The second ministerial-level meeting of the EU accession conference with Albania was held in Luxembourg on 15 October. The aim of the meeting was to start accession negotiations with Albania and open Cluster 1; Tirana has thus taken another step forward on the road to European integration.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday evening in Paris, where the two leaders will discuss important issues concerning the future of the EU. The meeting serves as another rebuttal to EPP Leader Manfred Weber’s false claim regarding Hungary’s isolation in the European political arena.

The Draghi Report suggests that the goals of defence industrial policy should be organically integrated into the discussions of the Foreign Affairs Council in its defence policy formation, allowing member states to come up with a common stance. The report also recommends the establishment of a centralized European Defence Industry Authority, which would oversee joint programming and procurement functions and centrally manage the defence acquisitions of member states.

The Brazil-based polling firm AtlasIntel, which got the popular vote margins right by 0.3 points in the last two election cycles in the United States, has released its latest national vote prediction for the 2024 US presidential election. It shows President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris by 2.7 points, a slight shift towards Harris since their last release in mid-September.

The 18 September resolution doesn’t mention Hamas’ brutal incursion into Israel on 7 October or the 101 hostages that are still being held captive in Gaza. It also conspicuously avoids mention of the continuing Palestinian attacks on Israel. Hungary was one of the fourteen nations that voted against the resolution that holds Israel solely responsible for the conflict.

A recent study by the Center For the Study of Democracy and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air that focuses on the Czech Republic and a multinational company, Orlen Unipetrol, since 24 February 2022 Czechia has spent over 7 billion EUR on Russian oil and gas. That is, more than five times the aid it has provided to Ukraine. In 2023 the country’ reliance on Russian oil grew to 60 per cent; this year it has decreased top pre-invasion levels, but nevertheless remains around 50 per cent.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán criticized the EU’s war posture in a recent radio interview on public Kossuth Radio, reaffirming Hungary’s stance against participating in the Ukrainian war efforts. He also called for peace negotiations and discussed Hungary’s distinct approach to migration, economic policies, and EU relations.

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.

‘Scholz’s statement is the first ray of light piercing the fog of war that has shrouded Europe for the past two years. It could be downplayed, but Germany remains one of the EU’s most influential member states, and Berlin’s wright is undeniable, despite its current economic challenges. The experience of recent years shows that what Germany pushes for in the EU often becomes reality sooner or later.’

A recent The Wall Street Journal’s editorial argues that UNIFIL, the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission in operation since 1978, has been allowing Hezbollah to stockpile weapons and build up infrastructure in southern Lebanon, the very place UNIFIL is supposed to keep safe from terror groups.

‘There have been too many victims of too many crimes in too many cities across our country as a result of this radical, anti-democratic, warped version of justice. The best way to defeat a Soros-funded or inspired rogue prosecutor is not to elect one in the first place. Public safety in the United States depends, in large part, on who occupies the office of the local district attorney.’

‘Orbán is disinclined to vote on cementing anti-Russia sanctions for three years or sending more billions of dollars to Kyiv until after the US election. The race for the White House is incredibly tight, and the candidates stand starkly opposed on this critical issue. Forcing through the will of one side just days before an election and locking them down for three-quarters of their rival’s term would violate every democratic norm, principle, and value.’

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s visit to Germany for the Berlin Process summit and his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz happened amidst continuous attacks on the Hungarian government and the Hungarian EU presidency. In an unprecedented move, the EPP has called on the Hungarian prime minister to resign, and proposed that he be replaced by Péter Magyar, the Hungarian opposition leader who has the reputation of a domestic abuser and is accused of theft.

‘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.’

‘How many times has the US ambassador intervened in Hungary’s internal affairs through statements, social media posts, or other means? The figure is likely well over eleven. And how many times has the US President or Vice President labelled Hungary’s democratically elected prime minister a dictator? The answer is twice—which is two times more than it should ever be.’

