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VIDEOS: King Charles III visits a small Transylvanian village populated by Hungarians every year

Zalánpatak (Valea Zălanuluihad) is a small village in Transylvania, Central Romania. According to the 2011 census in Romania, 134 out of the 139 locals were Hungarians. Charles III, who became the monarch of the United Kingdom yesterday, regularly visits this tiny little village. Although it is a question whether he would preserve that habit of his as a ruler. Below, you may read why he travels every year to Zalánpatak.

King Charles III has always been a regular guest in one of Zalánpatak’s houses. He visited it every year when the pandemic did not baulk his travel. He was there this May for the last time, touring the surrounding fields and walking around the village. We gave a detailed report about that visit in THIS article.

“After three years, I am delighted to be back in this wonderful region,” he said to reporters swarming the village after his arrival.

Read also: Prince Charles is in this Szekler village in Transylvania – PHOTOS

The Telegraph, a British newspaper, interviewed Count Tibor Kálnoky, a resident, who regularly welcomes Charles about the new king’s regular visits. The count said that Zalánpatak was founded in the 1600s as glass manufacture where experts came from Bavaria. Today, it has only 150 inhabitants. He added that Charles usually comes once a year and stays for a week. When he is not there, his place is open to guests.

“We are open all year long. Every season is wonderful”. In spring, “we have the fantastic flower meadows. And in winter, we have heavy snow, and we have snowshoes. You can go and track wild animals. In the autumn, you have the incredible foliage in yellow, red and green and brown …, so every season is special out here”, Count Kálnoky said about the favourite Hungarian-populated village of the new king.

The house Charles owns in the village once belonged to the settlements administrator. It is a bit more prominent than the others because it is on the hill, overseeing Zalánpatak. But in other ways, it is quite simple, the count explained.

Kálnoky is distantly related to the British royal family. Therefore, he was invited to the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William.

You may watch The Telegraph’s report below:

“This is the last corner of Europe where you see true sustainability and complete resilience”, Charles said in an interview about Transylvania. Locals of Zalánpatak say that Charles revived the village after he bought a house there. “I feel that he likes us and our village. We are very proud”, a local woman explained.

Here you can listen to King Charles’s favourite Hungarian song from 1:50:

Here is a video of his estate:

He bought another estate in Szászfehéregyháza, a nearby village, in 2018 (that is the blue house on our featured image). Hvg.hu wrote that he has never taken his wife with him. But Prince Harry already accompanied him on one of his trips to Transylvania.

Finally, here is a video of his visit in Csernáton:

Read alsoOn this weekend: Székely Festival returns to Budapest after two-year hiatus

September 9, 2022

VIDEO, PHOTOS: Orbán’s quick trip to Moscow today

“God rest Mikhail Gorbachev”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Saturday, in a video uploaded to Facebook from Moscow where he travelled to attend the funeral of the former party secretary of the Soviet Union.

Orbán has placed “flowers of respect, in the name of Hungary,” at the bier. “A lot had to come together for us to free ourselves from the Soviet Union and Communism without blood and human sacrifice. It would not have been possible without Mikhail Gorbachev. Not like this, without blood and in peace,” he said.

“We came and brought the flowers of respect out of gratitude to him. God bless and may he rest in peace!”, Orbán said.

Read also: What happened? PM Orbán flew urgently to Moscow – UPDATED

Below you may check out some photos of the prime minister’s today visit. The Kremlin said Orbán and Putin would not meet.

Here is a video Orbán shared:

September 3, 2022

Cardinal: pope may visit several towns, spend at least 3 days in Hungary

Issues around youth could be among the central themes of Pope Francis’s visit to Hungary planned for next year, Cardinal Péter Erdő, the head of the Hungarian Catholic Church, told MTI on his arrival in the Vatican on Friday.

Erdő, who is in the Vatican to attend a meeting of his counterparts, said the pope could “visit several towns and cities in Hungary which no pope has seen before”. He also noted that Francis usually visited shrines of the Virgin Mary during his travels and suggested that while in Hungary he could visit the Mátraverebély-Szentkút national shrine.

The cardinal also added that the pope had not yet provided any details concerning the duration of his planned visit or the places he would visit in Hungary.

“We would be glad if the pope could spend as long as three days or more in Hungary,”

he said.

Featured image: illustration, the pope’s visit in Canada.

Pope Francis may visit Hungary! Here is when

Pope Francis was surprised when learning about the results of Hungary’s family policy, including a two-fold increase in the number of marriages and a 50 percent drop in the number of abortions, President Katalin Novák told Radio Vatican after meeting the pontiff in a private audience in Rome on Thursday.

Novák said their meeting had been over 40 minutes long and held in Spanish. The pope expressed his appreciation and “our talks had a very earnest tone,” Novak said.

Hungary’s family policy was also discussed and the pontiff was taken by surprise learning about its achievements, she said. He expressed regret over the fact that marriage is no longer fashionable in Europe and in a large part of the developed world, the president added.

