Türkiye

PHOTOS: Hungary team rescues 12 from beneath Türkiye earthquake rubble, Wizz Air brings help – UPDATED

Hungary team Wizz Air help in Türkiye

Hungary’s Hunor search team has rescued 12 survivors and retrieved the dead bodies of 7 others from under the ruins of a 20-storey apartment block that collapsed in Monday’s devastating earthquakes in Antakya, south-east Turkiye, the spokesman of the national disaster management said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Hungary’s low-cost airline, Wizz Air brings help to the country.

Hungary’s rescue team the only one that works 24/7

Dániel Mukics said members of the team were working around the clock, in 8-hour shifts, at three sites in the area affected by the disaster. Mukics said sub-zero temperatures at night were reducing the chances of survival of people buried under the rubble, while the cold was also hindering the team’s work. The Hunor team was the first Hungarian search and rescue team that arrived in Türkiye, totalling 116 people and 19 rescue dogs.

Here are some photos:

The Hungarian rescue team works on 16 thousand square metres. Although other rescue teams stop for the night, the Hungarians do not. They work around the clock to save as many lives as possible, Hungary’s disaster management authority wrote in a Facebook post. Their camp is only 3 minutes away from the operation site. They live in 9 tents, and 7 people sleep in each.

Wizz Air also helps

Meanwhile, according to the Budflyer Facebook page, a Wizz Air plane took off yesterday to bring help to Türkiye. The plane landed in Adana. Here is their post:

Tamás Menczer, state secretary at the foreign ministry, said no Hungarians had been reported among victims of the earthquakes in Türkiye. He said 55 rescue experts and 2 dogs were working in the Hunor team, along with other teams sent by Hungary’s Baptist Charity and the rescue service of Pest county, the Életjel team, and another team sent by Hungary’s counter-terrorism force. A further team sent by the Reformed Church’s charity is on its way to Türkiye, he added. According to the ministry’s information, 18 Hungarian nationals staying in the earthquake-hit area are safe and are not in need of major assistance, Menczer said.

Hungary helps in Syria

Speaking to public radio, Menczer said Syria had also requested Hungary’s assistance, adding that two Hungarian hospital units deployed in Syria earlier had been transferred to the earthquake-hit zone. He said the Hungarian government was in contact with Christian communities in that country through the Hungary Helps programme.

Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said on Wednesday that the six Hungarian teams working in Hatay province have so far rescued 16 survivors, and he thanked them for their dedicated work. He noted that another team of Budapest Volunteer Rescuers has arrived in Turkey to join rescue operations. “This means that the Hungarian contingent will total 156 people and 28 rescue dogs,” Szijjártó said on Facebook.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian Ecumenical Charity said it is launching a donation drive for families in Syria in partnership with the local Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The charity is also transferring 5 million forints to facilitate the first phase of the MECC’s work, it said in a statement. The charity will send aid containing food, hygiene supplies and blankets to the Aleppo region and provide accommodation to families in need, coordinated by staff members of its mission based in Iraq, it said.

PHOTOS: Hungarians saving many lives in Türkiye

Hungarian rescue team Türkiye

A Hungarian search and rescue team in Türkiye has already rescued three people from beneath the rubble of a devastating earthquake that hit the country on Monday, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has said. Meanwhile, rescuers of Hungary’s Baptist Charity have saved a boy in Antakya, Türkiye, near the Syrian border.

Three pulled from beneath Turkiye earthquake rubble by Hungarian team

In an update on Hungary’s rescue efforts in Türkiye, Szijjártó said that all 116 personnel and 19 dogs sent by Hungary will soon be in the country. The Hunor rescue team was the first to arrive on Monday, he said, adding that its members are already assisting the search for survivors. The five trauma surgeons sent by the National Directorate of Disaster Management are also helping out at the region’s university hospital, the minister said.

Staff members of the Pest County Search and Rescue Service are also on the ground in Türkiye, and the ÉLETJEL Fire and Rescue Team will be arriving in the earthquake-hit region in the evening, Szijjártó aid. Also, counter-terrorism force TEK will soon be sending 16 people, including five doctors and a nurse, to the area, he added.

