Türkiye

FM Szijjártó happily laughing with Russian FM Lavrov on the day of Navalny’s burial

Foreign minister Szijjártó happily laughing with Russian FM Lavrov on the day of Navalny's burial

The two foreign ministers met in Antalya, Türkiye, on an international diplomacy forum and the Hungarian foreign minister was seated near his Russian counterpart. According to the video Szijjártó shared, they were having a good time by the table.

A Hungarian left-leaning media outlet, telex.hu, immediately connected the friendly chat with the fact that Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian prison under uncleared circumstances, was buried yesterday. The Russian police and authorities prepared carefully for the event. A Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, even threatened the partakers. Even so, crowds bid farewell to the late Russian opposition politician whose name President Putin never mentioned.

On Monday, the Hungarian leftist opposition commemorated Navalny by standing up in the parliament for one minute. However, PM Viktor Orbán and other leaders of Fidesz made it clear that they think about the Russian politician in another way. Orbán said Navalny was a Chauvinist, so he does not deserve respect. We detailed that statement in THIS article.

Telex.hu asked the Hungarian foreign ministry whether Norbert Konkoly, Hungary’s ambassador in Moscow, took part in the funeral. They have not received an answer yet.

Here is the video titled the zeroth condition of peace is discussion:

Bulgaria, Türkiye reliable transit route

Bulgaria and Türkiye will remain a reliable transit route for gas deliveries to Hungary ensuring the country’s energy security, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Friday, after holding bilateral talks with the Bulgarian and Turkish presidents on the sidelines of the Diplomacy Forum in Antalya on Friday.

The two countries play an important role in ensuring the delivery of gas to Hungary which will “most certainly” remain the case considering that Hungary already receives gas from Russia via Türkiye, Bulgaria and Serbia, he said.

“The Bulgarian and the Turkish presidents both expressed a clear viewpoint and pledged that their countries will ensure a reliable transit route for us in the coming years,” he said.

Szijjártó welcomed that an agreement was signed with Türkiye under which that country will deliver 275 million cubic metres of gas to Hungary in the second and third quarters of this year. He noted that Hungary would be the first country apart from Türkiye’s neighbours to import Turkish gas.

He noted that Hungary had over 4 billion euros worth of bilateral trade with Türkiye and over 2 billion euros with Bulgaria in 2023.

Read also:

  • Hungary’s greatest solar energy project is underway with Chinese Huawei – Read more HERE
  • Orbán cabinet gets rid of foreign competitors in this skyrocketing economy branch

PM Orbán travels to Florida to meet Trump, Chinese President Xi may visit Budapest – UPDATED

Donald Trump Viktor Orbán

According to the government-close Hír TV, Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán will meet President Trump in Florida where he’s travelling next week. Meanwhile, another government-close media outlet wrote that preparations are underway for the Chinese President’s visit to Budapest.

Orbán-Trump summit on the cards

The New York Times wrote about a possible Trump-Orbán meeting next week. Based on the plans, the two politicians will meet in the former US president’s Mar-a-Lago club. Trump’s team has not responded yet to the NYT’s information. According to Maggie Haberman, the NYT’s former White House reporter, Orbán asked for the ‘summit’, Hír TV wrote.

UPDATE: Orbán to speak at Heritage Foundation event, meet with Trump in US

Prime Minister Viktor Orban will participate at a panel discussion with Kevin Roberts, the head of the conservative Heritage Foundation, in Washington D.C. on Thursday, March 7, the PM’s press chief said on Sunday. The discussion will focus on the future of ties between the US and Hungary, Bertalan Havasi said. On Friday, Orban will meet for talks with former US President Donald Trump in Florida.

Chinese president will visit Hungary?

Meanwhile, index.hu wrote that the Chinese Minister of public security, Wang Xiaohong visited Budapest in February only to prepare the scene for Xi Jinping’s Budapest stay. Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić, confirmed Xi’s visit to Belgrade last week. Index.hu suggested that Budapest might follow the Serbian capital in Xi’s calendar.

Levente Horváth, the director of the Eurasia Centre, said that the 75th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relationships between China and Hungary will be celebrated this autumn. That would give the perfect opportunity for Xi’s visit. Furthermore, Hungary will preside the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year.

Xi’s last visit to Hungary was in 2009, when he served as deputy president of China. In 2016, he visited Poland, the Czech Republic and Serbia but did not come to Budapest.

Orbán travelled to Türkiye today

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Bulgarian President Rumen Radev in Antalya, Turkiye, on Friday, with Hungary-Bulgaria economic relations and energy security high on the agenda, the PM’s press chief said in a statement.

The leaders expressed concern about the potential escalation of the war in Ukraine and called for a ceasefire and peace negotiations, the statement said, adding that both firmly rejected recent talk of sending troops to Ukraine.

Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, and Márton Nagy, the national economy minister, attended the meeting.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament: Visegrád Group ‘alive in parliament cooperation’

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Csaba Hende attended a meeting of the parliamentary heads of the Visegrád countries and Ukraine in Prague on Thursday, and said the event had shown that “the Visegrad cooperation is alive in its parliamentary form”.

The meeting of the heads of government of Czechia, Hnugary, Poland and Slovakia earlier in the week highlighted the common ground on issues such as the fight against illegal migration, a joint stance against EU tax harmonisation to preserve the region’s competitiveness, and the protection of nations’ sovereign right to determine their energy mix, Hende said. They are also working together to create regional energy independence and to protect the European markets from poor quality agricultural produce, he said.