“In Hungary, the family is important for people and this is what we have to support and dismantle the barriers where they stand,” Novák said, adding that “harmful ideologies aimed at breaking up the traditional family must be rejected.”

Read also: Hungary set to start preparing 2023 papal visit

The war in Ukraine was another topic discussed at the meeting, Novák said, adding that “the role women leaders may play in a peaceful settlement of conflict situations also came up”. “I asked the pontiff to act towards promoting peace because it is our common interest to achieve peace as soon as possible,” she added.

Novák said she had personally handed over an invitation to Pope Frances to return to Budapest for a longer visit than last year during the International Eucharistic Congress held in the Hungarian capital. He reaffirmed that he wanted to visit Hungary and expressed hope that it could take place in the first half of next year, Novák added.

Hungarian President Novák with her Slovenian counterpart Lake Bled

Read alsoSlovenian, Hungarian presidents start meeting by jogging around Lake Bled

August 26, 2022

Hungary set to start preparing 2023 papal visit

Hungary is set to begin preparations for a visit by the pope scheduled for next year, with the pontiff confirming his intention to travel to Hungary, President Katalin Novák said after a private audience with Pope Francis in Rome on Wednesday.

Novák told public media that her 40-minute meeting with the pope covered the topic of a future papal visit to Hungary, the war in Ukraine and family support.

The president said she had handed over an official invitation to the pope and asked him to visit Hungary next year. The pontiff confirmed his intention to travel to Hungary, which means Hungary can begin making preparations for the visit, Novák said. She said Pope Francis’s visit could be scheduled for next spring.

Read alsoWill Hungary ban Russian tourists? Here is the minister’s answer

As regards the war, Novák said she and Francis were in agreement that achieving peace as quickly as possible was a “shared interest”.

“Pope Francis is praying for peace, speaks out for peace and does everything he can to be an ambassador for peace,” Novák said.

Hungarians also favour peace and want the war to end as quickly as possible, she said, adding that her visit to Rome “strengthened our commitment to peace”.

Novák said she and the pope had also talked at length about support for families and specifically Hungary’s family policy. “We spoke about all the things we’ve done in Hungary to make parenthood attractive,” she said, adding that the pope had expressed appreciation for these measures.

She said they had also discussed the importance of supporting the preservation of traditional family values and the traditional family model “especially now when so many are attacking these traditional values”.

Novák said she was proud that the number of marriages in Hungary had doubled while the number of abortions have halved.

“Pope Francis, too, is a committed supporter of traditional family values,” the president said.

Novák said the pope had also stressed the need for female world leaders and had encouraged her to stand up for peace whenever she had the opportunity.

The meeting also touched on Hungary’s support of persecuted Christians, “a mission which Hungary intends to continue”, Novák said, adding that the Vatican supported this intention.

Read alsoWill Sunday shop closures be reintroduced in Hungary?

August 25, 2022

SZIN, the biggest summer closing festival is starting with world famous stars! — PHOTOS

Although summer is almost over, there is one more main event left: SZIN Festival! This year, world famous stars such as Jason Derulo, Russkaja, and Alle Farben make sure that the closing festival of the summer is memorable.

World famous stars are performing

On 24 August, SZIN has opened its doors in Szeged. Due to its affordable price, this festival is extremely popular among young people. Daily tickets are offered for HUF 17.000 (EUR 41,42) – HUF 19.000 (EUR 46,30), which is considered quite cheap. In addition to the most popular Hungarian performers, several international performers are coming to the festival, reports Index. 12 music venues, a renewed SZIN+ lounge, and more than 20 programme venues during the day, as well as the largest Civil Village of all time await visitors in the event area. Hungarian performers include Carson Coma, Bagossy Brothers Company, and Klári Balázs & György Korda. Moreover, several stars are coming to SZIN such as Jason Derulo, Alle Farben or Tom Grennan. Have a look at the whole programme and all the performers here.

The festival is held at Partfürdő Beach in Szeged

Already in 1968, music-lovers from all over the country went to Szeged to enjoy the festival. Although more than 50 years have passed since then, SZIN is still the most popular summer closing festival in Hungary. In 2020, however, due to the pandemic, organizers had to cancel the event. Fortunately, this year, it could reopen and is held at Partfürdő Beach in Szeged.

SZIN Festival visitors can travel with a discount

According to delmagyar.hu, MÁV offers discounts for those travelling to the festival. MÁV-START and GYSEV provide a 50 percent discount on occasional return trips on 24-27 August, 2022 for Szeged Youth Days (SZIN) between Szeged, Szeged-Rókus and Újszeged stations for travelers without other discounts. The validity period of the 50 percent discount ticket is the same as the validity period of the full-price ticket valid for the same distance. It comes only with the restriction that the journey can start on August 23rd at the earliest and the return journey must be completed by midnight on August 28th at the latest.