Here are some photos of the Hungarian team’s departure:

And below is a video about their arrival:

Meanwhile, Szijjártó said the foreign ministry was aware of 18 Hungarian citizens who were in the area affected by the earthquake, Szijjártó said. The ministry is in constant contact with them, he said, adding that they were all fine and had not asked for any major assistance. Two Hungarian youth football teams currently in Türkiye are all fine and will be returning to Hungary in the second half of the week, he said. Szijjártó again called on the public to notify the ministry’s consular service of any Hungarian citizen in the region whom they are unable to reach. “Hungary is providing considerable help to Türkiye and the Turkish nation in this difficult time,” Szijjártó said.

Hungarian Baptist Charity rescue team saves boy near Türkiye-Syria border

Rescuers of Hungary’s Baptist Charity have saved a boy in Antalya, Türkiye, near the Syrian border, the charity said in a statement on Tuesday.
At around 7pm CET, a boy was pulled from the rubble and was administered medical care by the HUBA Rescue24 International Fire and Rescue Team and its 19-member medical team which is working alongside 7 Hungarian rescue dogs. The team is continuing to search through the rubble of around 2,000 houses in the area, where many people are thought to be trapped. The rescue dogs are working in four-hour shifts, four at a time.

Here are some photos:

Budapest, Óbuda, block of flats, Hungary
Read alsoApart from Russia, only Hungary is likely to sink into recession in Europe

Seven Hungarians in the earthquake-hit zone, help is on its way!

Türkiye earthquake Hungarians

The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was able to establish contact with the Hungarian nationals. According to minister Péter Szijjártó, all of them are safe and sound.

However, it seems that the ministry is unsure whether there are more Hungarian citizens in the earthquake-hit zone. Mr Szijjártó said today that if anybody held information about Hungarians affected by the catastrophe should contact the embassy or the consular office as soon as possible, Magyar Narancs wrote. He added that the football team of Ferencváros is currently in Türkiye in a training camp but they are all well. Meanwhile, yesterday, the handball team of Győr arrived home safely from Türkiye.

Here is Szijjártó’s video he posted this morning:

Hungary to send further aid groups to earthquake site in Türkiye

A group of 55 rescue troops and two dogs of Hungary’s National Directorate of Disaster Management arrived in Türkiye on Monday night and further aid will be sent to aid earthquake-hit Turkish regions, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday. Three organisations will send 46 rescue personnel and 15 dogs later on Tuesday, with a 40 million forint (EUR 102,000) government support, the ministry cited Szijjártó.

Hungary will help in all possible ways; “Tükiye can count on Hungary”, Szijjártó said. The foreign ministry is in contact with all Hungarians in Türkiye, seven of whom are currently in the earthquake-hit Hatay region, he said. “Everyone is well, we are in contact with everyone,” he said, calling on people who know of further Hungarian citizens who might be impacted to contact the consulate or the Ankara embassy. Meanwhile, Hungary’s government is earmarking 50 million forints (EUR 127,194.12) for the Maltese Charity to send two mobile clinics to Syria, which was also impacted by the earthquake, he said.

Catholic Charity sending rescue team to Türkiye

The Hungarian Catholic Charity has sent a rescue team to earthquake-hit Türkiye in cooperation with Budapest’s voluntary ambulance organisation and the capital’s association of firefighters. According to a Tuesday statement, the team consists of 19 people travelling in 5 vehicles. The team, which has a week’s supply, will join partner organisations in Türkiye and participate in search and rescue operations. The organisation welcomes donations at karitasz.hu, while people calling their hotline at 1356 can contribute 500 forints (EUR 1.27) with each call.

Hungarian Baptist Aid sending rescue team to earthquake-hit Türkiye

Baptist

The Hungarian Baptist Aid is sending a special rescue team to Türkiye to help with search and rescue efforts following a major earthquake that hit the country on Monday.

The HUBA Rescue24 international team and an emergency medical team will be leaving for Türkiye on Monday evening after a request for international assistance by the Turkish authorities, the organisation said in a statement.

The team has already assembled its equipment and made contact with Turkish colleagues they have worked with in the past, they said.

Mark Szabó, a member of the search and rescue team, told MTI that the team will comprise 19 people and two rescue dogs.

The team is constantly staying updated on the situation in Türkiye, Szabó said, adding that they are taking with them an inflatable tent and power generators. He said they expect their mission to take 7-10 days, beginning with rescue efforts and then providing medical assistance.