After the meeting, Hende had bilateral talks with Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament.

Read also:

  • Trump and Orbán can only achieve peace in Ukraine? – Read more HERE
  • Hungary’s greatest solar energy project is underway with Chinese Huawei – Details in THIS article

PM Orbán invited by President Erdogan to share his thoughts on international forum

Orbán Erdogan NATO Sweden

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will participate in the Antalya Diplomatic Forum (ADF) at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday, according to information from the PM’s press office.

The forum, to be held between 1 and 3 March, will be attended by heads of state and government, as well as government members, diplomats, business leaders, scientists, and the media.

Orbán is scheduled to address the event early on Friday evening.

This year’s ADF is dedicated to the topic of finding peaceful solutions to current challenges including wars, terrorism, illegal migration, xenophobia and islamophobia, as well as risks posed by AI, climate change, natural disasters, pandemics, and the growing gaps in the economy and in society.

Read also:

  • Powerful findings: Hungary’s diplomacy shines in global survey – Read more HERE
  • Hungarian Wizz Air launches six new flights from Budapest!

Exciting news: Wizz Air continues Mediterranean Riviera route from Hungary

Wizz Air flight riviera paradise

Get ready for a Mediterranean getaway, but with a twist! While Budapest won’t be offering direct flights to this Turkish paradise city in the upcoming spring season, there’s a silver lining: Debrecen International Airport steps up to the plate. Here’s what you need to know.

According to okosutas.hu, your best bet for reaching Antalya, Turkey’s holiday haven on the Turkish Riviera, this spring is via a direct flight from the Eastern Hungarian city of Debrecen. Surprisingly, Budapest won’t be offering connections to Antalya during this period, a rarity considering it’s typically a hub for all airlines, including budget carriers.

Despite the recent shake-up in Wizz Air’s spring timetable (detailed in our previous article), there’s good news on the horizon: the direct flight from the “Calvinist Rome” to Antalya will not cease operation. However, the downside is that there’ll only be one weekly flight instead of the usual two.

Wizz Air flights in spring

This decision raises eyebrows, especially considering Budapest boasts Wizz Air’s largest base in Hungary, with 15 planes stationed there, compared to just one in Debrecen. Yet, for now, Wizz Air is prioritising its spring flight from the latter. But, given the airline’s penchant for schedule revisions, this situation might change over time.

Initially, Wizz Air had planned three weekly flights from Budapest to Antalya for the spring season, but those plans have been shelved. However, come summer (starting mid-June), both Budapest and Debrecen will see two weekly flights to Antalya.

So, for early birds keen on a pre-summer escape to Antalya, Debrecen is your go-to destination. Fortunately, getting to Debrecen via public transport is a breeze, with convenient train connections even from Budapest Airport’s train station (Ferihegy).

Read also:

  • Hungarian Wizz Air receives bad news: panic over losing thousands of passengers – Read more HERE
  • Skyward expansion: Wizz Air soars with 200 aircraft and beyond – Details in THIS article

Dental Treatment in Turkey: Profitable and Safe

teeth, dentiist, child dental

Sponsored content

When it comes to dental care, Turkey is a preferred destination for people seeking high-quality treatment at affordable prices. Dental clinics in Turkey offer a combination of cost-effectiveness and safety that attracts patients worldwide. 

Whether you’re considering routine check-ups, cosmetic dentistry, or complex procedures, the clinics provide comprehensive services catering to diverse needs. 

Read below to learn more about the popular dental procedures done here and how you can plan your trip with the help of ClinicsonCall.

Benefits of Dentistry in Turkey

Turkey has become a popular destination for dental tourism. Here are some of the key benefits:

  • Dental procedures in Turkey can be significantly cheaper than in many USA, UK, and Canada, sometimes ranging from 50% to 70% less expensive. This can be a major advantage for people facing high dental costs in their home countries.
  • Many clinics offer comprehensive packages that include treatment, accommodation, and airport transfers. This offers further cost savings and convenience.
  • Turkish dentists are well-trained and experienced. Most are qualified from international universities and participate in continuing education programs and international conferences.
  • Many clinics use advanced dental technologies and equipment like intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM, ensuring efficient and effective treatment.

Cost of Dentistry in Turkey

Procedure Average Cost (USD)
Teeth Whitening $150 – $300
Dental Veneers $250 – $800 per tooth
Dental Bonding $100 – $400 per tooth
Dental Crowns $200 – $800 per crown
Dental Implants $800 – $2,500 per implant
Orthodontic Treatments $1,500 – $5,000
Gum Contouring $200 – $500 per session

Popular Dental Procedures in Turkey

Turkey has become a prominent destination for dental tourism due to its high-quality and latest treatment options. 

Here’s a look at some of the most popular dental procedures:

Dental Treatment:

Turkish dental clinics emphasize preventative care and use advanced tools like ultrasonic scalers and air-polishing devices for comfortable and efficient cleanings. 

Dental surgeons offer advanced procedures like crowns and bridges to treat damaged teeth. The convenience of the patients is the top priority. The doctors offer same-day crown and bridge installations and use technologies like Digital Smile Design and CEREC.

Advanced equipment like digital apex locators and rotary endodontic instruments are available here to make root canals more comfortable and efficient for patients with damaged and painful teeth. 