The occasional return ticket is only valid for the return trip if it is stamped with the event stamp at the event venue, at the main entrance of the Szeged Beach Bath, at the MÁV-START information point on August 24 from 5 to 8 p.m. and on August 25, 26 and 27 between 2 and 8 p.m.

August 25, 2022

Budapest is among the cities with the most attractive buildings!

Online Mortgage Advisor has analysed hundreds of streets and more than 2,400 buildings to reveal which city has the most attractive buildings. According to the portal, Budapest is the 7th most beautiful city when it comes to architecture.

How can the beauty of buildings be measured?

Online Mortgage Advisor measured the beauty of the buildings by scanning Google Street View for front-facing photos. These include the most iconic buildings of historical cities around the world. After this, they plotted points at the corners of every building in their sample of imagery and calculated the proportion of the longest and shortest lengths of its dimensions. Lastly, they compared the proportions to the golden ratio (1:1.618) to see how well they matched.

Read alsoBudapest is among Europe’s cheapest cities in 2022!

What is the golden ratio of buildings?

The golden ratio is 1:1.618 and can be found in nature, in the measurements of the human body, in flowers, or in DNA. In addition, it can also apply to buildings. As marieclaire.hu writes, beauty can be quantified by the ancient Greeks’ law of the golden ratio. Many artists use the golden ratio to make architecture as perfect as possible. They believe it is a gold standard in natural aesthetic perfection. Therefore, experts used the golden ratio to find out which city has the most stunning buildings.

Read alsoStudy in Budapest – tuition fees, scholarships, accommodation

Budapest takes the 7th place

With a beauty score of 83.3 percent, Venice tops the ranking. Budapest has won 7th place, which is considered a very good position in the ranking.

The top 10 cities are the following:

Venice 83.3 percent
Rome 82 percent
Barcelona 81.9 percent
Prague 78.7 percent
New York 77.7 percent
Athens 77.5 percent
Budapest 75.9 percent
Vienna 75.8 percent
Bordeaux 75.3 percent
Milan 75.1 percent

Architectural styles in Budapest

It is no surprise that Budapest is in the top ten on the list of cities with the most attractive buildings. As colore.hu writes, Budapest has got six mains architectural styles: Baroque, Classicism, Romanticism, Historicism, Art Nouveau, Modernism. During a significant part of the reign of the Habsburgs, the Baroque was the dominant architectural style. For example, the famous Buda Castle was built in Baroque style. Between 1800 and the 1840s, Classicism began to spread and the Hungarian National Museum was constructed following its principles. As for Romanticism, the Dohány Street Synagogue is a beautiful example of this era. However, the most famous building in Hungary, the Parliament was built in the Historicism style. For tourists, the Danubius Hotel Gellért built in Art Nouveau is a perfect choice of accommodation. Moreover, visitors can admire the so-called Bauhaus or Modernism on Napraforgó Street.

Read also10+1 signs you are definitely Hungarian – or Hungarian at heart

August 24, 2022

Saint Stephen’s Day celebrations are starting! – here are the programmes

august 20 celebrations fireworks budapest

The Saint Stephen’s Days event series is starting this weekend with numerous festivities. Visitors can taste various dishes and desserts prepared by the artisan producers of the Carpathian Basin or attend classical and contemporary music concerts in the evening. Read our article to find out more about the programmes!

Street of Hungarian Flavours

The Street of Hungarian Flavours is considered the gastronomic centre of the St. Stephen’s Day event series. Luckily, it is back again. – reports origo.hu. Among various delicacies, guests will be able to taste the Cake of Hungary, which this year bears the fantasy name of the Mischievous Plum Prince (Huncut szilva herceg). The cake was made in a confectionary in Nagykőrös. “For the Street of Hungarian Flavours, we produce between 40,000-50,000 slices, so you can imagine that 40,000 small decorations, 40,000 little details are needed to make these cakes, but nationwide we can’t even count how many slices this might mean” – explained Balázs Erdélyi, the president of the Hungarian Confectionery Industry Board. The Cake of Hungary 2022 combines the distinctive flavours of red wine produced in the famous wine region of Eger and fresh local plum.

Read alsoThe history of fireworks in Hungary

Enjoy the cakes and Saint Stephen’s Days’ bread on August 19

Once you are in the Street of Hungarian Flavours, several delicacies await you! Visitors can savour local cakes and the traditional Saint Stephen’s Days’ bread already on 19 August. This year’s featured products will be cereals. In addition, tourists will be able to taste many traditional Hungarian dishes. There will be tripe from Bogyszló, stuffed cabbage from Szatmári, langalló, pinched carp and authentic Roma dishes. Moreover, people with sweet teeth can also enjoy donuts filled with homemade plum jam. More than 150 exhibitors will participate in the three-day event.