The Baptist Aid’s special rescue team also provided assistance to Türkiye after earthquakes in 1999 and 2001.

As we wrote today, the building of the Hungarian embassy in Ankara has been temporarily evacuated following the earthquake in Türkiye, a Hungarian man in the danger zone. Details HERE.

  • Read also: Hungary provides immediate assistance to earthquake-hit Türkiye – UPDATE

Hungarian rescue team leaves for Türkiye

Hunor

Hungary’s Hunor rescue team has left for Türkiye to help those affected by a major earthquake that hit the country early on Monday.

Providing fast assistance at a time of such a disaster is critical, Bence Rétvári, a state secretary of the interior ministry, said before the team’s departure.

The faster help arrives, the more lives can be saved, Rétvári said, noting that more than 1,000 people have been confirmed dead after the earthquake and 5,000-6,000 have been injured.

The 55-member team comprises firefighters, military doctors and members of the ambulance service. Its mission in Türkiye will also be assisted by search dogs.

The team and its 90 tonnes of equipment and supplies are being flown to Türkiye with an Airbus A319 of the Hungarian Armed Forces. Their work will be directed by Türkiye’s disaster management authority. The team’s supplies are enough for 10 days.

Rétvári noted that the Hunor rescue team was established 11 years ago and that since then Hungarian disaster management has proven it to be one of the world’s best prepared rescue teams. Hunor has provided help in Serbia, Macedonia and Japan, among other places, he said.

Rétvári said Hunor would also strengthen Hungarian-Turkish friendship, and thanked the team for its work.

Read more news about earthquake-hit Türkiye:

Hungarian embassy in Ankara temporarily evacuated, a Hungarian is in the danger zone

The building of the Hungarian embassy in Ankara has been temporarily evacuated following the earthquake in Türkiye, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Monday.

The government will send a team of fifty people on Monday evening to help with rescue operations in the affected area, he added.

Szijjártó said he had recently talked to his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, expressed his sympathies and offered Hungary’s help in the search for survivors, caring for the injured and restoring damaged infrastructure.

The earthquake could also be felt in the building of Hungary’s embassy in Ankara which has been temporarily evacuated pending an evaluation of its structural integrity by experts, he said.

“We have informed Hungarian citizens staying in Turkey, including 213 people who have registered for consulate protection, about which areas of the country should not be visited,” he said. “We know about one Hungarian person staying in the affected area, with whom we maintain continuous contact,” he added.

He asked for persons with information about Hungarian citizens staying in the affected areas to report them to the consulate.

He also said that a team of fifty Hungarian rescuers, including six doctors, will leave for Türkiye under arrangements by the disaster management authority later in the day.

Earthquake damage has also been reported from Syria, with several Christian communities having been seriously affected, Szijjarto said.

“Support to them will also be on the agenda in the upcoming days, and help will be sent,” he added.

Hungary provides immediate assistance to earthquake-hit Türkiye, details HERE.

Hungary provides immediate assistance to earthquake-hit Türkiye – UPDATE

Türkiye eathquake

Assistance for Türkiye, hit by an earthquake early in the morning, topped the agenda of a three-day strategic cabinet meeting that started on the outskirts of Sopron, in western Hungary, on Monday.

death toll from one of the strongest earthquakes in 100 years has risen to over 600. Rescuers are struggling to rescue survivors trapped under rubble on both sides of the Turkish-Syrian border. The number of injured is estimated in the thousands.

The 7.8 magnitude quake shook residents out of their beds around 4am on Monday, causing tremors as far away as Lebanon and Israel. The epicenter of the earthquake was 23 kilometers east of the town of Nurdagi in Turkey’s Gaziantep province, at a depth of 24.1 kilometers, CNN reports.

Hungary’s government is making contact with Turkish authorities regarding assistance it can offer.

The strategic cabinet meeting will also discuss protecting Hungary from high inflation, high energy prices and other negative consequences of Brussels’ sanctions policy.

Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said Hungary has offered to send an experienced, 50-member search and rescue team to Türkiye. The team is prepared to leave immediately if local authorities request for assistance, he added.

“Türkiye, the Turkish nation is a friend of Hungary and the Hungarian nation. It is natural, that in this disaster we will stand by our Turkish friends and help with whatever we can,” Szijjártó said.

