Hungarian Conservative

One of the 21st century’s greatest scientific questions is whether humans have free will. This year’s Brain Bar will give special attention to this topic, with notable guest speakers such as Avi Loeb, Gerard Barron, and Lars Chittka.

During the week innovation events will be hosted by organizations such as EduTech Hungary, the Hungarian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (HVCA), the Vienna Business Agency, the Hungarian Project Management Association, RInnoValleys, and the Hungarian Business Angel Network (HUNBAN).

During the summer’s largest music festival in Hungary, approximately 160,000 foreign guests arrived, spending 10 per cent more nights in Budapest than during last year’s event. Considering foreign travellers, the most visitors once again came from the Netherlands, followed by Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain, according to the Hungarian Tourism Agency.

Hungary’s first smart kindergarten has opened its doors, providing children with the opportunity to learn the skills they need to start school in the most modern conditions. However, the kindergarten is not just smart in terms of its equipment; the education offered is also digitally focused and tailored to meet the demands of the digital age.

According to information from the parliament’s press office, Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament László Kövér informed his Indonesian counterpart Puan Maharani about the Hungarian government’s commitment to deepening relations with partners in Southeast Asia with the aim of finding joint answers to global challenges.

Alongside students from 14 other countries, a Hungarian student is participating in a scientific expedition to the Arctic, sponsored by Russia’s Rosatom. The expedition aims to equip participants with a broad range of knowledge about the northernmost region of our planet. On 17 August Levente Varga raised the Hungarian national flag at the North Pole, which he described as the experience of a lifetime.

Since some data indicated that a storm was inbound, a task force gathered to assess whether or not the fireworks show could be safely held. Albeit with an hour delay, it was eventually allowed to move forward, with over 45,000 individual pyrotechnical effects and 1,300 drones entertaining the crowd.

Following Hungary’s defeat in the First World War, the victors’ intentions were clear concerning our country: to impose punishments that would result, if not in the short term but in the long term, in the total disappearance of the former Central European superpower…The pain caused by Trianon and the desire to do something about it prompted Nándor Urmánczy, the ‘uncompromising Hungarian’ and a member of parliament of Transylvanian origin, to initiate and announce the National Flag Movement in 1925.

The iconic McDonald’s at Budapest’s Nyugati Railway Station has reopened after over six months of renovation work that cost 1.8 billion HUF. Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful McDonald’s outlets in the world, the renovation was carefully designed to preserve its unique and historic features.

Hungary’s first Hilton hotel outside Budapest has opened in Debrecen. According to the city’s mayor, László Papp, the new hotel was created in appreciation of the touristic appeal of the city. In fact, tourism figures for the first half of 2024 have already surpassed those of last year’s record-breaking year, giving cause for optimism. Interestingly, Hilton Budapest, which opened in 1977, was the first Hilton on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain.

This year’s St Stephen’s Day fireworks will be made spectacular by the use of fireworks mortars, grapeshot, Roman candles, Greek fire, spark fountains, and flame effects. More than 29,000 pyrotechnic products will be launched from approximately 500 launch points—including nine river barges, 65 pontoons, and the Liberty, Elizabeth, and Margaret Bridges.

The renovation process began with assessing the area’s condition and conducting archaeological excavations. Currently, the reconstruction of the Citadel’s exterior and interior walls is underway in several stages, while the restoration of the inner courtyard is also in progress. As part of the development, green spaces will increase by one and a half times, and a new public park will be created within the fortress walls.

At first glance, today’s cinema culture in Budapest seems very bipolar. There seems to be a tension between those who believe that traditional screening venues are long out of date and those who doubt whether a multiplex experience can be called cinema at all. One thing is certain: the story of Budapest’s cinema culture continues to unfold every day, and the main protagonists are us, cinema lovers.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary reportedly pledged to President Zelenskyy of Ukraine that he would provide state funding for a Ukrainian-Hungarian bilingual school during their July 2024 meeting, and he has followed through with his pledge.

After the expansion of the so-called National Card scheme for which Russian and Belarusian nationals have now also become eligible, Budapest came under fire from Brussels politicians who claimed the measure poses a security risk to Europe. However, the conditions under which Russian nationals can enter and work in Hungary have not significantly changed with the introduction of the National Card and are comparable to the visa regimes of other European countries, which in fact allow Russians to apply for long-term visas in a much more generous way than Hungary and yet have never been pilloried for it.