Read alsoEvents outside but near Budapest

A wide range of family programmes

The Saint Stephen’s Day programmes are not only fun for adults but also for children. At St. Stephen’s Day events, visitors are entertained with family and children’s shows as well as classical and contemporary music concerts. Puppet shows, storytellers and an exclusive Judit Halász concert will keep the youngest amused. Marcsi Borbás, one of the ambassadors of Saint Stephen’s Day, also added that the free application called Szent István Nap (Saint Stephen’s Day) will help inform visitors about the programmes. All events and activities are displayed on the application, including information on where and how much food can be tasted.

Prepare umbrellas: it might rain at the weekend

According to Telex, a cold front will arrive on Friday. Unfortunately, it will bring heavy rainfalls as well. Although it is good news for nature, it means that guests and organisers might face some difficulties. On Friday, despite the incoming rain, the temperature will still rise to nearly 40 degrees in most parts of the Hungarian Great Plain but it may drop to 30 degrees in the west.

Read alsoAstonishing Hungarian church renovated in Romania’s 2nd biggest city

August 18, 2022

The 5 best neighborhoods in Budapest for tourists – PHOTOS

Hungary can proudly say that Budapest is one the most beautiful cities in Europe. However, there are some areas that stand out even more than others. Read our article and discover the 5 best neighborhoods in Budapest for tourists!

In our previous article, we focused on dangerous areas that tourists should avoid in Budapest. Now have a look at the best neighborhoods in Budapest!

The Castle District (District I)

In the Castle District, tourists can find some of the most stunning sights in the city. The Matthias Church, Fisherman’s Bastion or the Hungarian National Gallery are all within walking distance. In addition, the first district is considered to be a quite luxurious neighborhood in Budapest. The Buda Castle is usually swamped with tourists, who enjoy taking photos and trying out restaurants that serve traditional Hungarian food. History-lovers will definitely have a good time here discovering medieval architecture.

Read alsoThe best restaurants serving traditional Hungarian food

Buda castle — Buda Castle. Photo: Facebook, Budai vár

District V (Inner City)

Located on the Pest side of the Danube, the inner city has a lot to offer to tourists. Two of the major attractions of Budapest can be found here, the Hungarian Parliament and the St Stephen’s Cathedral. Fun fact: the Hungarian Parliament is the third largest parliament in the world, and was built on the 1000th anniversary of the foundation of the state of Hungary. – writes budapestinfo. Moreover, this district is also known for Váci Street, the city’s main shopping area. Grab a bite in a cafe and enjoy the hustle and bustle of Budapest downtown!

St Stephen's Cathedral — St Stephen’s Cathedral. Photo: FB/ Szent István Bazilika

District VII, the former Jewish Quarter

Full of ruin bars, street food spots and beer gardens, this district creates a unique atmosphere. In addition, this neighborhood is important for the Jewish community. According to twoscotsabroad.com the Great Synagogue in Dohány Street is the second largest and the most beautiful synagogue in the world. It is also worth paying a visit to New York Palace Hotel – even if you are not staying there.

The Great Synagogue. Photo: Facebook, Dohány utcai Zsinagóga

District III, Óbuda

A little further from the city centre lies the oldest and second-largest district, Old Buda. As santorinidave.com writes, Óbuda has a village-feel with old architecture. So if someone is looking for a little peace and quiet, district III might be an excellent choice! In addition, you can have a nice picnic or cool down in one of the swimming pools on Margaret Island in the summer. Óbuda is also interesting from a historic point of view! A lot of tourists visit the Roman ruins at Aquincum every year – it makes a perfect family programme.

Read alsoWhat do foreigners really think of Hungary?

Rose Hill, the exclusive district of Budapest (District II)

The second district of Budapest is also called Rose Hill (Rózsadomb) by locals. Although this area is rather known for its nature rather than sights, there are some notable tourist attractions. For example, visitors can enjoy the panoramic view from the Turkish poet, Gül Baba’s tomb. As for the name of the district, it originates from the period of Ottoman occupation (16-17^th century) when the Ottomans planted roses on the tomb of the poet Gül Baba (gül in Turkish means rose). – reports fromhungarywithlove.

Gül Baba’s tomb. Photo: FB, Gül Baba Heritage Foundation

Budapest real estate housing crisis in Budapest's real estate market

Read alsoHungarian rental market is facing a huge change: could energy-saving apartments be the future?

August 12, 2022

What to do in Budapest in the extreme heat

With the temperature rising above 30 celsius degrees, it is more and more impossible to bear the extreme heat. However, there are some ways to escape the hot weather. Read our article to get some ideas on what to do in Budapest in such a hot weather!

Nothing better than a bath in the heat

Forbes made a list about cheap beaches in the Hungarian capital. You can swim at the beach in the Pünkösdfürdői in Óbuda for the cheapest price. You can get in at full price for HUF 2,100 (EUR 5,28) on weekdays, HUF 2,200 (EUR 5,53) on weekends. They close at 7 PM. Moreover, at Dagály Spa, Beach Bath and Swimming Pool, one can choose from seven open pools. Children (ages 3-14), pensioners and students can take a dip for HUF 2,000 (EUR 5,03) and adults for HUF 2,500 (EUR 6,28). To find out more about the prices of Budapest’s baths, read our article. We also recommend to discover the best outdoor beaches around Budapest.