Dental Implants

Dental clinics in Turkey offer advanced dental implant options at affordable prices. 

Over 70% of dentists use minimally invasive techniques (Turkish Society of Oral Implantology). The doctors efficiently perform bone grafting and sinus lift procedures to address bone volume issues. 

The latest dental implants available in Turkish Clinics are:

  • All-on-4 dental implants
  • Zygomatic implants
  • Mini dental implants
  • Laser-lok implants
  • Immediate load implants

Dental Aesthetics

Dental aesthetics or cosmetic dentistry procedures are successfully done in Turkey. These procedures focus on improving the appearance of a person’s smile. 

Some common dental esthetic procedures include:

  • Teeth Whitening involves the use of bleaching agents to lighten the color of the teeth and remove stains and discoloration. Turkish dental clinics offer laser teeth whitening, which improves the procedure outcome with reduced discomfort.
  • Dental Veneers are thin shells made of porcelain or composite resin bonded to the teeth’ front surface to improve their appearance. They can correct issues like chipped, stained, or misaligned teeth.
  • Dental Bonding involves the application of a tooth-colored composite resin material to repair chips, cracks, or gaps in the teeth and improve their shape and color.
  • Orthodontic Treatments like braces or clear aligners are used to straighten crooked or misaligned teeth, improving their appearance and function.
  • Gum Contouring is done by removing excess gum tissue to create a more balanced and symmetrical gum line. The doctors use laser technology and digital smile design software to achieve the best results.

How to Travel to Turkey for Dental Treatment?

Planning for dental treatment in Turkey requires the following steps:

  • Contact a medical tourism platform like ClinicsonCall and share your dental concerns with their medical coordinator. They will give you a medical opinion and a cost estimate based on your condition.
  • Share your medical records and discuss pre-existing conditions with the coordinator to ensure safe and appropriate treatment.
  • To keep things convenient and affordable, you can also request a medical opinion and treatment plan from the top 2-3 Turkish Clinics. This will help you decide and choose the hospital that best suits your requirements and budget.
  • You can also research the top dental clinics online and read their patient reviews to know about their experience.
  • After selecting the clinic, the ClinicsonCall coordinator will assist you in getting a visa and securing a flight and accommodation based on your clinic location and treatment duration. 
  • Upon arrival, get an initial consultation at the clinic to confirm the treatment plan and address any final questions.
  • The coordinator will stay in contact with you throughout your journey so that you can have a comfortable experience.

Dental Clinics in Turkey

The following dental clinics in Turkey are internationally recognized and are famous for their service and patient satisfaction rates:

  • Dentspa Clinic is a top dental center in Turkey. It has received the Best Dental Clinic in Europe award at the International Medical Tourism Exhibition and Conference. The clinic has the latest dental technologies like intra-oral cameras, CEREC, and digital smile design. These technologies improve the patient experience and result in excellent procedure outcomes.
  • Dr. Soho and Healthpoint Clinic are renowned Turkish Clinics that offer aesthetic and dental procedures. The clinic has JCI accreditation and offers patient-centric and holistic care to all its patients. 
  • Cayra Clinic is a famous clinic in Turkey. It offers an all-inclusive package that includes accommodation at its nearby 5-star hotels and free transfer service to visit cities around the country.

Disclaimer: the author(s) of the sponsored article(s) are solely responsible for any opinions expressed or offers made. These opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Daily News Hungary, and the editorial staff cannot be held responsible for their veracity.

Hungary aims to strengthen cultural ties with Türkiye

türkiye Hungary cooperation agreement

Cultural diplomacy between Hungary and Türkiye aims to strengthen the two countries’ friendship, the government commissioner told current affairs channel M1 on Tuesday.

Marking the centenary of diplomatic ties, Hungary and Turkiye will each organise 100 cultural events in each other’s countries, Péter Hoppál said.

Hungarian programmes will be held in Istanbul and Ankara, but also in cities with ties to Hungary such as Tekirdag, Osmaniye and Kutahya.

In Rodostó, for example, Ferenc Rakoczi passed away, while in Osmaniye there is a Bartok memorial house, and a Kossuth memorial house is located in Kutahya.

Kerekes Band is giving a concert in earthquake-hit Malataya and they will travel on to Osmaniye, he noted.

Events also include the unveiling of statues, scientific collaborations between universities, and Hungary is preparing for the Turkish Book Week with the publication of 43 books.

Hoppal said that whereas Hungarians reflexively associated Turkiye with 150 years of occupation, “our refugees and heroes of freedom fights found peace there, while Hungarians also contributed to the construction of Turkey in the last hundred years”.

Events organised by Turkiye will be held in Budapest, Miskolc, Szeged, Eger and other cities, he added.

Read also:

100 programmes planned for Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year in 2024

Photo: Helló Magyar

One hundred programmes are being organised for the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year to mark a century of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the government commissioner for the events said on public radio on Sunday.

Works of Hungarian literature that have been translated into Turkish in recent decades will be republished in Turkiye under the aegis of the Petofi Museum of Literature, Péter Hoppál said.

Showcases by Hungarian performers and art exhibitions will be complemented by scientific programmes, conferences and cooperation among universities, he added.

Sport will also have a place in the programme, he said.