President expresses her sympathy with Türkiye earthquake victims

President Katalin Novák has sent her condolences to her Turkish counterpart over the victims of an earthquake that shook Türkiye in the early hours on Monday.

In her letter to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Novák expressed her sympathy with the families of the victims and offered Hungary’s help to rescue operations.

Orbán: Hungary standing by Türkiye ‘in tragic moment’

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán sent his condolences to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a letter over the earthquake that shook southern Türkiye in the early hours of Monday, and offered Hungary’s help.

“Hungary is standing by Türkiye at this tragic moment”, Orbán said, adding that he learnt about the disaster “with deep shock and sorrow”.

Orbán expressed his sympathy to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

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Read also Hungary would like the Turkish president to win the Nobel Peace Prize

Minister: Hungarian government not Kremlin propagandist, only voices pragmatism

szijjártó brussels

Restoring pragmatic cooperation between East and West is a national security interest for Hungary because whenever there was a conflict between the two blocks, central Europe has always suffered from it, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday.

Restoring East-West cooperation national security interest

The ministry cited Szijjártó as saying at a podium discussion organised by the Antalya Diplomacy Forum and the Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade that the existing political and economic world order had recently fallen apart. As a result, the basis for Europe’s economic development, the combination of advanced western technologies and cheap Russian energy resources, has been lost, he added. Nobody knows if the ties currently being cut can be restored in the future, and Eurasian cooperation seems less realistic now, with the armed conflict in Ukraine and the war rhetoric, he said.

“We believed in a future where good cooperation can exist between regional integrations and in a global order where the West and the East can work together in a pragmatic and civilised manner,” he added. Experience from history shows that Hungary and central Europe have always lost out on conflicts between East and West. “We are arguing in support of restoring cooperation because it is a core national security interest and not because we are someone’s spy,” he said.

Hungarian government: a voice of pragmatism

Even before the war in Ukraine, European discourse had been excessively focused on ideology and politics, he said. Already at that time, it was difficult to negotiate based on pragmatism and common sense, and the armed conflict has further deteriorated the situation, he added. When someone uses a voice of pragmatism and common sense, they are immediately accused of breaking the unity of the EU and NATO, and even representing Russia and the Kreml’s propaganda, he said. There are three issues that could bring overall changes in order to find real solutions to the existing challenges, he added.

The first is a return to mutual respect in international relations, which has been fully missing in recent times, Szijjártó said. The second is for everyone to understand that ideological and political approaches must not overrule physical realities, he said. The third is whether channels of communication can be kept open between the opponents, he added. Regarding the latter, he said efforts by Türkiye were especially important because they helped resolve the problem of Ukrainian grain exports. Hungary’s success depends on how much it can be integrated in the international economy, primarily in its export performance and attracting foreign investments, he added.

Hungary has a vested interest in a strong European Union, with around 80 percent of Hungarian exports directed to other member states, he said. This is also the reason why the government is actively participating in the disputes concerning the community’s future, he added. Dominant political ideologies only weaken the block and the notion of a Unites States of Europe is a dead-end street, he said. A strong EU must be based on strong member states that proudly represent their own cultural, historical and religious roots, he added.

Szijjártó meets Bahrein counterpart

The foreign minister met Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, his Bahraini counterpart, for talks in Budapest on Tuesday. At a joint press conference after the meeting, Szijjártó highlighted that the visit was the first to Hungary by a Bahraini foreign minister. Concerning the war in Ukraine, Szijjártó said Hungary and Bahrein were in agreement on the position that the war should end as soon as possible. “We want peace before this regional war with global impacts develops into a global war. We all would like to avoid that,” he said, adding that Hungary and Bahrein supported settling the conflict through talks.

Szijjártó welcomed the earlier signing by Bahrain of the Abraham Accords normalising relations with Israel. Regarding bilateral economic cooperation, Szijjártó noted that the Hungarian-Bahraini joint economic committee held its inaugural meeting in 2022 and reached an agreement on energy cooperation in the framework of which Hungarian oil and gas company MOL is bringing two types of technologies to Bahrain. The Hungarian foreign minister presented to Al Zayani the Hungarian Order of Merit, Middle Cross, for arranging the issue of documentation to Hungary on the Sinopharm Covid vaccine during the pandemic.

