The Budapest Business Journal sat down with the two vice presidents of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKIFH), Zsuzsa Szabados and László Lengyel. They outlined what their organization is doing to help Hungarian companies with innovation and compete better on the international market, thus raising Hungary’s national competitiveness.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked the European Council for nothing less than nuclear weapons or a NATO membership. The Ukrainian president presented his five-point ‘victory plan’ to EU leaders on Thursday, which is more of a wish list than an actual plan. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called it a ‘lose-lose situation’ and firmly stated that Hungary will not participate in it.
‘Donald Trump’s ‘‘peace through strength’’ strategy had given the impression that he was stronger than his opponent in foreign policy, especially since no new wars were initiated under his presidential term. Harris, on the other hand, has been desperately attempting to prove that she can offer the kind of muscular leadership expected by Americans from their commander in chief.’
An in-depth interview with Zsuzsa Csajkás, co-founder of both the South Florida Hungarian Kids Club and the Hungarian Chamber of Business and Commerce in Florida. Born in Csíkszereda (Miercurea Ciuc, Transylvania), she moved to the States for better opportunities and later to pursue a business career, only to then become deeply involved in the life of the Hungarian American community after the birth of her son.
An in-depth interview with Anna (Panni) De Cheke Qualls, co-founder of the Hungarian Folklife Association, who moved to the States as a child with her family in the 1980s, then became actively involved in Hungarian folk dancing after her son, Leó became passionate about it. Now mother and son dance together in the Tisza Ensemble and Bátori Folk Dance Ensemble, where Panni also volunteers.
Hungary’s strategic focus on Central Asia positions it as one of the key players in strengthening economic ties between the EU and the region. As outlined in the programme of Hungary’s presidency of the Council of the EU, the country has been planning to further strengthen its economic ties with Central Asia, building on the New EU Central Asia Strategy adopted by the EU in 2019, which aligns closely with Hungary’s own regional interests.
Minister of Transportation Miri Regev of Israel thanked the Hungarian government on behalf of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu for its unwavering support for Israel since the 7 October Hamas attack at the second International Pro-Israel Summit, hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights in Budapest, Hungary. Witnesses of the attack also took the stage at the event.
Parties belonging to Patriots for Europe (PfE) are achieving electoral successes one after the other: first, Andrej Babiš’s ANO party secured a major victory in the Czech regional and senate elections, followed by Herbert Kickl’s FPÖ emerging as the leading party in the Austrian parliamentary elections. These results indicate that the preferences of the European electorate align closely with the vision of the political group co-founded by Viktor Orbán, which continues to gain strength day by day.
The ‘Friends of Peace’ group was established at the United Nations last Friday on Hungary’s initiative. Led by China and Brazil, the 15-member group aims to facilitate the initiation of peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine and promote the implementation of the key points of the Sino–Brazilian peace plan.
On 27 September an online conference organized jointly by the Diaspora Project Network of the University of Pécs and Kerko Media Ltd. featured Hungarian communities in San Francisco and its vicinity. The livestreamed discussion, followed in more than ten countries, was an impressive presentation of the diverse voluntary activities and exemplary cooperation of Hungarian organizations.