said.

márki-zay
Read alsoPM candidate Márki-Zay: Orbán had violated the most important imperative of Christians, not to kill

Hungarian women have the sixth longest saving period in Europe to become a homeowner

Hungarian woman working

Despite having the third cheapest average property price in Europe (€93,600), it would take women in Hungary 11 years to save for a mortgage deposit. With Hungarian men saving 22.04% more than women each year, it means women in Hungary must save for almost 2 years longer than their male counterparts to afford a mortgage deposit. However, despite this being one of the longest saving periods in Europe – it is a 78% decrease to the length of time it would take Polish women to afford a deposit (49 years).

Denmark has the shortest saving period

Uswitch.com/mortgages discovered that women in Denmark will save for the shortest period to afford a house, at just 3 years. The minimum deposit for a property in the country is €15,534, the fourth cheapest in Europe and 79% cheaper than their Scandinavian neighbours, Norway (€74,070). Despite Danish women having to save for a shorter period than women in other European countries, it is still  6 months, 4 weeks and 1 day longer than Danish males. However, this is the third smallest saving disparity between men and women in Europe – with just Belgium (5 months, 1 week, 5 days) and Romania (3 months, 3 weeks, 4 days) having a smaller gap.  The study doesn’t take into account any investments, such as fiat invested in crypto markets or gold, when calculating the time to save for a home.

Bulgaria and Belgium come in joint second place, with women from these countries needing 4 years of savings to afford a deposit. With the cheapest average property price in Europe (€69,360), Bulgarian women also have the cheapest minimum deposit requirement (€6,936). However, despite having to save for just one year longer than in Denmark, women in Bulgaria will need to save for 8 months, 2 weeks and 1 day longer than men – a 22% increase to the saving disparity seen in Denmark. 

Despite the average house prices being 250% more expensive than in Bulgaria (€243,120), women in Belgium also save for just 4 years.

House prices in the country are the 11th most expensive in Europe, however, Belgian women have the sixth highest net annual savings (€5,404), meaning that a deposit for a property is more affordable. Having to save for 5 months, 1 week and 5 days longer than their male counterparts, the savings gap in Belgium is the second smallest across Europe. 

  • Read also: 

Dutch women will save for the third shortest period in Europe, a total of 5 years. They also have the third highest net annual savings (€6,991) in Europe, 2% less than German women in second (€7,162), and 54% less than Swiss females in first (€15,315). Despite their high savings, women in the Netherlands still dedicate 1 year, 1 week and 3 days longer than men to afford a house deposit. This is a disparity 26% smaller than in Germany, where women save for 1 year, 2 months, 3 weeks longer than men. 

Romania has the smallest saving disparity between men and women 

Despite having to save for the seventh longest period (10 years) to afford a deposit, Romania see the smallest saving period gap between men and women, at just 3 months, 3 weeks, and 4 days. On average, Romanian women save €2,370 annually, just 3.19% less than that of their male counterparts (€2,448)– suggesting that it is a country striving for equality. 

Methodology

  1. Uswitch.com/mortgages sought to uncover the European countries with the largest gender gap in the property savings period. This research compares net annual savings by gender to average residential property prices for 120m2 properties in European countries. 
  2. Net savings by gender were calculated by multiplying the gross household saving rate by gross disposable income. Saving rates and annual earnings were both sourced from Eurostat.
  3. Proceeding this, the average cost of residential properties per square metre in each country was then collected. Property prices were primarily sourced from Statista however, notable national real estate portals and government institutions were also consulted for countries unavailable on Statista. Property prices per 120m2 were used to calculate average property prices.
  4. The average savings period for a cash purchase of a property by gender in each country was subsequently calculated as the average price for a 120m2 property divided by net annual savings. 
  5. The average saving period for a minimum mortgage down payment was similarly calculated for a 120m2 property. Minimum mortgage down payment sums were calculated as the minimum deposit rate (one minus max Loan-to-Value ratio) multiplied by average property price. Maximum mortgage Loan-to-Value ratios in each country were sourced mainly from an IMF report on Macroprudential Policies and House Prices in Europe.
  6. Finally, the results were ranked in ascending order by how many years it takes females to save to afford a deposit, thus uncovering which country women must save for the shortest period of time.
Hungarian woman working
Read alsoHungarian women have the sixth longest saving period in Europe to become a homeowner