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Hungary would like the Turkish president to win the Nobel Peace Prize

orbán erdogan

Hungary and Türkiye are about to sign an agreement on “priority strategic cooperation”, as Türkiye has a key role in tackling the major challenges currently facing Hungary, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said on Tuesday, after talks with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

Szijjártó told a joint press conference that Türkiye’s role in tackling global challenges had grown in recent years. Regarding the war in Ukraine, Szijjártó said that Hungary, as a neighbour of Ukraine, “feels all negative effects of the war gravely and palpably”, so it has a vested interest in peace. “Unfortunately, we must note that very few in the Transatlantic world … talk about or act for peace,” he said.

Speaking of peace “requires courage, as it brings on the relentless criticism from the liberal mainstream, which paints those involved as Putin’s allies, Russophiles and Kremlin propagandists,” he said. Referring to an agreement on restarting grain deliveries from Ukraine, Szijjártó said Türkiye’s successful mediation had shown that negotiation was the only way to end the war. He noted that Attila Tilki, a lawmaker of ruling Fidesz, is a member of a council within the Organisation of Turkic States that has recommended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the Nobel Peace Prize. Erdogan, he added, was the only successful negotiator in respect of the war so far.

Türkiye is also key to handling the energy supply crisis hitting Europe and Hungary. The TurkStream pipeline remains the only east-west pipeline on the continent operating at full capacity, he said. Diversification, a key concept for energy security in the future, is dependent to a large extent on Azeri resources which would also be delivered via Turkiye, he said.

Talks are under way on increasing Hungary’s access to Turkish gas lines to deliver Azeri gas that way, he said. Meanwhile, Europe would be unable to handle another global challenge, illegal migration, without Türkiye, Szijjártó said.

Hungary is under significant pressure: Hungarian authorities have thwarted 260,000 attempts at illegal entry last year only, he said. He called on the international community to enable Syrian refugees in Türkiye to return to their homelands. “That would be key to Türkiye’s peace, stability and calm, but also an important European measure against migration,” he said.

Elevating the level of cooperation between Hungary and Türkiye would help Hungary tackle all three challenges, Szijjártó said. The agreement could be signed “at the next high-level meeting”, he said. Responding to a question on the NATO integration of Finland and Sweden, Szijjártó said the Hungarian parliament will table the ratification document in February. At the same time, he said he would “not rush Türkiye on the issue, as Hungary never rushes other countries on matters unrelated to Hungary.” He called burning of the Koran at a Swedish protest was “unacceptable”. The Swedish statement that the gesture was an act protected by the principle of free speech was “stupid”, he said. “Countries looking to join NATO with Turkish support should act more carefully,” he said.

Turkish foreign minister
Read alsoPHOTOS: Turkish foreign minister in Budapest

PHOTOS: Turkish foreign minister in Budapest

Turkish foreign minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Tuesday, to discuss further strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries, the PM’s press chief said.

Hungary is committed to further strengthening economic ties with Türkiye, and is working to increase trade volume to an annual 6 billion dollars, Bertalan Havasi cited Orbán as saying. Türkiye’s stability and security are key to Europe’s stability and security, Orbán said at the meeting held in his office in Budapest, and he called on the European Union to support the country in handling challenges connected to migration.

Orbán and Cavusoglu agreed that the international community should be striving for a speedy, peaceful end to the war in Ukraine. Cavusoglu arrived in Hungary at the invitation of Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

Szijjártó and Cavusoglu:

Wizz Air Airbus A321neo
Read alsoWizz Air expands offering to destinations in Turkey

Government would like to boost Hungarian economy with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Turkic states

Turkic Council foreign minister Szijjártó

The Turkic Investment Fund offers great opportunities for Hungary to strengthen economic and trade cooperation with Turkic states and may generate new investments, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Budapest on Friday. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also met Baghdad Amreyev, head of the Turkic Joint Investment Fund, for talks in his office, the PM’s press chief said on Friday.

The investment fund will be the most important joint financial institution of the Organization of Turkic States, which aims at mobilising the economic potentials of its members, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan, as well as Hungary and Turkmenistan as observer states, and to strengthen their trade and economic cooperation, Bertalan Havasi said.

The Turkic Joint Investment Fund was launched with capital of 350 million US dollars, primarily with the aim of supporting projects by small and medium-sized businesses, he added. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.