Unfortunately, Wednesday’s debate in the European Parliament devolved into a political mud-slinging session, driven by Ursula von der Leyen and the leaders of the EP political groups, rather than a reasoned discussion. In response, Viktor Orbán countered the propagandistic fake news and slander from the mainstream left with facts, effectively putting Hungary’s critics in their place.

Kamala Harris, known for struggling in unscripted appearances, recently labelled Viktor Orbán, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping as dictators and murderers on a late-night show. This extreme rhetoric is unfortunately common among Democrats, with Joe Biden previously making similar remarks about the Hungarian Prime Minister.

The number of antisemitic incidents perpetrated by pro-Palestinian mobs in Western countries did not decrease on the anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack—in fact, the hatred only intensified. A video showing a pro-Israel demonstrator being assaulted by an enraged pro-Hamas mob is rapidly spreading across the internet. In contrast, Hungary remains an island of peace and security for the Jewish community, as evidenced by Monday’s commemorations.

‘In sum, the report reflects the political views and values of the EU elite and can be seen as a tool to turn a problem into a crisis—an ‘existential challenge’—to justify the extension of EU powers at the expense of national sovereignty and decision-making.’

On Wednesday Viktor Orbán presented the priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency to the plenary in Strasbourg; however, instead of addressing the pressing challenges facing Europe, MEPs—led by Ursula von der Leyen—seized the opportunity to launch a personal political attack on the Hungarian Prime Minister, demonstrating that the left-wing majority does not allow for a professional debate.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conducted an intensive, nearly two-hour-long international press conference in Strasbourg on Tuesday, outlining the priorities of the Hungarian EU Presidency. He is scheduled to present the programme to the plenary session of the European Parliament tomorrow morning.

Ilaria Salis, the antifa attacker-turned-MEP, is also scheduled to speak tomorrow at the plenary session of the European Parliament, where Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will present the programme of the Hungarian Presidency. Salis has been making headlines for avoiding prison by becoming a MEP after attacking innocent civilians in Budapest in February 2023.

Ever since Sybiha started working in the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine there have been rumours that it was only a matter of time before he would replace Kuleba. It is widely believed that Kuleba could retain his seat from April to September only due to his good personal connections with US decision-makers—but with the presidential election preoccupying the White House, the Ukrainian leadership finally saw an opening to dispose of him.

Most major international sportsbooks give President Trump and Vice President Harris the same odds for victory in the upcoming US Presidential election, while traders on the decentralized prediction market Polymarket think Donald Trump is the slight favourite—this is where we are right now, less than 30 days away from the final decision.

The pro-Israel experts and politicians who gathered at the Israel Defence and Security Forum (IDSF) and the Danube Institute’s conference titled October Effect: Strategic Implications for Israel and Europe in the Middle East War, held on 9 September at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem, discussed and analysed the rise of antisemitism in the West, the ramifications of Israel’s war in Gaza, and the emerging Russia –China–Iran axis.

‘2023 was not a good year for national and ethnic minorities, and 2024 is unlikely to be either. While there were numerous advances during the 1990s, we have been recently witnessing a clear regression.’

Alexandra Szentkirályi, president of Fidesz in Budapest, announced the party’s eight-point plan aimed at reforming governance in the capital. The proposals focus on curbing the mayor’s decision-making powers, improving public services, and streamlining the city’s committees to save costs and better represent the people of Budapest.

As the WSJ noted, Vance’s calm and effective performance could bolster Republican confidence in his future within the party. His ability to advocate for Trump’s policies in a composed and persuasive manner suggests that he could be a strong contender for future leadership roles within the conservative movement.

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.

Achieving the demographic turnaround will take a long time and a lot of work, but Hungary wants to take the first steps already in the coming months. Finding solutions to existing problems will be one of the key objectives of the Hungarian EU Presidency in the second half of 2024, using the EU demographic toolkit as a starting point.