Survey: Hungarians oppose no-fly zone over Ukraine

Shelling Ukraine
Fully 78 percent of Hungarians oppose the idea of introducing a no-fly zone in Ukrainian airspace enforced by NATO because they believe this would lead to a world war, a recent survey released by the Századvég Foundation on Friday shows.
 
The survey based on phone interviews with 1,000 people showed that only 14 percent of Hungarians said Hungary should support such a proposal, Századvég said.
 
Meanwhile, fully 5,824 people crossed into Hungary directly from Ukraine on Thursday, while another 6,411 who crossed from Romania said they had come from Ukraine, the national police headquarters said.

Police issued temporary residence permits valid for 30 days to 1,848 people, the police website said on Friday. Holders of such permits must contact a local immigration office near their place of residence within 30 days to apply for permanent documents, it added.

Budapest police received 1,392 refugees, 582 children among them, on Thursday, according to the Budapest police website.

Refugees arriving on special train services at Kobanya felso railway station, in eastern Budapest, were taken by bus to the BOK sports and events centre serving as a humanitarian transit point.

The authorities transported 78 people, including 47 children, to accommodation in the capital and outlying areas.

The police have contracted 31 Ukrainian interpreters,

and they are working closely with staff of the disaster management authority, the immigration office, the Budapest metropolitan council, as well as numerous aid groups, the statement said.

Hungary’s disaster relief agency has helped 167 refugees, including 107 children and 41 women, fleeing from war-torn Ukraine to find accommodation in the past 24 hours, according to statement by the authority on Friday.

The refugees have been transported from six collection points to seventeen reception centres, the statement said, adding that Hungary still enough capacity to accommodate refugees.

Also, the operative board in charge of war relief has started operating in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, in central-eastern Hungary, helping with the processing and accommodation of refugees in twelve counties nationwide.

Volodimir Zelensky
Read alsoZelenskiy to Orbán: “You have to decide for yourself who you are with” – UPDATED

Survey: Hungary could be the next Russian target

kyiv ukraine

Active Group, a Ukrainian pollster, interviewed Russian citizens in a survey. The poller surveyed how the Russian think about the war against Ukraine. They also assessed whether Russia could attack another country.

Ukrainian poll in Russia

During the research, between March 11 and 14, 1557 people were interviewed over the phone.

However, the research conducted by Active Group, did not reveal that they are from Ukraine.

They interviewed the subjects in Russian. The questions used in the survey were used in terms used by Russian government propaganda. They called the war for example “special operation”. The made calls from virtually purchased phone numbers throughout. The sample of respondents was representative by age and gender, as well as territorially.

Poland could be the next destination.

At least most respondents think so. Most of them supported the Russian government. However, there were also those who broke the line as a result of the questions. This is also the reason for the few negative answers.

86.6 per cent of respondents would not oppose an attack on an eastern European Union country.

Hungary could also be a target

Most mentioned Poland as the next Russian destination. However, 39.6 per cent of the respondents believe that one of the countries of the former Soviet sphere of interest should be attacked, index.hu writes.

These countries include Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary as well.

The situation was similar in the case of the Baltic countries, like Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, writes 168.hu. Only 25.5 per cent of Russians surveyed strongly oppose the use of nuclear weapons. 40.3 per cent consider a nuclear attack to be completely acceptable, while 34.3 per cent would support the Russian authority’s measure to some extent.

According to a Rating Group survey, 93 per cent of Ukrainians believe they can win the war against the Russians.

Moreover, 47 per cent of those polled say the war could be over in the next few weeks.