Pünkösfürdő bath. Photo: Facebook/Pünkösdfürdői Strandfürdő

Try out these popular Hungarian beach foods!

Once you are at the beach in Budapest, why not try out these staple Hungarian beach foods! Lángos is probably the most beloved dish for Hungarian beach-goers. Fried in oil or fat, this flatbread is made from yeast, flour, milk, salt, and sugar. Add some garlic oil, a heap of sour cream and shredded cheese for toppings. The pancake-like palacsinta is another favourite of the Hungarians. Filled with chocholate, cottage cheese, sweet cocoa powder, or jam, this sweet delicacy is definitely worth trying out. In case you like cooking, here are the recipes for some of the most popular beach foods.

Pancake — Palacsinta at Borcsa Restaurant in Balatonfüred. Photo: Facebook, Borcsa Étterem – Balatonfüred

A cold drink in the scenic rooftop bars

Rooftop bars do not only offer a beautiful view of the city, but also cold drinks to freshen up. Leo Rooftop offers a view of the Buda Castle, the Danube, the bridges and the Gresham Palace. On the 9th floor of the Marriott Hotel, you can enjoy special cocktails, wines and light meals in Liz & Chain Sky Lounge. The Sky Garden is very popular among locals not only for its central location but also for the spa’s jacuzzi. You can enjoy the staggering views of the Mátyás Church, Citadel and the Buda Castle while relaxing in the pool!

Heat outside? – Visit the air conditioned museums!

If the weather is unbearable outside, it is best to stay inside. However, there are some enjoyable exhibitions for these scnenarios. For example, the Hungarian National Gallery is always a good idea. As offbeatbudapest.com writes, this museum features Hungary’s top artworks from the Middle Ages through the current day. Here you can admire the works of people like József Rippl-Rónai, Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka, and Lajos Vajda. In addition, the newly opened Museum of Ethnography has an incredibly rich collection of all things folk culture. The Hungarian House of Parliament is also worth paying a visit to. The price is HUF 3,200 (EUR 8,05) for EU citizens, otherwise HUF 6,400 (EUR 16,10).

Hungarian National Gallery. Photo: FB, Hungarian National Gallery

Read alsoIrresistible! The most special Hungarian ice creams you should try

July 23, 2022

Hungarian government wants to buy much more Russian gas

Hungary’s energy security must be guaranteed, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday in Moscow, adding that Hungary would acquire an extra 700 million cubic metres of natural gas above the contracted volume.

Szijjártó said his current visit to Moscow had a dual purpose: to fully guarantee Hungary’s energy security and to express that Hungary wants peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, the ministry said in a statement. Szijjártó told a joint press conference with counterpart Sergei Lavrov that the government had an obligation to secure energy supplies to Hungary even in the ongoing European energy crisis.

This is why Hungary wants to acquire an extra 700 million cubic metres of natural gas above the contracted volume and “whether we like it or not, this isn’t possible without Russian sources”, he said. “Some may sell empty promises and chase daydreams, others blow up communication balloons, but the fact of the matter is that physical realities cannot be changed, and it is currently simply impossible to buy this much extra natural gas in Europe without Russian sources,” he said.

Gas storage facilities in Hungary are being filled up according to schedule and they currently stand at 27.3 percent of annual consumption, as against the European average of 17.3 percent, he said. “In normal times, this would be enough and it would provide security, but as we all know, we don’t live in normal times and we have to go for extra security,” he added.

Read also: Lavrov: Russia to consider Hungary’s request for more gas purchases

Hungary has taken all the necessary measures to receive the extra volume and to make the financial resources available, he said. In the upcoming week, around a daily 20 million cubic metres of inflow capacity will be available on the southern route and on interconnectors from Slovakia and Austria, he added. Talks have been under way for some time on professional and company levels, but a political agreement is also required, and the current meeting aims to enable the sides to complete the transaction and for transfers to start as soon as possible, he said.

“Despite all the circumstances, we want to ensure that nobody in Hungary enters into an undeserved or vulnerable situation, and there should be enough natural gas for every Hungarian person, for every Hungarian family and for every Hungarian company,” he added. He said the other purpose of the visit was to make it clear that Hungary wants peace in Ukraine without delay because the war has tragic consequences.

“We are asking everyone to make every effort to ensure the war ends as soon as possible and for peace to return. We would like to see an immediate ceasefire and peace talks,” he said.

Read also: Government sets retail energy price for private consumption

He also said that the return of spheres of influence around the world would go against Hungary’s national interests. “We don’t want a world order where we again find ourselves in the periphery of a bloc, in a buffer zone or in an area next to a buffer zone,” he added.