Hoppál said ties between Hungary and Turkiye “ran deep” and noted that many Hungarian words were of Turkish origin, while the two peoples had also borrowed decorative elements from each other.

He added that the two countries’ state media and literary institutions would cooperate on promoting the Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year which was officially launched on December 18.

Read also:

  • Wizz Air closes and suspends flights to popular holiday destinations – Read more HERE
  • Hungary-Türkiye trade turnover was record high in 2023

Hungarians to develop AI based traffic control system

AI Hungary government

The European Interest Group CONCERT-Japan provides funding for a project coordinated by Vilmos Simon. The awarded consortium involves BME VIK MEDIANETS Lab as a member.

The project called ‘Multi-Input Deep Learning for Congestion Prediction and Traffic Light Control (TRALICO)’ was selected for funding under the European Interest Group CONCERT-Japan programme. This project is coordinated by Vilmos Simon, head of MEDIANETS Lab at the Department of Networked Systems and Services of BME’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics.

In cooperation with the Nara Institute of Science (Japan) and the Istanbul IT and Smart City Technologies Inc. (Turkey), BME’s MEDIANETS research laboratory will develop solutions that will be able to predict the intensity of future traffic and forecast potential congestions using artificial intelligence. These predictions will be used to intervene in the control of traffic lights in real time in response to the traffic conditions identified. This will help reduce travel time and harmful emissions.

This solution is significant and unique as no similar solution has been tested in real life situations in a large urban environment in Europe or in Japan before. A key objective of the project is to have the partners test this solution in real life traffic conditions too, in one of the world’s largest cities, Istanbul. The reference solution created in Istanbul in the course of the three-year project is also expected to strongly support the solution’s future marketing as a large number of cities are interested in a similar solution.

Read also:

  • Hungarians to put an end to sticky honey business? – Read more HERE
  • Most Hungarian universities excluded from the EU’s international research support program

Hungary-Türkiye trade turnover was record high in 2023

szijjártó in ankara türkiye

Trade turnover between Hungary and Türkiye reached a record high last year, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Ankara on Thursday, adding that the two countries had taken important steps in the interest of further boosting their economic relations.

Given that Türkiye is one of the biggest economies in Europe, cooperation with the country is clearly in Hungary’s national interest, Szijjártó said after a meeting of the Hungarian-Turkish Joint Economic Committee.

Bilateral trade turnover came to a record 4.3 billion US dollars last year, up 18 percent from 2022, the minister said.

This has put Hungary and Türkiye closer to the goal set by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of reaching a trade turnover of 6 billion dollars, he added.

Hungarian exports to Türkiye increased by 29 percent to a record high, contributing to Hungary’s export record of 150 billion euros, Szijjártó said. Also, Hungary’s 9.3 billion euro trade surplus means that the country had made up for the losses incurred in 2022 due to the rise in energy prices, he added.

Szijjártó, whose delegation included 11 Hungarian business executives, said 2023 had been about the successes of Hungarian businesses on the Turkish market.

He noted that medical equipment maker Medicor will soon start production at its plant in Ankara, and that the State Printing Company is involved in the printing of the new Turkish passport. Meanwhile, soft drink maker Hell Energy sold 19 million cans in Türkiye last year, and agribusiness Hunland sold 71,000 cattle.

Also, a Turkish-Hungarian defence industry joint venture has been established to fulfil the Armed Forces’ order of 400 armoured vehicles, while Hungary’s V-Hid has entered into an alliance with Türkiye’s biggest rail construction company to cooperate in as many projects in and outside Europe as possible, Szijjártó said.

Turning to energy cooperation, the minister welcomed that the text of the gas purchase agreement has been finalised, allowing Hungarian energy company MVM and Türkiye’s BOTAS to sign the deal that will enable the start of gas deliveries from Turkiye to Hungary in the second quarter. Hungary is set to receive 275 million cubic metres of gas from Turkiye this year, he added.

“This makes Hungary the very first country not directly bordering Türkiye to which Türkiye will export natural gas,” Szijjártó noted.

The minister also announced that Hungarian oil and gas company MOL and Turkish peer TPAO will begin preparations for the joint extraction of oil and gas fields recently discovered in south-eastern Türkiye.

The two countries are also set to start cooperating in the area of nuclear energy, given that they are both building nuclear power plants with the same technology, Szijjártó said.

Meanwhile, he said one of the priorities of Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union will be to accelerate the modernisation and expansion of the EU-Türkiye customs union.

He also welcomed that the two countries are close to modifying an air transport agreement that will enable an increase in the number of direct Budapest-Istanbul and Budapest-Ankara flights.

Read also:

Mysterious death of Hungarian Diplomat in Monaco: plunged from heights like Putin oligarchs did

Hungarian diplomat died in Monaco

The curious case of János Hóvári, a distinguished Hungarian diplomat, historian, and Turkology expert, continues to baffle authorities. Last August, tragedy struck as Hóvári plunged to his death from the 9th-floor window of an apartment in Monaco, leaving behind a cloud of unanswered questions.

As detailed in our previous report HERE, Hóvári’s untimely passing at the age of 68 marked the end of a long career dedicated to Ottoman history and global geopolitics. Renowned for his unwavering support of the University of Pécs and its students, he played a pivotal role in shaping minds and fostering academic excellence.

