As of the end of 2023, Hungary’s national debt stood at 55.134 trillion HUF, 73.5 per cent of its GDP. Its debt-to-GDP ratio is considerably lower than that of the Eurozone countries, the collective debt of which amounts to 90.3 per cent of their combined GDP.
A Ministry of National Economy statement released on Wednesday confirmed that the repurchase of the Ferenc Liszt International Airport continues to progress as scheduled, as opposed to press rumours.
For the first time since the end of January, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba sat down for talks. Recently, significant steps have been taken to restore mutual trust between the two countries.
According to the applications for the CSOK Plus submitted in the first two months of the year, two-thirds of the couples requesting the loan are childless. This shows that couples have been encouraged to dare to start a family.
In the second part of our series looking at important facts concerning the Hungarian economy and society, our authors shed light on how the Orbán governments have managed to achieve a spectacular turnaround in terms of employment after 2010.
SC Freiburg winger Roland Sallai’s value has been raised to €15 million from €12 million by the online football database Transfermarkt.com. Meanwhile, Dominik Szoboszlai, currently in an intense title race with Liverpool, remains our highest-valued player at €75 million.
The politician thanked his predecessor, István Hollik, for his work. ‘We will fight with our heads held high and our backs straight, and thanks to the strength of our community, we will win!’, he said in a message shared on social media.
Another, earlier-than-ever date has emerged regarding the completion of the Hungarian section of the Budapest–Belgrade railway line. As before, the source of the information on the new date is the Serbian President.
The voters of Wisconsin voted to amend their state constitution, putting stricter election rules in place. Also, just like in all other swing states, the Republican primary turnout outnumbered that of the Democrats. However, President Biden got a higher vote total (due to his higher vote share) than President Trump in a swing state primary for the first time—what does this all mean?
‘Green energy production, storage, utilization, and recycling: this is how the green economy is built, of which Hungary is a leader in the world, not a follower’, Government Commissioner László György stated in Debrecen, encouraging citizens to fill in the green energy consultation questionnaire.
Lőrinc Nacsa and István Hollik, politicians of the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), submitted a bill to the National Assembly on Tuesday proposing to ban the sale of energy drinks to minors. In the justification of the bill they stated that the consumption of energy drinks among young people in Hungary has reached alarming levels.
‘There is a lot of interest from universities, professors, and students in studying in Europe, because we can offer an affordable degree and high-quality education in a world-class city. After half a year of training or education, students and teachers develop a commitment to Hungary that is a huge asset for the future.’
‘There was a period in American history when elite financial interests were aligned with the national interest. Now, those are diverging. I’m calling for cultivating a contemporary sense of noblesse oblige and a solidarity with everyday people, while still maintaining a class of people [who can govern] through merit and who care about culture, art, and serious liberal arts education.’
President Joe Biden issued a declaration marking 31 March as ‘Transgender Day of Visibility’. While that day has always been held by some odd people on that date, this year it coincided with Easter Sunday, causing outrage among many Christians in the United States.
The one-year programme starting in the autumn begins with intensive preparation, focusing on imparting basic competencies and knowledge, followed by a six-month period during which students gain deeper insights into the essence of leadership.
A recent opinion piece published by POLITICO discusses the ineffectiveness of Western sanctions on Russia. The article aligns closely with the stance of the Hungarian government, asserting that punitive measures will not bring about an end to the conflict due to economic and energy interdependencies between Russia and the West.
The signed contract consists of a basic order for nine vehicles and options for up to four additional vehicles. GYSEV has three months from the contract’s start to decide how many option trains to order from Stadler.
Although the legendary Hungarian footballer was born on 1 April 1927, he always celebrated his birthday on 2 April, as he did not like the fact that it happened to fall on April Fools’ Day. He captained the legendary Mighty Magyar side of the 1950s, leading them to an Olympic gold and a World Cup final. He won the European Cup with Real Madrid three times, scoring four goals in the 1960 final—a record unbroken since.
‘Cultural Christianity is not enough. Nor is voting for pro-Christian conservatives. Without a return to the faith, the sad, sorry state of Britain at Eastertide today is going to be Hungary’s fate tomorrow. You can’t have the benefits of Christianity without making the sacrifices necessary—on Sunday and every day—to make the faith live in the hearts of the Hungarian people.’
The Eastern Opening policy has greatly enhanced Hungary’s ability to diversify its natural gas import sources and the commencement of Turkish natural gas deliveries on April 1st, 2024, will amplify this policy’s effectiveness. For further diversification, there’s an emphasized need for a firmer commitment to boost imports from Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.
According to the Hungarian Ministry of Energy, Hungarian gas consumption, similarly to the previous cycle, decreased by a fifth in the last period observed, outperforming the compulsory target prescribed for EU member states.
In the first article of our new series offering in-depth analyses focusing on the Hungarian economy and society our authors look at inflation in Hungary in a historical context.
Sixty years ago, began the most important event in the history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century, the twenty-third ecumenical council…It will be the task of a generation to continue, in a rational and balanced way, to implement the teaching of Vatican II, which today is under a great deal of tension.
Easter is the most solemn celebration in the Christian world, commemorating the redemptive death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In addition to egg-painting and sprinkling water, there are many folk customs and traditions associated with Easter, which you can read below in the collection of Magyar Krónika.
In Reform Era Hungary, on Easter Monday in the countryside maidens would be grabbed by boys, dragged to the nearest river and ‘dipped’ in it. If there was no river nearby, they would be taken to wells, laid in troughs and doused with cold water. On more than one occasion the poor girls would get a stroke from the cold water or die of pneumonia a few days later.
‘Today, we are faced with the fact that in our pluralistic societies, it seems to pose an insurmountable challenge to agree on a generally accepted moral standard, with values that provide common foundations.’
‘This is the message of Easter. Sharing the most ordinary beautiful experiences with each other: that is transforming the world. It just takes courage. For believers and non-believers alike. We should respect each other. Because none of us can create life. Destroy it, all the more.’
‘Easter, just like Christmas, has been trivialized in various parts of the world. There seems to be more attention given to spending time with the Easter bunny or going on an Easter egg hunt, as opposed to going to church to partake of the Paschal mystery. Easter has become inconsequential because the modernist message focuses on pleasure, instead of joy or fulfilment; and the latter can only be arrived at by bearing our daily cross.’
‘Ideologically, the notion of a Jewish autonomous region resonated deeply with the socialist ethos of equality and collective ownership championed by the Bolsheviks, principles that find resonance in Article 6 of the Russian Constitution. This constitutional provision affirms the socialist ideals of social justice, equal opportunity, and solidarity, serving as a guiding light for the creation of a territory where Jews could exercise their right to self-determination while actively participating in the collective endeavour of building socialism.’
‘Both Jordan and Israel, each for different reasons, are part of a larger trend of the deChristianization of the Middle East. Many churchmen fear that in a generation or two Christianity, like Judaism before it, will become a diaspora religion; exiled from its birthplace. In this dark vision, the great Christian churches, shrines, and monuments will become the objects of pilgrimage, mere museums, rather than vibrant, living places of worship.’