As part of the Europe Day celebrations, EU Member States opened their embassies to the public last weekend. Hungary’s Embassy in Washington DC was visited by around 3,000 people, who could take part in miscellaneous programmes celebrating Hungarian culture and history.

The Hungarian Post aims to draw attention to the importance of voluntary blood donation through the issuance of a new commemorative stamp designed by graphic artist Nóra Horváth and produced in 40,000 copies. The Blood Donation stamps are available from Monday at Filaposta, philatelic service points, select post offices, and the Hungarian Post’s webshop.

The Hampton, New Hampshire-based gym company was forced to lower its annual financial forecasts, both for revenue and profit, admittedly due to the March 2024 controversy when a biological man was photographed shaving his face in the women’s local room at one of their locations in Fairbanks, Alaska.

The European Commission has accused Eurovision organizers of ‘handing a gift to Eurosceptics and enemies of Europe’ by prohibiting fans from bringing the EU flag to Saturday’s final. This is just one of the many signs of tension felt among the progressive liberal elite, linked to the forthcoming European elections, where right-wing parties dominate the polls across the EU.

Schaeffler Savaria Ltd, a manufacturer of automotive components, has expanded its site in Szombathely with a logistics hall covering an area of ​​6,200 square metres and an office building of 2,200 square metres. The new facility includes meeting rooms, changing rooms, and a conference centre suitable for hosting international events.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade described the Chinese President’s three-day visit with a 400-member delegation as historically significant. He explained that it has been twenty years since a Chinese President last visited Hungary; moreover, this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Hungarian government stated in a mass email sent to citizens that it is not willing to take part in NATO’s reportedly planned mission in Ukraine, which would encompass military training and the coordination of arms shipments.

Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, is keen on starting accession negotiations with Ukraine before the Hungarian presidency for fear that Hungary might impede the process. However, considering the upcoming European Parliament elections, it is unlikely that talks will begin in the next month and a half.

The minister recalled that the world has been facing direct threats of war for the past two years, and the renewed global competition among major powers has fundamentally changed the relationship between governments and citizens regarding security.

Jeremy Wayne Tate, founder and CEO of the Classic Learning Test, replied to a clip of a press conference shared by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, in which he discusses his state being ranked #1 in education by U.S. News for the second year in a row.

Among other agreements, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced preparations for the joint development of a high-speed railway connection, aimed at enabling swift and comfortable travel from the Liszt Ferenc Airport to the centre of Budapest. In addition, the possibility of building an oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia will be explored with Chinese and Serbian partners, as well as the expanding of Sino-Hungarian cooperation to nuclear energy initiatives.

The Chinese President emphasized that during their discussions with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán they agreed that China and Hungary have always been good friends, trusting each other, assisting one another, and striving to establish mutually beneficial relationships.

Gergely Gulyás, the minister leading the Prime Minister’s Office, stated on Thursday that Hungary does not want to participate in NATO’s mission in Ukraine. He reiterated the government’s unchanged position: the war cannot be resolved on the battlefield, and peace talks are urgently needed.

China’s president Xi Jinping arrived in Hungary late last night. He is expected to stay in Hungary until Friday. Today he was welcomed with a military ceremony by President of the Republic Tamás Sulyok and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the Buda Castle.

The goal of the roadshow is to integrate sustainable and eco-friendly energy into everyday life and promote green transitions. The series of events offer attendees the opportunity to test their skills in go-kart slaloms, acquaint themselves with road safety at the Road Safety Park, explore an e-car exhibition, and experience various virtual ‘exhibitions’ related to green mobility through VR goggles.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister was in London on Wednesday for talks with his UK counterpart, David Cameron, discussing the war in Ukraine, migration, and energy issues. Péter Szijjártó also participated in a panel discussion at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, arguing, among other things, for the need to replace the Brussels leadership.

On Wednesday Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held telephone talks. The discussion focused on promoting bilateral relations and the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy inviting Orbán to the Global Peace Summit scheduled to take place in June.

Despite minimal action from the Polish government under Donald Tusk, the European Commission has chosen to conclude the Article 7 procedure against Poland. This serves as another clear example of the double standards that Brussels applies to member states.

Despite the increasingly hawkish rhetoric from President Emmanual Macron of France, the French Ambassador to Russia did attend President Vladimir Putin’s fifth inauguration. So did Ambassador Konkoly of Hungary, and the envoys of four other EU countries as well.

Hungary and Armenia had severed diplomatic ties with each other in 2012 over an extradition scandal. Relations were re-established in December 2022. Now, the two sides have agreed to open embassies in each other’s capitals. In addition, Wizzair will soon launch a direct flight between Budapest and Yerevan.

The political director of the Hungarian PM underscored in an interview with public media that the Chinese President’s visit also signifies that Hungary is becoming a key state in the region. He recalled that it has been twenty years since a Chinese president last visited Hungary, and during this time, China has become a superpower and one of the strongest countries economically, in leading positions in numerous technological industries.

It was already known that the Hungarian duo was in a qualifying position, but the right to compete became official on Tuesday, when the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) published the list of quota doubles.

Conservative Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek’s speech at CPAC Hungary 2024 discussing the demographic changes in Europe was removed for a ‘hate speech’ violation on YouTube. On X, however, the speech remains, garnering over 50 million views in a week.

The aim of the HU-rizont programme is to facilitate and strengthen the international collaboration of outstanding Hungarian researchers. A total of 8 billion forints are available for the application this year. During the application process, not only the research costs of Hungarian universities are covered, but also those of foreign universities are supported.

Peter Szijjártó emphasized during the event held at the Millenáris Park that the current leadership of the European Union, the liberals, have caused significant damage to Europe with their misguided sanction policies and by reinforcing and promoting a war psychosis, affecting the daily lives of European citizens.

Márton Nagy stated that Hungary’s satellite manufacturing capability is not only an economic and security matter but also a question of sovereignty. He noted that the sector has a bright future ahead as the space industry is one of the world’s fastest-growing and, according to international surveys, most resilient industries, with its value projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, up from $630 billion in 2023.

The survey, conducted in the April–⁠May period, reveals that 82 per cent of the total population, or four out of every five Hungarians, consider the declaration of an immediate ceasefire to be the most appropriate course of action.

There are 3.13 million mothers in Hungary who have given birth to a total of 6.22 million children during their lifetime, meaning that Hungarian mothers have two children on average. Since the early 2000s, about three-quarters of adult women are mothers. Compared to 2011, the average number of children in the 20–35 age group has increased slightly (from 1.67 to 1.72), while among mothers aged 45–49 there are now 10,000 more large families, i.e. those with three or more children, than in 2011.

During a roundtable discussion organized by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) on Thursday in Budapest, experts dissected Hungary’s role and opportunities within the EU. They agreed that one of the key topics during Hungary’s EU presidency should be the integration of the Western Balkans. They also discussed the war in Ukraine, the Eastern opening, and the bureaucracy in Brussels, among other topics.

During the interview, the Prime Minister remarked that Europe is playing with fire, teetering on the brink between peace and war. He criticized European leaders for two years of indecision regarding strategy and sanctions, drifting not from war towards peace but from peace towards war. He expressed deep concern for the future of Europe, stating it is extremely dangerous.