Ambassador Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS), offered heartfelt condolences, acknowledging Hóvári’s invaluable contributions to Hungary-Turkic States relations. “As a person who has dedicated his life to Turkology and gained a respected position in Hungarian diplomacy with his distinguished service as an Ambassador, Mr Hóvári has made great contributions to enhance comprehensive cooperation between Hungary and the Turkic States in his entire life.”

Yet, amidst accolades and mourning, the circumstances surrounding Hóvári’s demise remain shrouded in mystery. Despite exhaustive efforts by Magyar Hang to unravel the truth, their investigation hit dead ends at every turn.

Hungarian diplomat’s fatal fall from the 9th floor

Hóvári’s diplomatic journey spanned key postings, including ambassadorial roles in Israel (2000-2004), Kuwait and Bahrain (2008-2010), along with a tenure leading Hungary’s embassy in Ankara from 2012 to 2014. However, it was his tragic end in Monaco that captured headlines and speculation.

Based on the information of Magyar Hang, Hóvári’s fatal fall occurred under mysterious circumstances, with no witnesses to shed light on the events leading to his demise. Adding to the intrigue, the incident took place mere weeks before his scheduled wedding.

His funeral was held over a month later, on 9 October, in Budapest. Despite persistent inquiries, both the Monaco police and Hungarian foreign ministry remained tight-lipped. Informants hint at a brief police investigation swiftly concluded, raising suspicions of potential external involvement or clandestine interventions by the French secret service.

The Hungarian foreign ministry didn’t reply to the inquiries of Magyar Hang.

Read also:

  • New US travel sanctions against Hungary? – Read more HERE
  • Hungary will accept Sweden’s NATO bid next week? – Details in THIS article

Wizz Air closes and suspends flights to popular holiday destinations

Wizz Air closes and suspends flights to popular holiday destinations (Copy)

The Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air, modified its summer timetable considerably last week cancelling or suspending several flights to Mediterranean tourist destinations. This week, they announced new cancellations and suspensions concerning their Egypt, Saudi-Arabia, and Türkiye routes.

According to okosutas.hu, Wizz Air not only reduces flight frequency to some Mediterranean destinations, but it also cancels and suspends popular routes. We wrote about the previously announced modifications in THIS article.

However, it seems additional routes will be suspended.

No flights to Antalya, Sharm El Sheikh, and Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Wizz Air had high hopes concerning their Saudi-Arabia flights. However, they decided to close their Dammam flight. The last plane departed from Budapest on 19 January, but they allowed passengers to book tickets even for April. Now, they removed those flights from the timetable, so okosutas.hu believes Wizz Air ceased to carry passengers on that route.

Tickets were not expensive to Dammam, you could regularly book flights for only EUR 10. That is cheap concerning the ticket price increases passengers experienced in the sector. We wrote about that trend HERE.

However, the visa to Saudi Arabia is quite expensive, so that might be an obstacle in making Dammam a popular holiday destination even though the weather is always hot and the city is on the seashore.

Wizz Air decided to suspend its flight to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for the summer. Hurghada remains in the Hungarian low-cost airline’s timetable. You cannot book a ticket to the Sinai Peninsula tourist paradise between mid-June and the end of September. Afterwards, the route will return.

Another modification from Wizz Air is that they will not fly to Antalya from Debrecen. Instead, they opened a new route to Istanbul from the Eastern Hungarian city. We wrote about that in THIS article. At the time, nobody knew about the closed Antalya route because Wizz Air did not communicate it.

Another new flight to Corfu

Meanwhile, another flight has been announced from the Pécs-Pogány airport. The rural international airport convinced the Maltese Universal Air carrier to launch flights from Malta to Munich via Pécs. The first planes will depart on 26 March. According to turizmus.com, Universal Air announced another flight from the Southern Hungarian city to Corfu, Greece. The first passengers will depart from the Pécs-Pogány airport on 15 May. The planes will commute on Wednesdays. They will take off in Corfu at 11.40 AM and arrive in Pécs at 1.40 PM. The return flight will take off at 7.40 PM and land at 9.30 PM.

Read also:

  • Wizz Air suspends 21 flights in this European country – Read more HERE
  • Impressive success: Emirates flights to display film of Hungarian filmmaker – Details in THIS article

Featured image: Sharm El Sheikh

Wizz Air launches new flights to this European metropolis

istanbul wizz air

The Hungarian low-cost airline announced this week that they would suspend 21 flights in Romania because of the Pratt & Whitney engine problems. However, it seems they have enough capacity to launch a new flight to a European metropolis.

We wrote HERE that the Hungarian low-cost airline suspended 21 of their Romanian flights due to the engine problems of their planes. They require maintenance which will last 300 days on average, but the airline does not plan to close any bases due to the inconvenience. The decision comes after Wizz Air wanted to chastise the Romanian flag carrier, Tarom, because of its state bailout during the pandemic.

The Hungarian budget airline claimed the money the Romanian government gave to Tarom was prohibited state support because Wizz Air would have been able to serve Romanian demand. Of course, they did not know about the problems with the Pratt & Whitney engines when they filed that complaint during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we can say that the decision of the Romanian government was beneficial for the Romanian passengers.

The new flight to take off on 14 April

Despite a quarter of their fleet remaining on the ground, Wizz Air decided to open a new route connecting Istanbul with Debrecen. According to AIRportal.hu, the first flight will take off on 14 April from Debrecen’s international airport.