Szijjártó also held talks in Moscow with Alexander Novak, deputy prime minister for the fuel-energy complex, and with Denis Manturov, deputy prime minister and trade and industry minister.

Read alsoGas shortage in Hungary – who will lose supply?

July 22, 2022

Hungarian minority headquarters opened in Lendava, Slovenia – PHOTOS

Presidents Katalin Novák of Hungary and Borut Pahor of Slovenia attended the opening of the new headquarters of the Prekmurje Hungarian local government ethnic community (MMÖNK) in Lendava (Lendva) on Friday afternoon.

At the event wrapping up her two-day official visit to Slovenia, Novák welcomed that Prekmurje Hungarians are represented in the Slovenian parliament and their rights to their language, education and cultural self-determination are guaranteed. She said that by contributing to the building’s refurbishment the Hungarian government also aimed to help Lendava prosper.

Pahor said “this is a fortunate phase of history for both Slovenians and Hungarians because they live in a sovereign state, with ethnic Hungarians in Slovenia and ethnic Slovenians in Hungary binding together the two nations”. “We, Slovenians and Hungarians are proud of our national identity which we must nurture in Europe, our great common home,” he said.

Ferenc Horváth, the president of MMÖNK, said that “an old dream of the [Hungarian] community has come true”, adding that the new headquarters will help them keep together and preserve their heritage.

Read also: Hungarian president: “Bolsonaro and I are ambassadors of peace”

Hungarian president in Slovenia: Europe must be united in response to war

Europe must be united in its response to the war in Ukraine, Hungarian and Slovenian presidents Katalin Novák and Borut Pahor told a joint perss conference after their talks in Ljubljana on Friday. The Hungarian president noted that her meeting with Pahor this week was her second since taking office earlier this year and that her visit to Slovenia was her first official trip to a neighbouring country. Novák praised Hungary and Slovenia’s developing economic ties, highlighting their increasingly close cooperation in infrastructure development.

Slovenia’s Prekmurje (Muravidék) and Hungary’s Rábavidék regions on the border are functioning more and more like a joint economic area,

Novák said, noting the two governments have earmarked an annual 5 million euros each for a five-year economic development plan for the region. The president also highlighted bilateral cooperation in the areas of education, culture, heritage protection and science.

Novák thanked Slovenia for their treatment of their Hungarian minorities. “This becomes even more important in a time of war,” she said. Hungarians in Slovenia can live peacefully, preserving their traditions and their mother tongue, and can contribute to Slovenia’s development without having to give up their Hungarian identity, she said, adding that this was also true of Slovenes living in Hungary.

As regards the war, Novák said Europe needed to remain united in its response to the conflict. It should, however, examine the consequences of its decisions before taking them, she added. Europe must make decisions that primarily hurt Russia, she said.

Read also: President addresses Brazilian literary academy

Novák said the war had also resulted in challenges that affect the entire region, such as the energy situation, price rises, inflation and growing migration pressure. Managing these challenges requires stability, which requires resources she said, adding that Hungary also needed access to the European Union funds it was entitled to.

Meanwhile, Novák expressed Hungary’s support for EU enlargement in the Western Balkans, saying that granting candidate country status to Bosnia and Herzegovina and speeding up Serbia’s accession process were in Europe’s fundamental interest.

Pahor thanked Novák for selecting Slovenia as the first neighbouring country to visit in her capacity as president. “This is a courtesy which signals the continuation of good relations between our two countries”, noting his eight meetings held in the previous ten years with former Hungarian President Janos Ader. “We are living in a very complex geopolitical time which is why we need friends,” Pahor said.

He thanked the Hungarian president for her unconditional support for Slovenia’s position on the EU integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Asked about the war in Ukraine, Pahor said Russia attacked its neighbour “in an illegitimate, immoral manner” in which way it has also attacked collective European values. “We must band together to achieve a just peace, because such a peace will only be lasting if the rights of a country that has been attacked is ensured,” the Slovenian president said.

July 16, 2022

Slovenian, Hungarian presidents start meeting by jogging around Lake Bled

President Katalin Novák went jogging along the shore of Lake Bled with Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor ahead of their meeting on Thursday.

Novák said she had decided with Pahor to start the official programme of her two-day visit with sports activity on the shore of the lake.

“We’re both sportspeople — regular runners and marathon runners — so we’re starting this meeting by jogging together,” she said. “We also want to send the message that sport brings people closer together and helps build close ties.”

Slovenia and Hungary, she added, “are neighbourly countries that maintain very good relations. We want to strengthen these links at presidential level.”

Read also: President to visit Slovenia

On Friday, Novák is scheduled to lay a wreath at the memorial to soldiers who died in wars in Ljubljana and then hold a plenary meeting Pahor. She will follow with bilateral talks with Prime Minister Robert Golob.