He told a joint press conference with the fund’s head, Baghdad Amrayev, that central Asia’s role has grown recently, partly due to the European energy crisis. The region is rich in energy resources and harbours serious growth potential, he said. Trade volume with members of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) has grown 2.5-fold to 4.5 billion US dollars over the past decade, he said.

Hungary’s crisis management model focuses on boosting support for investments “whenever world economy is ailing or heading in the wrong direction”, Szijjártó said. “Investments in such situations are not only key to overcoming difficulties but also a strength when it comes to intensifying competition as the economy re-ignites,” he said. In 2022, the “black year of the world economy”, Hungary broke records in investment, exports and employment, he said.

Péter Szijjártó and Alibek Kuantyrov, the economy minister of Kazakhstan:

Szijjártó noted that Hungary has opened embassies in all Turkic states, and Uzbekistan has announced it will do the same in Budapest. Budapest is also host to the OTS European representation and its institute for drought prevention, with opportunities arising for the export of Hungarian technologies. Szijjártó also decorated Amreyev with the Hungarian Order of Merit, Middle Cross, for his work as the Secretary-General of the OTS.

Péter Szijjártó foreign minister Turkic Council
Read alsoMinister: Organisation of Turkic States to set up crucial institution in Budapest

Finance Minister: Kazakhstan Hungary’s reliable partner in energy supplies

Kazakhstan is one of the most reliable partners of Hungary in supplying energy, and Hungary is ready to strengthen those ties further to increase energy security, Finance Minister Mihály Varga said on Friday. Speaking at a signing ceremony after a meeting of the Hungarian-Kazakh intergovernmental economic committee, Varga said annual trade between the two countries has reached 420 million US dollars. Hungary mainly exports pharmaceutical products worth 94 million dollars. Around 90 percent of imports consist of crude and oil products, he said.

Wizz Air expands offering to destinations in Turkey

Wizz Air Airbus A321neo

Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air on Thursday said it will expand flights between Hungary and Turkey in the coming months. Wizz Air will launch a daily Budapest-Istanbul flight from March 31. It will operate three flights a week between the capital and Antalya from May 24, and two flights a week between Debrecen, in eastern Hungary, and Antalya from June 10.

Turkey’s largest city is a unique cavalcade of East and West. Its cultural diversity, fascinating history, stunning architecture and culture will fascinate all visitors. The city spanning two continents offers a wealth of activities and attractions, with palaces, mosques, baths and bazaars from the past making the trip truly magical.

For beach lovers, Wizz Air will be offering flights from Budapest and Debrecen to Antalya, a popular holiday destination on the Turkish Riviera, from this summer.

In addition to the clean beaches, the city’s main attractions can be explored in Kaleiçi, the romantic old town, where visitors can enjoy a wide range of gastronomic and cultural experiences. The city, also known for its vibrant nightlife, offers plenty of family-friendly options for a perfect beach holiday.

“We are delighted to announce three new routes between Hungary and Turkey. With its breathtaking scenery, fascinating history and architecture, Turkey offers a unique experience for all travellers. The new routes also demonstrate how important it is for us to offer our Hungarian passengers affordable prices and greater choice through our ever-expanding network of direct flights. We are looking forward to welcoming our passengers on board our young, efficient and sustainable aircraft on our flights to Turkey,” said Zsuzsa Trubek, Communications Manager, Wizz Air.

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Turkey wants to negotiate missile launchers with Hungary

HIMARS missile army

According to press reports, Hungary is also interested in acquiring the US HIMARS missile defence system. Turkey has another idea.

Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa Varank said Ankara is ready to discuss the possibility of supplying multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) as an alternative to the US HIMARS missile systems.

Following the eighth meeting of the Hungarian-Turkish Joint Economic Committee held in Budapest on Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade presented the Turkish politician with the Hungarian Order of Merit.

“I don’t know whether Hungary is taking steps to procure HIMARS, but I can tell you that we are producing alternative systems in Turkey. If Hungary has a need, we are ready to provide the necessary support,” TGRT quoted Mustafa Varank as saying.

Hungary’s Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, says Hungary is considering the options for its military to procure weapons. Naturally, Hungary turned first to its NATO allies, including Turkey, index.hu reports.

This weapon has also worked in the possession of the Ukrainian army. “At the moment, there is simply no other modern version of this type of weapon on the market,” a source said.

