Hungary and Ukraine became embroiled in a bitter dispute over Hungary’s long-term natural gas supply agreement with Russia. The two countries issued stern statements as the diplomatic squabble escalated. Governments in Kyiv and Budapest are embroiled in a political standoff after Hungary signed an agreement with Russia on long-term natural gas supply. The dispute ensued […]
Without parliamentary debate and with a majority of 112 votes in favor and 25 against, the Hungary’s ruling party Fidesz has once again extended the state of emergency and the emergency regulations, which will now last until January 1 next year. The government had previously said on the extension of the emergency that, as the […]
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán put forward USD2 billion in income tax refunds for families as the government gears up its campaign ahead of next year’s general elections. Polls suggest that Orbán’s cabinet faces a competitive race for the first time in a decade in the 2022 vote. Millions of Hungarian parents will receive partial […]
Hungary’s government stressed that it will not permit an unrestricted inflow of migrants from Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover of the country. Meanwhile, Hungary is planning an evacuation operation to bring the remaining Hungarians and Afghans, who aided Hungary out of the capital, Kabul. The Hungarian government will not allow Afghan migrants to enter the […]
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced this week that his government will hold a referendum on the country's controversial new LGBTQ law. The move comes after the act received heavy criticism from Brussels, EU member states and rights organizations. Hungarians will have to answer five questions on the bill that would forbid showing gay and […]
Hungary’s relations with the European Union took a turn for the worse after the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán passed a law that was heavily criticized for discriminating against LGBTQ people. EU lawmakers are urging the decision-making bodies in Brussels to punish Hungary by blocking funds from the EU stimulus package. Hungary came under […]
The European Union condemned a recently passed Hungarian law that bans the portrayal and the promotion of gender identity different from sex at birth, the change of sex and homosexuality to minors. Several thousand demonstrators took to the streets of Budapest to protest the law passed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party and […]
Szombathely, in the Western part of the country, is the happiest city in Hungary, followed by Nyíregyháza, according to research conducted on the occasion of World Happiness Day by the Jobb Veled a Világ (The World is Better with You) foundation. According to an announcement carried by the state news agency MTI, the Positive Psychology […]
The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), the oldest political foundation in Germany, has been represented in Budapest since 1990. Its goal in Hungary is to promote political dialogue between Hungary and Germany as well as member states, the exchange of analysis, views and concepts. As the leadership of the Foundation tells Diplomacy&Trade, when the Friedrich Ebert […]
The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), a German foundation that has over 110 offices worldwide, has been in Hungary for more than three decades. The Foundation was established some 60 years ago to promote democratic development in Germany. It stands close to the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and is governed by Christian values. Its guiding principles […]
Speaking at the weekly government info event, Gergely Gulyás, the Minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, announced that all shops must close between March 8 and 22, with primary schools and nurseries remaining shut until April 7. The government information website's English version quotes Minister Gulyás as saying that “while Hungary is currently the third […]
Hungary and the EU are locked in a number of legal disputes over several laws passed by the government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Brussels is resorting to various measures as it seeks to pressure Hungary to abide by the rulings of the European Court of Justice and the stipulations of EU law. Hungary and […]
The two-thirds governing majority in Hungarian parliament voted for a further extension of the state of emergency and emergency regulations – with no opposition MPs backing the proposal. After the expiration of the state of emergency in early February, the government first extended it for fifteen days under its own authority, and then it was […]
This Tuesday, the governing majority in Hungarian Parliament passed the 9th modification to the Fundamental Law (that is, the country's consitution) since that was adopted in 2011, redefining public money and the concept of family, among others. The amendment defines the concept of public money "in order to develop a uniform practice for constitutional bodies." […]
As of January 1, 2021, tourist accommodation places in Hungary will be required to send digitally read data from their guests' personal identification documents to the Hungarian state. A Hungarian firm has now come up with a device of affordable price to meet this requirements. The essence of the GoodID Scanner is that one can […]