She will hold meetings with representatives of the Raba regional Slovenian ethnic community and the Prekmurje Hungarian local government ethnic community (MMÖNK). She is also scheduled to attend the opening of the new MMONK headquarters in Lendava (Lendva).

Read alsoKőszeg, the jewellry box of Western Hungary – PHOTOS

July 15, 2022

President to visit Slovenia

President Katalin Novák is paying an official visit to Slovenia on Thursday, at the invitation of President Borut Pahor.

“Hungary has a vested interest in maintaining a good relationship with its neigbours. Our economic and cultural cooperation is getting stronger, and there is a special focus on Hungarians living in Slovenia and Slovenians living here,” Novák said on Facebook.

President Katalin Novák and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil

Read also Hungarian president: “Bolsonaro and I are ambassadors of peace”

Novák is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Robert Golob and National Assembly President Urska Klakocar Zupancic. She will also attend the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Prekmurje Hungarian local authority in Lendava (Lendva), in north-eastern Slovenia.

Read alsoPresident addresses Brazilian literary academy

July 14, 2022

Kőszeg, the jewellry box of Western Hungary – PHOTOS

Kőszeg, one of Hungary’s most atmospheric small towns is also called the jewellry box of Western Hungary. Read our article and have a look at the photos to get to know more about the charming town of Kőszeg!

Tower of Heroes, Kőszeg

The gate tower was built in eclectic style in 1932, on the 400th anniversary of the Turkish siege. However, the Heroes’ Gate was demolished in 1880. In its place, they built the Lower Gate Towe in the 14th century. The old tower was the most important object of the city’s defense system and the downtown traffic. Today, the Tower of Heroes is home to a museum.

Tower of Heroes, Kőszeg — Tower of Heroes. Photo: Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

Jurisics Castle

Jurisics Castle is the largest monument complex in Kőszeg. Its late Gothic and early Renaissance corridor is one of the most beautiful heritages of Hungarian castle architecture. It suffered its most well-known siege in 1532 from the large Turkish fleet of Sultan Süleymán. In the courtyard stands the statue of Miklós Jurisics – the captain of the castle during the Turkish siege.

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Jurisics Castle, Kőszeg. Photo: Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

Church of Saint Imre

Originally, this lovely church belonged to the city’s Hungarian-speaking Protestant congregation. However, in 1673, it was handed over to the Catholics. The building has a Gothic style, and it largely resembles the St. James Church standing next to it. The Church of Saint Imre is located near the castle and the tower.

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Church of Saint Imre, Kőszeg — Church of Saint Imre. Photo: Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

Town House Kőszeg

The Town House is not only beautiful but also bears a unique history. From the 14-15th century onward, city leaders held meetings and court hearings in this building. In addition, until 1848, part of the village’s wine was kept in the cellar, which they then measured to the residents on the spot.

Kálvária Church and lookout tower

Only a 20-minute walk from downtown, the lookout tower invites visitors to admire the city views. Another 10-minute from the tower, and the Kálvária Church emerges. Active travelers should check out the hiking trails, as they offer beautiful scenery of the neighbouring mountains.

Kőszeg mountains. Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

Lookout tower, Kőszeg — Lookout tower. Photo: Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

Kálvária Church, Kőszeg — Kálvária Church. Szijártó Hajnalka @dailynewshungary

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July 13, 2022

President addresses Brazilian literary academy

Hungary’s family policy aims to restore the social recognition of raising a family by offering financial support, tax cuts, and an expanded creche network, President Katalin Novák said in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.

Addressing the Academia Paulista de Letras, Novák noted that Hungary’s Fundamental Law defines marriage as the voluntary union of a man and a woman, and declares all life protected from the moment of conception. The Fundamental Law has been amended recently to contain the definition of the father as a man and the mother as a woman, she added.

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Hungary spends over 6 percent of its GDP on family support, the president said, adding that the number of marriages doubled and the number of abortions halved in the past decade, while the readiness to raise children was rowing steadily.

Ahead of the event, Novák handed the Hungarian Order of Merit, Knight’s Cross, to Ferenc Hegyi, the head of the Hungarian House in Sao Paulo, in recognition of his work preserving the national identity of Hungarians living there.

Novák was welcomed to the Academia Paulista de Letras and introduced by academy head Jose Renato Nalini.

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July 13, 2022

Fuel rods used in Paks to be delivered via Romania, Bulgaria

fuel_rods_reactor_paks_nuclear_power_plant

Hungary and Romania are in talks on creating new transport routes for nuclear fuel rods and increasing the capacity of the gas interconnector between the two countries, Péter Szijjártó, the minister of foreign affairs and trade, said in Bucharest on Tuesday.

After talks with his Romanian counterpart, Bogdan Lucian Aurescu, Szijjártó told a joint press conference that both countries had made significant efforts to strengthen energy security and diversify resources.