Gidrán infantry fighting vehicles, Hungarian military factories
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Turkish Industry Technology Varank held talks in Budapest

Minister of Economic Development Márton Nagy held talks with Turkey’s Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank in Budapest on Monday, the ministry said.

The sides were in agreement about the importance of Turkish-Hungarian economic links and industrial cooperation, the statement said.

Nagy said that in an economic environment burdened by war and sanctions, efforts must be made to maintain sensible and respectful cooperation. Economic cooperation between Turkey and Hungary is flourishing and bilateral trade is at an unprecedented level, he added. Records show that exports grew by 17 percent in the first ten months of last year, he said.

The intensity of Turkish-Hungarian links is demonstrated by the fact that nearly 100 Turkish companies employ nearly 2,000 people in Hungary and several hundred more jobs are planned to be created thanks to future Turkish investments, the ministry said.

The ministers said talks would continue on economic cooperation, with plans to further enhance links especially in fishing, health industry and pharmaceuticals, food industry, tourism and energy, the ministry added.

Turkey Erdogan puppet effigy
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Hungarian-Turkish economic mixed committee held in Budapest

turkey

Cooperation between Hungary and Turkey is a “great help in overcoming difficulties”, the minister of foreign affairs and trade said after a meeting of the on Monday.

Without cooperation with Turkey, Hungary’s energy security would not be guaranteed and the country would not have achieved several of its economic records last year, the foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as saying at a joint press conference with Turkey’s Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank.

Central and Eastern Europe are facing enormous difficulties due to the war in Ukraine and the related sanctions, Szijjártó said.

“The region is seeing uncertainty, brutal price increases and supply issues both in the economy and energy supply,” the minister said. “The cooperation between Turkey and Hungary has been and will continue to be a great help in overcoming these challenges.”

As a neighbour of Ukraine, Hungary’s interest lies in peace being achieved there as soon as possible, Szijjártó said. “Every decision, measure and statement that leads to the prolongation or escalation of the war is against Hungary’s national interests,” he added.

“Peace is needed, and peace requires talks, which requires mediators,” Szijjártó said, expressing Hungary’s appreciation of Turkey’s successful mediation in the resumption of grain exports.

Turning to energy, Szijjártó said the TurkStream gas pipeline was what guaranteed Hungary’s energy security, saying it was the only east-west pipeline in Europe operating with 100 percent capacity.

Hungary received 4.8 billion cubic metres of gas via the TurkStream pipeline last year, which covers around half of the country’s total consumption, he said, adding that the loss of this delivery route would make it impossible for Hungary to get the gas it needs.

Szijjártó also emphasised the importance of diversification, the inclusion of new energy sources and the construction of new pipelines. The most realistic options, he said, were natural gas from Azerbaijan and liquefied natural gas (LNG) coming in to Turkish ports. Talks are already under way between state-owned energy company MVM and its Turkish partner on the volume and scheduling of LNG imports by Hungary, he said. The minister also noted that gas imports from Azerbaijan would require infrastructure developments, for which he said he expected support from the European Union.

Meanwhile, Szijjártó noted that both Hungary and Turkey are building nuclear plants with the same partner and technology. He welcomed that all sixteen heat pumps for the four reactors being built in Turkey are made in Hungary.

As regards economic challenges, Szijjártó said Turkish-Hungarian cooperation had contributed significantly to keeping Hungary’s GDP growth rate above the European average in the recent period and helping the country achieve record investments, exports and employment.

Bilateral trade turnover reached a new record last year, he said, adding that there are now some 100 Turkish companies in Hungary employing close to 2,200 people. Turkey’s VakifBank has opened a branch in Budapest and the two countries are holding a joint cultural season in 2024, Szijjártó said. In 2025, the two countries will celebrate Hungarian-Turkish science and technology and there are many Hungarian companies benefitting from opportunities in Turkey, Szijjártó added.

The minister then presented Varank with the Medium Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary in recognition of his role in Hungarian-Turkish cooperation.

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Read alsoHungarian foreign minister furious because of hanged Erdogan

11 Hungarian universities in the world’s top

Semmelweis University Budapest Harvard

Eleven Hungarian universities are in the world’s top, Balázs Hankó, the state secretary of the Ministry for Innovation and Culture, said on the opening of the 23rd Educatio Exhibition in Budapest on Friday. After meeting Turkey’s education minister, Mahmut Ozer, on Friday, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said the government’s goal was to make Hungarian higher education competitive internationally, so it must be made attractive to foreign students.