Based on the company’s announcement, the planes will commute on Wednesdays and Sundays between the two cities in the afternoon hours. The route will be operating until the end of summer.

Wizz Air submitted their bid to operate a flight to connect the Eastern Hungarian city and Türkiye’s most populous settlement in September 2023.

Read also:

  • Wizz Air rewrote summer timetable: European Riviera flights called off, modified – Read more HERE
  • Official: This European city is now the largest base of Wizz Air – Details in THIS article

Below is a promo video of Istanbul:

If Sweden wants to join the NATO, their prime minister will have to travel to Budapest – UPDATED

Sweden NATO Ulf Kristersson Georgia

Hungary’s parliament could ratify Sweden’s NATO accession “early in the regular spring session”, but a meeting between the Hungarian and Swedish prime ministers in Budapest is necessary for that to happen, the group leader of ruling Fidesz said on Monday.

“If joining [NATO] is important for the Swedes, they will come here, just like they went to Türkiye,” Máté Kocsis said in a Facebook post.

Read also:

Hungarian foreign minister discusses Sweden’s NATO accession with Estonian counterpart

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó discussed Sweden’s NATO accession with his Estonian counterpart Margus Tsahkna on Monday, reassuring him that the Hungarian government maintained its “positive approach” to the matter.

Speaking during a break in a cabinet meeting in Sopronbanfalva, in north-western Hungary, Szijjártó said he had spoken with Tsahkna by phone to discuss several key issues concerning both countries. He said he had reassured his counterpart that the Hungarian government’s positive approach to Sweden’s NATO bid was unchanged, and that the bill approving Sweden’s membership had long ago been submitted to parliament.

“I informed the minister that we have invited Sweden’s prime minister to Hungary, and I hope he will accept the invitation and come, because that will prove that this is indeed an important matter for Sweden,” Szijjártó said, according to a ministry statement.

Szijjártó said he and Tsahkna had also discussed the sanctions imposed on Russia, underlining that Hungary’s position was clear on this matter as well. “We believe the sanctions policy has failed, so we don’t see a reason to approve more sanctions packages,” he said.

He noted that the European Union plans to approve more sanctions against Russia on the occasion of the coming second anniversary of the outbreak of the war.

“I think it’s completely pointless to make this aspect of the EU’s functioning even more frivolous with the show of a sanctions package,” he said.

Szijjártó noted that the Hungarian government had made it clear at meetings in Brussels this past weekend that Hungary would not approve any kind of sanctions affecting the energy sector or the nuclear industry, or any that endangered the EU’s foreign relations.

Meanwhile, the minister said he and Tsahkna were in agreement that though there were issues on which their two countries disagreed, this was natural, and there were far more things that bound them together, and they had “far more shared strategic interests than we would think”.

He said they had agreed to boost bilateral ties, and that he had invited Tsahkna to Budapest. Tsahkna, he added, had “gladly accepted the invitation, and he will hopefully pay us a visit before the start of our EU presidency.”

Wizz Air rewrote summer timetable: European riviera flights called off, modified

Wizz Air rewrote summer timetable European riviera flights called off, modified

A Hungarian media outlet wrote that the Hungarian budget airline, Wizz Air, rewrote its summer timetable, so multiple flights will not operate or their frequencies change. The company will inform its passengers about the changes in the next few days.

According to okosutas.hu, such decisions are not unique to the Hungarian low-cost airline. Wizz Air rewrote its January-March timetable last December, causing inconvenience for many of its passengers. That is because they introduced night or early morning flights in several directions. We wrote about that decision in THIS article in detail.

Now, they did the same concerning the first part of their summer timetable. That means even though passengers bought their ticket in advance for a e.g. June flight, it might happen the plane will not depart at 8 AM but at 8 PM. That may cause headaches for some.

Okotustas’s (‘Smart Passenger’ in English) advice is not to book a non-refundable accommodation on popular Wizz directions since timetable modifications frequently happen on those.

Read also:

  • Hungarian authority probes Wizz Air for concealing information from passengers – Read more HERE
  • Wizz Air to offer 70 destinations from Hungary this summer

Cyprus, Türkiye, and Bulgaria were affected among others

The Hungarian news outlet mentioned some of the most outstanding modifications. In the original timetable, Cyprus was present with daily flights. However, Wizz cuts that back to three flights per week from end-March.

Meanwhile, Wizz will fly to Basel (Switzerland) more frequently: there will be flights twice a day on some days. However, on Monday, two flights will depart after one another, which Okosutas regards as strange.

The budget airline will not fly to Antalya or Burgas in the pre-season. That means you will only be able to travel there from mid-June despite the company selling tickets for the last few months on them.

Of course, ticket prices will be refunded, or the tickets can be rebooked. However, the latter works for only one month in advance concerning the Bulgarian and the Turkish seashore. Therefore, March travellers will not be able to rebook their flight since in April or in May, no Wizz-flights will commute there. The system does not allow the modification to Istanbul.

All in all, provided you have a Wizz ticket between March and June, you should check out your email address in the following days.

Beautiful, world-famous series actress is in Budapest – PHOTOS, VIDEO

Beautiful, world-famous series actress is in Budapest - PHOTOS

The beautiful and world-famous Turkish series actress, Hande Erçel, arrived in Budapest. She posted several photos on her Instagram page, having almost 32 million followers, but Hungarian media could not discover yet why she is or was in Hungary.

