The Budapest Balkans Forum 2024 began with captivating discussions about the region’s future, featuring Hungarian government officials such as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, and Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka, among others.

Peter Pellegrini met with his Hungarian counterpart László Kövér, as well as President Tamás Sulyok, and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He stressed that Hungary and Slovakia both oppose the removal of veto rights of EU Member States, illegal immigration into Europe, and sending troops to Ukraine.

‘Having a child is a vulnerability, especially for women, and particularly in today’s world, where there is no guarantee that a marriage will last. So you might find yourself on your own, and you may find yourself dependent on the state in some way. So a state putting general policies together to make it possible to have that loan towards a house, such policies in Hungary, I think are actually a potential template for other nations around the world.’

‘A double standard is to be expected. It is what we, conservatives always have to live with, because the left controls all these institutions and communication channels, and the left will do everything it can to help their favoured candidate win.’

In the latest revelation from the undercover footage shot of Action for Democracy operatives, a progressive activist shared how he would bombard heads of major news outlets and low-level journalists alike with requests to cover the Hungarian election according to their narrative. One of the journalists for the American news agency Associated Press has admitted to having received such requests through emails.

The European Commission proposes starting accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday in Strasbourg. Issues being discussed at the European Parliament Plenary also include the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and European security, among others.

‘Is Pope Francis correct to suggest that this is a war Ukraine cannot win, and so, it should start seeking a truce with Russia? Ending the war, even a ceasefire, is not an act of cowardice, especially when there is no end in sight.’

Crucial milestones regarding the expansion of the nuclear plant in Paks are the construction of the containment structure and the reactor vessel, of which the former has been completed, while the manufacturing of the latter is set to commence shortly. It is expected to reach another milestone, the ‘first concrete’, by the end of this year.

There were 18 fewer homicides last year in Hungary than in the previous year, with the police solving every new homicide case, and in most cases, apprehending the perpetrator within a few hours.

The right-wing parties of Portugal emerged strengthened from the Sunday early election in Portugal, with the Chega party, led by André Ventura, quadrupling its seats, and the centre-right Democratic Alliance winning, which augurs well for the European Parliament elections this summer.

Andrea Mészáros has been an active member of the Hungarian community in Cleveland since her childhood. In the interview she talks about her family, her strong attachment and dedication to the Hungarian community, her different roles in its service, and her belief in the power of community.

The Seklerland club ended up beating Petrolul 2–1, thus finishing fifth in the league. But the game was not without controversy. The match had to be stopped for three minutes in the first half, after anti-Hungarian chants were started by the home fans as Sepsi took the lead. One of the players was even hit on the head with a lighter thrown from the spectators’ stand.

János Áder, Chairman of the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation and his guest discussed the possibilities and challenges of transitioning to a circular economy for the sake of sustainability.

‘Donald Trump is the president of peace,’ Viktor Orbán said in an interview with public M1 television. The interview focused, among other topics, on the Hungarian prime minister’s visit to the US last week.

The President greeted the Hungarian people of the Carpathian Basin and the world. He recalled that he had not planned this service, nor had he prepared for this task, but noted that ‘if fate presents unexpected situations and calls for service, one must not shy away from it.’

‘The main criticisms against the four Slovak governments of the past three years were the lack of competence and the imposition of ad hoc solutions. The current government coalition has produced the exact opposite: it carries out the programme that its political opponents are most afraid of and does so with panache.’

At the 96th Oscar Gala held in Los Angeles Zsuzsa Mihalek, the set designer of Poor Things, received the American Film Academy’s award for Best Production Design. The award was accepted by Shona Heath and James Price on behalf of Zsuzsa Mihalek.

French President Emmanuel Macron has captured the attention of the international community with his increasingly bold pro-war statements recently. What could be the intentions driving Macron’s rhetoric?

‘The various proceedings and attacks against Hungary for years can not be traced back to rule-of-law issues or “democratic backsliding”, but “merely” to the fact that the domestic right-wing is fighting back against Wokeness—precisely in the wake of its triumphant victory.’

In our new print issue, among other eminent authors and fascinating topics, Carlos Roa covers the BRICS nations’ efforts to dethrone the US dollar as the number one global reserve currency; Levente Benkő writes about Hungary’s place in a changing world order between the East and the West; and Eric Hendric contributes a piece about Geert Wilders’ right-wing populist PVV party winning the recent parliamentary election in the Netherlands.

‘On 10 March this year, the author of these lines has only one wish: that a miracle may happen in the modern, so-called democratic Romania, and it may become like it was in the 1950s, or even like in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, in the 13th and 16th centuries. Because, if that happened, it would give freedom and autonomy to Szeklerland as in a true 21st-century European—and a European Union—country…’

‘There is an evident deficit in competence between the right-wing and left-wing organizations in this country. Part of it has to do with competent, otherwise not ideological people gravitating toward the side more likely to win. In cases like the so-called “alternative referendum” initiative that deficit is put on glaring display.’

In the struggle for survival and existence of Protestants, the question of ministers’ clothing still remained an issue—the meetings of the Reformed church districts of the time continued to fight against excesses.

‘On the evening of 4 March, the two houses of the French Parliament voted 780 to 72 in favour of a constitutional amendment of the Fifth Republic to protect women’s freedom to have deliberate abortions…All it indicates is that the French people no longer regard foeticide, this infernal evil, as merely necessary but also as valuable.’

The production supported by the National Film Institute also include a series titled The Nation’s Golden Boys is in the making, focusing on the Hungarian men’s water polo team that won three consecutive Olympic gold medals between 2000 and 2008, and a documentary film that depicts the life of Ferenc Xavér Éder, a Jesuit missionary who was one of the first Hungarian travellers to set foot in Peru and who served as a missionary among the Moxos Indians for twenty years in the 18th century.

Additional previously frozen EU funding is set to reach Hungary, this time totalling more than €70 million. However, more than €20 billion funds are still withheld by Brussels.

The Prime Minister of Hungary talked about the need for a global movement ‘advocating for justice, tradition, families, and the people’ at the event.

The ceremonial events in the Museum Garden commemorating the 1848–1849 revolution will kick off next Friday, 15 March with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech.

The exhibition presents the complete history of the building complex rebuilt in 2014, from the late 19th century to the present day, through three key periods, as highlighted during the opening ceremony at the venue.

Catholic kindergartens will be able to accommodate fourteen thousand more children with the support of the Catholic Kindergarten Programme. The programme is not only implemented in Budapest and major cities, but also in smaller towns and villages, representing a significant step forward in the lives of Hungarian families.