Mr Hankó added that out of ten university students 8 receive a scholarship from 70 billion HUF. The support concerns 170 thousand students.

At a joint press conference, Szijjártó said the government had been working on making its higher education system competitive since 2010, and Hungary is now the 12th most popular foreign destination for Turkish students, with more than 1,000 attending courses here this year. Also, 16 Hungarian universities have Turkish partners with a constant exchange of lecturers and students. Two universities run a Turkology department, while Hungarian studies are available at Ankara University, he noted.

Cooperation will be broadened to encompass secondary education as well, with an improvement in the quality of vocational training on the cards, he said. The sides signed a higher education cooperation agreement for the period 2023-2025. The government is increasing the number of scholarship places available to Turkish students from 150 to 200 each year, and medical and nuclear training is also included in the agreement.

Here is their joint press conference:

Szijjártó called Hungary-Turkey ties “strategic”, and, referring to the war in Ukraine, said relations were all the more important in current times of uncertainty. Turkey, he added, was the only country to have taken “promising steps towards peace” by shepherding the deal to resume grain deliveries to Ukraine, and he said Hungary requested that Turkey carry on pursuing its mediation efforts with the aim of ending the war as soon as possible.

Responding to a question about the withdrawal of Hungary’s Erasmus funding in 2024, the minister said “new symptoms of Hungarianophobia are starting to appear” in the European Commission. He dismissed the decision to suspend funds for Hungarian universities run by foundation as “outrageous and without grounds whatsoever”.

Szijjártó said people with government positions and responsibilities sat on the boards of western European universities, yet in Hungary’s case this was seen as a problem, and he said this amounted to “double standards”. Further, Hungary, when drawing up its conflict-of-interest guidelines, had adhered to EC rules in their entirety, he added.

Meanwhile, on the subject of the planned big increase in transit fees for oil shipments in Croatia, the minister said Hungarian oil and gas company MOL had concluded a temporary three-month agreement regarding the matter, and hopefully fair long-term agreement would be reached in the meantime. The government is prepared to turn to the European authorities if attempts in this direction do not succeed, he added.

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Hungarian foreign minister furious because of hanged Erdogan

Turkey Erdogan puppet effigy

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó harshly condemned on Friday the hanging of a puppet depicting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by its feet by Kurdish protesters in Stockholm the previous day, the ministry said.

At a press conference with Turkish Education Minister Mahmut Ozert, Szijjártó said the actions had been “shameful and distasteful”, prompting the most resolute objection. Making jokes about hanging anyone is shocking in and of itself and the action was seriously disrespectful of not only the president but all the people of Turkey, he said.

“I think it is a fair expectation that such actions should not be allowed in the European Union which prides itself on its moral standards,” he said.

Hungary expects the local authorities to find the perpetrators, he said, adding that “we are certainly expressing solidarity and sympathy with the people of Turkey and President Erdogan”.

Here is a photo of the incident:

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Read alsoErdogan’s wow: Turkey remains a safe background to Hungary’s energy security

Hungary, Turkey to cooperate in security, migration, terrorism

Hungary Turkey cooperation

Cooperation between the Hungarian and Turkish interior ministries is boosting public security in both countries, Interior Minister Sándor Pintér said in Ankara on Friday, after meeting Suleyman Soylu, his Turkish counterpart.

Pintér praised Turkish border patrol officers serving on Hungary’s borders as “one of the most disciplined and effective unit”. Hungary is ready to start working on a system of cooperation between the two countries, he said. Turkey and Hungary hold similar, often identical stances on many current issues, which will facilitate cooperation, he said.

Soylu said a declaration of intent had been signed to establish a cooperation mechanism which involves security and migration issues. There is strong cooperation between the two countries in the fight against drug trading, smuggling, organised crime and terrorism, he added.

Soylu said that 50 Turkish police officers were working at three Hungarian border crossings and Turkish police had stopped 3,776 illegal migrants so far.

Pintér congratulated Soylu for the developments made in police and gendarmerie services, and said that “these developments raised the level of Turkey’s law enforcement to world standard”. Soylu said Turkish-Hungarian relations were exemplary for the whole world.