According to Blikk, a Hungarian tabloid, Hande is very popular. She is known for her leading role in a Turkish romantic series, Sen Çal Kapimi (Love is in the air), in which she plays Eda Yildiz, the main protagonist.

Her character misses an Italian scholarship because of a successful architect, an idol of all women, Serkan Bolat (Kerem Bürsin) and wants to take revenge. Of course, love evolves from that ‘serious’ conflict. In Hungary, the 155th episode will be screened on RTL Klub, the country’s most popular commercial TV channel, on Monday. On port.hu, a Hungarian movie rating website, its rank is 9.2 out of the available maximum 10. The series is very popular, probably that is why Hande chose to travel to Budapest.

Read also:

  • More Wizz Air flights to Türkiye, major refurbishment works at Budapest Airport – Read more HERE
  • PM Viktor Orbán presents Erdogan with a horse – Details and VIDEO in THIS article
  • Turkish combat vehicle will be manufactured in Hungary

In Budapest, she posted several photos on her Instagram, but, unfortunately, they were only visible for 24 hours. In THIS article, you may check out the first one (embedded by Ripost) taken on Budapest’s famous Szabadság (Freedom) Bridge.

In the video below, there are two other photos. One of them was taken in front of Budapest’s iconic Matild Palace on Ferenciek tere, in the city’s downtown, close to the Gellért Hill and the Elizabeth Bridge. Maybe she stayed in the hotel while being in Budapest. In the second photo, she is in a restaurant. We wrote more about the Matild Palace in THIS article.

Here are some more photos of Hande:

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

Hande Erçel (@handemiyy) által megosztott bejegyzés

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

Hande Erçel (@handemiyy) által megosztott bejegyzés

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

Hande Erçel (@handemiyy) által megosztott bejegyzés

PM Orbán got into serious trouble in the NATO: what will follow?

NATO EU Viktor Orbán military kickout

Turkey’s parliament has voted in favour of Sweden’s NATO membership, leaving Hungary as the sole member yet to accept Stockholm’s bid. Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán extended an invitation to his Swedish counterpart for a discussion on shared concerns, only to receive an unexpected response. Previously, Hungary had committed not to be the final country to ratify Sweden’s NATO bid.

Hungary’s support towards Türkiye

In a recent Facebook post, Hungarian defence policy expert András Rácz highlighted that Orbán’s invitation appeared to contradict Hungary’s official stance on Sweden’s NATO accession. This official position had been rooted in concerns about Sweden’s perceived lack of respect for Hungary and its values.

To Orbán’s surprise, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström responded, stating that there was no necessity for a meeting between the two leaders. This unforeseen reply places Hungary in a more challenging position.

“Until now, the semi-official Hungarian explanation has been that by delaying the ratification, Hungary was assisting Türkiye, ensuring that Ankara was not left isolated by its delay,” said Zsolt Németh, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Hungarian Parliament. Németh voiced this even publicly, which has been the dominant explanation in closed-door meetings too. Nevertheless, the exact benefits Budapest gained from supporting Ankara were never disclosed. Notably, Hungary’s typically transactionalist foreign policy apparatus remained silent on the matter, remarked András Rácz.

András Rácz, in another post, suggested that the delay in Sweden’s NATO accession only serves Russia’s interests, providing Moscow with additional time to prepare for the Baltic Sea potentially becoming a ‘NATO lake.’

Read also:

  • Mysterious: Orbán told NATO, EU he COULD NOT EVADE a meeting with Putin – Read more HERE
  • Erdogan submits Sweden’s bid for NATO membership: will Orbán follow? – Details in THIS article

The NATO counts on Hungary’s green light ASAP

Jens Stoltenberg, NATO’s general secretary, expressed optimism yesterday, stating that he “also counts on Hungary to complete its national ratification as soon as possible.”

Despite earlier assurances from Hungarian FM Péter Szijjártó not to be the last NATO member accepting Sweden’s NATO membership, it appears the Hungarian government may struggle to keep that promise. The Hungarian parliament has not initiated its spring session, and while Orbán’s governing parties hold a supermajority, convening a session at any time would be conspicuous.

Furthermore, this move could signify that Erdogan did not inform Orbán about the impending decision of the Ankara parliament. It would suggest that Hungary was left behind, despite Budapest’s efforts to assist Türkiye in its negotiations with Sweden, potentially casting a shadow over the otherwise positive Hungary-Türkiye relationship.

The Turkish parliament’s decision now waits for the president’s signature. But that is expected “to happen fairly soon”, András Rácz wrote.

The Turkish parliament’s decision now awaits the president’s signature, which is expected “to happen fairly soon,” according to András Rácz. In this scenario, Hungary may find it challenging to explain, even behind closed doors, why they did not accept Sweden’s NATO bid despite having no precise complaints, except for the perceived lack of respect, nor demands towards Stockholm.

Former PM Gyurcsány’s DK calls on Orbán ‘to get parlament’ to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has called on Prime Minister Viktor Orban “to get the Hungarian parliament” to ratify Sweden’s NATO accession.
Party spokeswoman Olga Kálmán told a press conference on Wednesday that it was clear ever since the issue emerged that Sweden’s accession is as much in the interest of NATO as of Hungary. “The biggest hurdle, Turkiye’s veto, has been lifted with the Turkish parliament’s ratification of Sweden’s membership,” she said.