The ministers discussed increasing the capacity of the Romanian-Hungarian interconnector. This year, Romania received more than 600 million cubic meters of natural gas from Hungary through an interconnector with a maximum capacity of 2.6 billion cubic meters, Szijjártó noted. Hungary received 300 million cubic meters through the interconnector, which has a maximum capacity of 1.7 billion cubic meters in that direction, he said. The capacity from Romania to Hungary is planned to be increased to 3 billion cubic meters in the long run, he said.

In view of interruptions of supply on Nord Stream-1, the gas pipeline connecting Russia with Germany, Hungary’s government has decided to boost southern supply lines, he said. “Southern routes are worth boosting also because new resources can only be expected from there, whether through LNG terminals in Greece or natural gas coming from Turkey or Azerbaijan,” he said.

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Also,

Hungary has received fuel rods via Ukraine so far, and has now started talks on replacing that route with one through Bulgaria and Romania,

he said. Hungary and Romania are facing “the same threats to their physical, economic and energy supply security in these critical times”, Szijjártó said.

Hungary, in particular, is under dual pressure from the 830,000 refugees arriving “from the East” and the 110,000 illegal immigrants it had stopped at its southern borders this year, he said. “We are having to face outrageous aggression and violence on our southern border, as groups of migrants are arming themselves — while they are using those weapons against each other at times, they are also threatening the forces that protect the Hungarian border,” he said.

“We will help everyone fleeing the war in Ukraine, but the strong protection on our southern borders conveys the message to illegal migrants that they should not come here because we won’t let them in, no matter how violent they are,” he said.

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Regarding bilateral cooperation between Romania and Hungary, Szijjártó said bilateral trade hit a record 10-11 billion euros last year, and has grown by 30 percent so far this year.

Hungarian companies such as MOL, OTP and Richter play an important role in Romania’s economic success,

he said.

Hungary and Romania both support the European integration of the Western Balkans, he said. Meanwhile, both have offered to open transport routes for grain stranded in Ukraine due to the war, he added.

Later on Tuesday, Szijjártó is scheduled to meet Deputy Prime Minister Hunor Kelemen, Energy Minister Virgil-Daniel Popescu, as well as Constantin Cadariu, the minister responsible for tourism and entrepreneurship, Sports Minister Károly Eduárd Novák, and Attila Cseke, the minister for development and public administration.

July 12, 2022

Hungarian president: “Bolsonaro and I are ambassadors of peace”

President Katalin Novák met Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia, declaring: “President Bolsonaro and I are ambassadors of peace.” The war in Ukraine, bilateral cooperation, aid to persecuted Christians and family policy were among topics on the agenda for talks between President Katalin Novák, and her Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia.

“Brazil is a peace-loving country which has not seen war in the past 100 years, and everyone wants this to remain so,” Novak told the press after talks with the Brazilian president. “We’d like Hungary, too, to be untouched by war,” she said.

Bolsonaro said his main ambition was to protect family values, press freedom and democracy. He added that he had discussed with Novak trade issues, future cooperation and economic relations. The Brazilian president said relations were developing steadily, including in the context of the defence industry.

“Some 100,000 Hungarians live among us, and we are a country where we all live in peace,” he said. Referring to the war in Ukraine, Bolsonaro said he had spoken at length with President Putin. “The truth sometimes hurts, but there’s no alternative to peaceful coexistence,” Bolsonaro said.

Bolsonaro said Novák’s visit was a “great honour”,

adding that Hungary and Brazil had common interests such as defending the home country, as well as protecting families and promoting freedom.

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Novák and Bolsonaro agreed on the necessity of an early peace agreement in Ukraine, Novák said in a press statement after the talks. She added that both parties offered their mediation to talks between Russia and Ukraine.

She noted that the war has been going on for 138 days. “We condemn the attack, but at the same time we consider peace to be most important,” Novák said, adding that she had asked her Brazilian counterpart to use his country’s influence to help bring the war to an end as soon as possible.

Novák noted cooperation with Brazil in the areas of farming, food production and water management, as well as joint efforts to help persecuted Christian communities across the world, a new area of cooperation.

Novák emphasised that her visit to Brazil is her first foreign trip outside Europe as president, underlining the importance of bilateral cooperation. Brazil is an important partner and the two countries are strengthening their diplomatic and economic ties as well as cooperation in science and education, she said. She noted that Hungary has purchased two military transport aircraft from Brazil, to be put into service next year. Concerning family policy, Novák said that like the rest of the developed world, Brazil was also starting to see a drop in the birth rate and marriages. She welcomed Bolsonaro’s commitment to supporting traditional families.

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“We’re doing the same thing in Hungary, and this has delivered tangible results,” Novak said, arguing that the number of marriages had doubled while the number of abortions had fallen by half and more couples were committed to becoming parents. “Hungarians and Brazilians know that our future lies in the support of our children and traditional families,” Novák said. “We agree that the mother is a woman and the father a man.”

“We stand with families and persecuted Christians, but we say no to mass migration because we can see its harmful effects,” she added.

July 12, 2022