In comparison, Barcelona announced in June that short-term rentals would be banned from 2028, while New York has been restricting Airbnbs since September 2023, with the effects of the regulations already observable in the city.

This weekend’s race promises excitement on the track, with four teams appearing to be in contention for victory. As a unique circuit often likened to ‘Monaco without the walls,’ the Hungaroring might disrupt the usual competitive hierarchy.

The new regulation does not apply to all electric scooters: scooters weighing more than 25 kilograms require insurance if their design speed exceeds 14 km/h, and all scooters require insurance if their design speed exceeds 25 km/h, regardless of weight. It is not yet clear how authorities will determine the design speed of a given vehicle on the spot.

Katalin Karikó and Ferenc Krausz had seen the designs and ‘gave their blessing’ to the project. The creation of the Wall of Nobel Laureates, designed by Péter Csuth and realized by the Colourful City Group, was supported by the Hungarian government.

The Hungarian team won the combined event in 11:56.66 minutes, surpassing the second-best Ukrainians by 36 seconds.

The Hungarian Defence Forces’ Basic Non-Commissioned Officer Course (AAT), a one-year programme, has equipped the newly graduating non-commissioned officers with various skills. With these capabilities, they will not only be able to fulfill their leadership duties but also serve the nation in a manner befitting and worthy of an NCO, Command Sergeant Major of the Hungarian Defence Forces Zoltán Kaszab stated during an internal inauguration ceremony held at the barracks’ assembly ground. This year’s NCO inauguration will be held on Saturday, 13 July, at Heroes’ Square in Budapest.

After the three-day recount, it was confirmed that Karácsony received 371,538 votes, while Vitézy received 371,245.

The Metrodome Group, active in the Budapest real estate market since 1996, is opening its first representative office in Israel to offer investment opportunities in the Hungarian capital to Israeli investors. Among the many positive arguments in favour of Budapest, one that stands out is that Hungary remains one of the safest countries for the Jewish community in Europe.

In December last year a new law created a distinct category for ‘EU minorities’ in Ukraine (such as the Hungarian and Romanian ethnic minorities) that now have access to more privileges than for instance the Russian minority. Later, as a sign of goodwill to better relations, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó visited Ukraine. Now, with the meeting between Orbán and Zelenskyy the two country’s relationship is officially warming up. If in the long-term Budapest does manage to considerably contribute to peace between Russia and Ukraine, as it clearly intends to, it might have a long-lasting positive impact on bilateral relations.

Budapest residents and tourists visiting the capital will enjoy the most spectacular fireworks display ever. More people will be able to enjoy the play of fire and light than before: instead of the previous 4.3 km, it will be visible for over five kilometres along the Danube, extending all the way to Margaret Island, and this time covering three central city bridges instead of two.

In his regular Friday interview with public Kossuth radio Orbán emphasized that Hungary, as the rotating president of the European Union, does not have the mandate to negotiate peace in the Russo–Ukrainian war on behalf of the EU. However, he can assess the situation to understand each party’s position.

More than 20 cyclists will represent Hungary, for whom the event is important to accumulate international ranking points. The slow start of the Hungarian stage will take place on Saturday at Carl Lutz quay, in front of the Vogue event ship, and after a sharp start in Budakeszi, the peloton will cover 138.5 kilometres to the finish line set up at the Pannonhalma Abbey.

On Sunday, 30 June 2024 Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared that a new era in European politics has begun. At a press conference held jointly with Herbert Kickl and Andrej Babiš PM Orbán outlined the vision for a revamped European political alliance. The new political family aims to reshape the landscape of European governance and address the pressing issues faced by the continent, the Hungarian prime minister said.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2024, Budapest is in the top five in the category of cities that have improved the most over the past twelve months. The Hungarian capital scored 92.0 out of 100 points, moving up seven places to rank 32nd.

The Ratha-yātrā Chariot Festival will be held for the 28th time in Budapest this Saturday; it will later merge with the India Festival held in City Park on the same day. The programmes are free to attend.