Kálmán said that Orban “has been left on his own on this issue as well” and “is a loner in standing in the way of Sweden’s accession”. “It is clear that the Hungarian prime minister, who is under Putin’s influence, is not considered a sovereign player in the European political arena. Even the Swedish government said their members do not want to meet Viktor Orban as they have nothing to discuss,” Kálmán said.

Hungarian-Turkish cultural season under way in Türkiye

republic of türkiye centenary

The 2024 Hungarian-Turkish cultural season is now underway with concerts given by the Pannon Philharmonic in Istanbul and Ankara on Jan 21 and 22, marking the occasion of the Day of Hungarian Culture, the culture and innovation ministry said on Monday.

As well as works by Liszt and Bartók, the orchestra played pieces by Turkish composer Adnan Saygun at the Ataturk Cultural Centre in Istanbul.

Péter Hoppál, government commissioner in charge of the Hungarian-Turkish cultural season, said in his welcoming speech that one hundred Hungarian cultural programmes are getting under way as part of a celebration of the centenary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In parallel, Turkish cultural artefacts will be shown in Hungary throughout the year.

Judit Hammerstein, acting director of the Hungarian National Museum, opened the exhibition of Hungarians who built Türkiye at the Istanbul concert hall, a show that will be presented in several Turkish cities.

The programmes of the cultural season offer a taste of almost every genre of Hungarian culture in Türkiye, from an exhibition of the collection of the National Bank of Hungary to performances by the Gyor Ballet, the Hungarian National Theatre, photographic shows mounted by the Capa Centre, and science conferences.

As we wrote earlier, the cultural season opened in Budapest on Dec 18 last year, on the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Katalin Novák and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, details and photos here.

Karahantepe’s excavations open up new horizons in archaeological research

archaelogical research

As the first official event of the 2024 Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year, an archaeological conference entitled The Land of Great Transformation was held on Thursday at the Hungarian National Museum.

The sculptures and architectural elements found in Turkiye date back to the Mesolithic period. Archaeologists excavating at Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe have uncovered several new monumental statues and architectural elements. Karahantepe, one of the world’s oldest Neolithic sites, has been attracting attention for its archaeological findings.

The place was recognised as one of the nine most important “Field Exploration and Research” projects of 2023 at the Shanghai Archaeology Forum in China. The nine projects were selected from 973 evaluations submitted by participants from 32 countries.

As it is known, 2024 was declared as a mutual cultural year in Turkey and Hungary due to the 100th anniversary of the Turkish-Hungarian Friendship Treaty signed in 1923. In this context, in order to contribute to the Turkish-Hungarian Year of Culture activities and to promote the Stone Hills Project in Hungary, an archaeology conference titled “The Land of Great Transformations” was organized by the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency on January 18, 2024 in Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

Prof. Necmi Karul, Head of the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology at Istanbul University, and Prof. Pál Raczky from Hungary participated in the conference, which will be held in partnership with the National Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian National Museum, to make presentations on the Stone Hills Project and Karahantepe excavations.

The event will be hosted by Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu, Ambassador of Turkey to Hungary, and Dr. Judit Hammerstein, Acting Director General of the Hungarian National Museum. The opening speech of the conference will be delivered by Dr. Péter Hoppál, the government delegate responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Hungarian-Turkish cultural year.

archaelogical research
Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu, Ambassador of Turkey to Hungary. Source: MTI

Dr. Gábor Virágos, Deputy Director General of Archaeology at the Hungarian National Museum and President of the National Archaeological Institute, will moderate the conference. The event will be attended by representatives of Hungarian academia, research institutes, museums and universities, press and social media opinion leaders, as well as representatives of the travel industry from Hungary. Following the conference, a reception and a digital exhibition featuring images of the Stone Hills and Göbeklitepe finds will be organized at the same venue.

Göbeklitepe and Karahantepe stirred global archaeological circles with the latest findings unearthed in October 2023. Within the scope of the “Taş Tepeler” Project, Karahantepe is among those sites that have given us a deeper understanding of prehistory. According to excavations, Karahantepe is much older than Göbeklitepe, so far called the world historical ground zero.

These ground-breaking discoveries included the largest known human statue of the period, unearthed in Karahantepe. An outstanding example of prehistoric art is the 2.45-metre-tall figure sitting on what appears to be a bench, which is believed to depict a male. The statue’s seated position evokes a living person, featuring a realistic facial expression, while the emphasis on its shoulder bones and ribs suggests death. Adjacent to the human figure is a lower ledge upon which stone plates and a vulture statue were placed, indicating that the structure was built for special purposes.

Additionally, during excavations conducted by İstanbul University on behalf of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a life-size limestone statue of a wild boar was found in Structure D at Göbeklitepe, dating from the same period as Karahantepe. Featuring traces of red, white, and black pigments on its surface, the wild boar is the first full-scale painted sculpture of its period to survive to the present day.

It was found on a bench decorated with an H-shaped symbol, a crescent moon, two snakes, and three human faces or masks. The archaeological site of Göbeklitepe, about 12 kilometers from the Şanlıurfa city centre, is one of the most important heritages of human history. As Türkiye’s 18th UNESCO World Heritage Site, Göbeklitepe has significantly altered perceptions of hunter-gatherer societies such as in the Neolithic Age.

You can find more information about the project on the following link: https://tastepeler.com/

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