Hungarian Conservative

Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated in a recent interview that a point has been reached where starting negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine can no longer be postponed. Stubb’s statement echoes the proposals of Viktor Orbán, which the Hungarian Prime Minister submitted to European Council President Charles Michel following his peace mission in early July.

‘If Europe wants peace and wants to have a decisive say in the settlement of the war and the end of the bloodshed, then a change of direction must be worked out and implemented now,’ Balázs Orbán said in an interview with Magyar Nemzet. The political director of the Hungarian Prime Minister discussed Viktor Orbán’s recent peace mission and also commented on the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to consider a time-bound ceasefire during talks in Kyiv on Tuesday. The two leaders discussed contentious issues between their countries, both described the meeting as constructive.

‘It is debatable whether the COP negotiations themselves achieve much, given that a global consensus is typically only possible when the wording is so vague as to mean anything, which is closer to meaning nothing than something…What is clear, however, is that COP has been co-opted by the very form of political economy that provoked its existence. Much like Dubai itself, this is the sort of event that only late-stage capitalism might produce—a monument to the branding-industrial complex. One cannot help but sense that in its contradictions and shallow affect, COP is less a cure for what ails us, but rather a symptom of the problem to be cured.’

The regulations of the new pact include, for instance, faster processing of asylum applications, more efficient return of those who do not have the right to stay in the EU, and solidarity in the distribution of migrants between Member States.

The minister underscored that strengthening ties with the United Arab Emirates, a significant economic and military power in the Gulf region, can complement Hungary’s defence development programme, whether it involves defence-oriented research, innovation, or the manufacturing of military equipment.

The contract extension for the Hungarian Grand Prix Formula 1 race will cover the comprehensive renovation of the Hungaroring, currently underway and scheduled to be completed by 2026.

The political director of the Prime Minister emphasized that the EU treaty is unequivocal: expanding the EU requires the consent of the member states, and Hungary’s rights cannot be restricted beyond a certain extent by any procedural rule.

Regarding the acceptance of the fifty billion euros financial package for Ukraine, he noted that it would have meant a serious and immediate detriment to Hungary. ‘We see that the European Union wants to finance a failed strategy, and it makes no sense whatsoever,’ he expressed.

The government resolution to continue the development at Hungary’s most famous racing track, Hungaroring has been adopted. The next phase of the upgrade will bring the quality of the Mogyoród track to the expected level of Formula 1.

Tibor Navracsics claims the Hungarian government has fulfilled all the criteria set by the EU Commission to access the funds, and could be receiving actual money transfers from Brussels as early as November.

Currently, there is ongoing correspondence between the government and the European Commission regarding the remaining contentious issues related to the frozen EU funds. The dialogue is a follow-up of Minister for Regional Development Tibor Navracsics and Minister for European Union Affairs János Bóka’s talks in Brussels in early September on the release of EU funds and the resolution of the Erasmus dispute.

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.’

Zsolt Gyulay, President and CEO of Hungaroring Sport Zrt., described the preparation process for the race as ‘extraordinary’ because the company not only had to focus on organising the race itself but also on concluding the negotiations for the contract extension, which has been ongoing for several months and could reach a conclusion at the current 38th Hungarian Grand Prix.

According to Charap, as the dragging on of the war is not in the interest of either the West or Ukraine, there is need to look for another way of approaching the conflict. While an actual peace treaty between the two sides that invested so much into this conflict might look unlikely, negotiations are nevertheless possible—and the West should facilitate these negotiations.

Monday’s negotiations were a very important milestone in building trust between the EU and Hungary, Judit Varga said, who added that she does not expect any new conditions from the European Commission regarding the Hungarian justice package.

Máté Kocsis wrote on Facebook: ‘Hungary is a committed member of NATO and the European Union, so we will do everything in our power to promote and maintain peace, and the Finnish people can count on us in this regard. We Hungarians have a special historical friendship with Finland, our allies.’

The Windsor Framework provides much-needed clarity and stability for businesses and communities in Northern Ireland, and it demonstrates that the UK and the EU are continuing to work together to find solutions to the challenges posed by Brexit.