Hungarian Conservative

‘The 2024 elections will be crucial for Austria’s political future. The country faces significant challenges, from economic austerity to migration and climate protection, all of which will generate intense debates during the election campaign. While the FPÖ’s rise ought to bring radical changes, it remains uncertain whether they will secure a place in government.’

Ukraine’s decision not to renew its contract with Gazprom has raised concerns in many about how Russian gas will reach Europe in the future. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Russia could still meet European customers’ needs through the Turkish Stream pipeline, but at a higher cost than before. This latest move by Ukraine poses yet another threat to Hungary’s energy security.

The cancellation of American singer Taylor Swift’s three concerts in Vienna due to a terror threat has once again highlighted the serious consequences of Brussels’ flawed migration policy. Balázs Orbán, the political director of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, emphasized the need for a fundamental change in the Western attitude towards the future of our society and culture to protect our children.

‘At the moment, there seem to be many priorities, ranging from transgender issues to the fight against climate change. However, the focus on making the European Union a competitive, attractive place to do business and fostering the best or most innovation in the world is lacking,’ former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz pointed out in an interview with Hungarian Conservative.

The Hungarian economy grew by 1.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2024, remaining above the EU average. The countries of the eurozone are expected to continue weakening, especially the German economy, which is not a good sign for Hungary. Considering the data, there is a more urgent need than ever to boost the EU’s competitiveness, which is a key priority of the Hungarian EU Presidency.

While left-wing EU politicians are trying to organize a boycott of Hungary’s presidency of the EU Council, Chancellor Karl Nehammer of Austria has stated that he and the ministers of his party is not willing to take part in it, and vowed they will ‘continue to participate in sessions and meetings of the EU Council Presidency’.

In this analysis the number of right-wing MEPs who won seats in the 2019 European parliamentary elections are compared to how many seats right-wing parties are predicted to win this year. The countries covered are Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.

According to State Secretary for Assisting Persecuted Christians and Implementing the Hungary Helps Program Tristan Azbej the purpose of the meeting was for the Hungarian government to share its knowledge and experience regarding Hungary’s policy of aiding persecuted Christians.

In the midst of tensions among the Visegrád Group countries, Viktor Orbán spoke about the potential for a partnership between Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia. In what areas could these countries cooperate, and what difficulties might impede such a partnership?

How should we Hungarians relate to our heroic dead who perished in the two world wars? Some thoughts and proposals by our Sopron-based contributor Botond Szabó.

Following the meeting with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Szijjártó disclosed that consultations have begun to ensure the success of Hungary’s rotating EU presidency in the latter half of 2024.

In Hungary, it costs about half as much to get a driver’s licence as in Austria. Since all EU Member States accept each other’s licences as valid, more and more Austrian citizens are coming over to take advantage of the price difference, bringing a lot of business to driving schools in Western Hungary.

The participants of the conference agreed to hold regular meetings to assess migration processes, said President of the Visegrád Four and Interior Minister of the Czech Republic Vít Rakušan in Budapest on Monday.

The daily operation of the Hungarian railways is hampered by profound structural problems. It is not only a lack of sufficient funding but also the absence of a consistent and comprehensive development strategy that causes the ever-growing woes.

The Mariazell Basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary is one of Austria’s most popular tourist attractions and a national pilgrimage site. Its foundation dates back to the mid-12th century, yet the construction and re-foundation of the present church in the 1370s was due to a generous donation from King Louis the Great of Hungary.

Faludy, one of the greatest Hungarian poets and literary translators of the 20th century, never really found his place in any system; he sooner or later became a nuisance to everyone, and even if sometimes made compromises, always did so provocatively, originally and with talent.

Over this past weekend that saw the 20 August celebrations and the grand opening of the Budapest World Athletics Championships, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with the leaders of several countries, creating a one-off diplomacy summit in Hungary.

Hungarian Ombudsman Ákos Kozma urged his Austrian counterpart Gaby Schwarz in a letter sent earlier this week to help find a solution to the conflict around the Ágfalva–Schattendorf border crossing.

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told the audience in Esztergom that he had a great relationship with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during his time in public office. The two statesmen were among the first to raise concerns about the incoming wave of migration into Europe back in 2015. Meanwhile, Michael Knowles took a strong stance against transgenderism and talked at length about the difference between the liberal and conservative understanding of freedom.

Although it is perfectly legitimate to suggest that the noise pollution caused by the huge number of vehicles passing through his town needs to be addressed, the solution is not to penalise those who cross the border. Possible, more constructive solutions may include the improvement of the community transport infrastructure at local level or the opening of new crossing points so that those wishing to enter Austria are distributed more proportionately.

Speaking at the farewell of the Hungarian police contingent heading to Serbia, Bence Rétvári reminded that Hungary is already engaged in a trilateral cooperation with Austrian police, jointly protecting the southern borders of the European Union. The success of this police collaboration is evident in the significant number of illegal migrants that have been apprehended during recent times.

The debates between the Hungarian government and the European Commission often grab the headlines in the international media these years, with the issues of contention between Budapest and the EC usually being co-existence, sovereignty, and shared responsibility. However, there is indeed nothing new under the sun: Hungary had to grapple with such issues under the more than 300 years of Habsburg rule.

Another summit of the intergovernmental cooperation between Austria, Hungary, and Serbia took place on 7 July in Vienna, Austria. Apart from the heads of state and government, the three nations’ ministers of foreign affairs, and domestic and law enforcement leaders also took part in the conference, held at the Austrian Chancellor’s residence. The Vienna Summit was organised in the wake of Hungary and Poland officially objecting to the migration package at the European Commission’s 30 June session.

On 28 June 1914, 109 years ago today, at around 11 o’clock in the morning, a 20-year-old anarchist assassin, Gavrilo Princip, fired several shots at the Archduke of the Austro–Hungarian Empire and his wife. The Sarajevo assassination became the casus belli for the ‘Great War’, as it was called back then, i.e., the First World War.

For nature enthusiasts, a visit to the picturesque shores of Lake Fertő/Neusiedl is an absolute must. The beauty of Lake Fertő and its captivating surroundings has earned it a spot on the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. It was the joint efforts of Austria and Hungary that resulted in its inclusion on the list, and today the two countries’ have joined forces to safeguard the national park that spans both sides of the border—on the Hungarian part this territory is called the Fertő-Hanság National Park.

The organisation is doing everything to bring Pepsi back home. Balogh stated that the newly inaugurated Szentkirályi PET bottling line is capable of creating Pepsi products, but further investments are needed, such as establishing a water purification base and a syrup kitchen.

The Hungarian capital leads the list of World Heritage sites on the European continent, ahead of Lübeck in Germany and the Tower of London.

May this day also be the day when, contrary to the will of so many, we turn to our still-existing and beautiful country, which is prosperous to an extent never seen in history before, and consider, each and every one of us, how we can help it make no more mistakes.

György Hölvényi underscored the importance of exercising caution with the concept of Schengen and open borders. It represents an economic and political opportunity that can be mishandled, potentially signalling Europe’s disintegration if not properly managed. Ensuring proper protection of external borders is essential to avoid issues emerging with internal borders, he warned.

Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg announced on Monday that his ministry would summon the Hungarian ambassador. Regarding the release of human smugglers by the Budapest administration, Schallenberg stated that the development sends ‘a completely wrong signal’ and demanded full clarification from Hungary on the matter.