’From now on, we don’t want to hear from the Americans about how democracy works here, how institutions function, or what the rule of law entails,’ Péter Szijjártó stated in Budapest on Thursday, commenting on the most recent developments in the United States aimed at excluding Donald Trump from the presidential race.

Szijjártó urged the start of genuine European Union accession negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia. He emphasized that Europe is facing extraordinary economic and security challenges, making the stability and peace of the Western Balkans more crucial than ever.

Iliana Ivanova remarked on the unfortunate situation where young people are missing out on opportunities, emphasizing, however, that ‘rules are rules and must be adhered to.’

Previously, there were discussions of buying out the airport with the participation of Hungarian private investors and major corporations, but despite reportedly advanced negotiations, the transaction was postponed in 2021 citing unfavourable Hungarian and international financial conditions.

This is not the first instance of the ambassador offering an unsolicited opinion about Hungary’s past. Last year, he published a message regarding the 1956 revolution, drawing parallels with the Russo-Ukrainian war, and this spring he lauded the Soviet Red Army that occupied Hungary in 1945.

Addressing the conference of Hungarian chiefs of mission, President of the Republic Katalin Novák also spoke about Hungary’s commitment to the rights and language use of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia, emphasizing that Hungary will continue to adhere to this in the future. She stated that nobody can expect Hungary to make concessions or compromises concerning the rights of the Hungarian population in Transcarpathia.

At the opening of the academic year of the University of Public Service, Balázs Orbán highlighted the importance of the state gaining the trust of its citizens and foreign partners, and its task to facilitate the building of relationships in the fields of economy and culture.

‘Since the European Union currently refuses to contribute to the financing, Brussels has lost any right to intervene in where Central European countries, including Hungary, source their natural gas from,’ Péter Szijjártó stated.

Szijjártó emphasized that Hungary wants a strong EU, but this is only possible if member states are strong enough. However, for this to happen, nations need to stick to their traditions, their history, and have the freedom to live their religion.

The robust recovery of inbound tourism greatly contributed to the positive tourism results in July. Compared to the same month last year, nearly a fifth more foreign guests, totalling 900,000, overnighted in Hungary.

The credit rating agency expects a three per cent economic growth in Hungary next year, supported by strong exports, a high investment rate, and rising real wages.

The Hungarian community in Mukachevo has been harassed in a number of ways by the Ukrainian local authorities over the past year. Beside the attacks on the Hungarian secondary school, the municipality has been waging a war on all Hungarian symbols in the town, ordering the removal of Hungarian flags from public buildings and of the Turul statue from the Munkács Castle.

At the academic year opening of Milton Friedman University, State Secretary in charge of higher education Balázs Hankó underscored that Hungarian universities are performing increasingly well amidst intensifying international competition. While four years ago, Hungary had seven institutions in the top five per cent of the world’s universities, and two years ago, there were nine, today there are already eleven.

The social media giant’s owner commented on Tucker Carlon’s interview with PM Viktor Orbán on X (Twitter), praising Hungary for its family protection measures. In response, President Novák invited him to the Budapest Demographic Summit this fall. Jordan Peterson also joined the discussion.

The national solar energy map project aims to promote the use of solar energy and to provide information about the solar energy potential of the residences of those who are considering investing in installing solar panels.

In a recent opinion piece published on POLITICO, Alex Soros stated that the OSF is not pulling out of Eastern Europe and will continue to stand by all those who defend democratic rights ‘in the face of autocrats and would-be dictators’.

Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár announced near Nyírmeggyes in Szabolcs–Szatmár–Bereg County that the construction of the first, 28-kilometre-long segment of the expressway being built in two phases between the M3 motorway and the Hungarian–Romanian border has begun, with an investment of approximately 175 billion forints by Duna Aszfalt.

Hungary will not decide on any further funding for arms or anything related to Ukraine until it receives ‘a detailed, clear account of how the approximately 50-70 billion euros sent to Ukraine so far have been spent,’ Minister Szijjártó nailed down this morning, before he left for the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Toledo, Spain.

According to Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár, in the new Hungarian settlement type of the 21st century the countryside merges with the metropolis.

According to Minister Szijjártó, Hungary has undoubtedly become a leader in the continuously advancing automotive industry transformation, and the city of Debrecen has turned into an important global centre for the sector.

According to the survey, conducted both during peak and off-peak hours, 93 per cent of passengers automatically validate their passes upon boarding, indicating that most are well-informed about the use of the new system. Passengers who did not validate their passes were, in the vast majority of cases, reminded by the bus drivers to do so.

The current development, funded by the government with two billion forints, is a significant step forward for the emergency system. Moreover, the budget for the healthcare sector for the coming year includes an additional 425 billion Hungarian forints.

Katalin Novák thanked Giorgia Meloni for accepting her invitation to speak at the fifth Budapest Demographic Summit, which will take place between 14 and 16 September. The summit is one of Hungary’s largest international conferences on demographics.

Groups of 140–180 individuals have been attempting to cross the border fence using ladders in the areas of Ásotthalom and Mórahalom, with human traffickers waiting on the Hungarian side, ready to move those who manage to cross towards the West. ‘The police and border patrol units are engaged in proper combat,’ according to the PM’s Chief Security Advisor György Bakondi.

The government does not intend to hinder Sweden’s NATO membership, the Hungarian foreign minister stressed, noting that he has been in continuous consultation with Turkish leaders regarding both the Swedish and earlier, the Finnish NATO accession. Regarding the Ukrainian conflict, Szijjártó stated that as a neighbouring country, Hungary is in a unique position due to the large Hungarian community living in Transcarpathia.

‘And here we come. Our time has come because by becoming the meeting point of Eastern and Western investments, we provide a life insurance for Hungary, we provide a guarantee that in the coming years, Hungary will be the winner of the big global economic transformation that the automotive revolution dictates,’ Péter Szijjártó said.

The PM, speaking at the Tranzit festival, pointed out: the first thing young people need to clarify is whether there is a homeland, and whether being Hungarian matters. According to Orbán, one needs to ask oneself the question whether being Hungarian is the result of a biological coincidence, or that by being born Hungarian, one entered a situation, a context, a flow. Once a person has clarified this, it is possible to stand firmly on the ground, he declared.

‘Big companies are coming to Hungary with R&D budgets that are significant in themselves. Rheinmetall, for one, is the twenty-fourth largest company in the world’, Hungarian Ministerial Commissioner Imre Porkoláb underlined in a recent interview.

István Pálffy, who returned to television as an on-screen talent after 13 years, was interviewing 2022 opposition candidate Péter Márki-Zay when he inexplicably made the claim that ‘we should demonstrate certain patience towards an illness like that of paedophiles’. He was fired after just one day.

The gross average earnings were 16.0 per cent higher, and the net average earnings were 15.9 per cent higher compared to the same period last year, as reported by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) on Thursday.