NATO accession, defending the countries of Central Europe, success in academia and standing up for one’s heritage. These topics interest many these days, and Joanna Siekiera is an expert on them. In this interview she discusses the ‘blocking’ of Swedish NATO accession, the influence of smaller EU countries globally, academia and cybersecurity.

Since 2017, the increase in the number of people employed in the high-tech sector has been larger than the increase in the number of people employed, and their share has also grown. This is the period when we were propelled into the EU lead. While in 2017 we were 0.9 percentage points above the EU average, by 2021 our lead had increased to 1.6 percentage points. During this time, the number of people working in the sector increased by a third to 300,000.

‘For our children, the mother tongue is a means and an opportunity for fulfilment and self-fulfilment. In the words of György Bessenyei: “Every nation becomes a scholar in its own language, but never in a foreign one.”’ Read Luke Larson’s interview with Hungarian-language school principal Berta Katona-Mironova on the situation of Hungarian-language education in Ukraine.

The 95-year-old 56er Tibor Weinzierl (Várnay) talks about his adventurous life in Hungary, Canada and the US: his experiences as a prisoner of war, his musical career, his emigration, and his work ethic. Still very fit and active, Tibor Weinzierl worked until he was 87, then started compiling his book at the age of 90.

‘We have come to learn that in Hungary there is some (healthy) debate about the balance between fighting for freedom and building for freedom. This debate should not be regarded as a choice between two mutually exclusive paths, but rather as a pursuit to balance two necessary components of the same struggle. What is so remarkable about this discussion from an Afrikaner perspective, is that it speaks directly to one of our main slogans: “veg en bou” (“fight and build”). When we say veg en bou, we mean that we have to fight against injustice in order to protect what is ours, but at the same time, we ought to develop our own institutions to strengthen our ability to take care of our communities.’

Tamás Deutsch, leading candidate of Fidesz–KDNP in the European Parliament elections, discussed various important topics in his interview with Mandiner, including the recently adopted new migration pact, the composition of the EP after the upcoming elections, and the frozen EU funds due to Hungary.

The typically left-leaning pollster also found that 46 per cent of Hungarians have a positive view of the European Parliament, as opposed to 14 per cent who have a negative view. According to the same poll, public health is the number one issue for Hungarian voters in this election.

16 April has been observed annually since 2001 as the Memorial Day of the Hungarian Victims of the Holocaust. On the 80th anniversary of the ghettoization of Hungarian Jews state dignitaries, including the Hungarian prime minister, and leaders of the Jewish community commemorated the victims.

Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia has announced that his administration is not willing to implement the migration dictates included in the EU’s newly accepted migration pact. PM Viktor Orbán of Hungary and PM Donald Tusk of Poland have already voiced their objections to the pact.

Regarding the war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister’s political director stressed the urgency of diplomatic talks, highlighting their potential to save lives and mitigate the risk of a global conflict.

As Hungary embarks on this journey towards sustainable urban development, stakeholders across sectors are poised to work together to build resilient, inclusive communities and drive equitable growth across regions.

According to multiple media sources, Israel may have conducted a retaliatory strike against Iran on Friday. However, Iranian officials claim they are uncertain whether it was an external attack or an infiltration from within the Persian state.

The strategic agenda, which outlines the political priorities and main strategic objectives for the EU’s new actors over the next five years, is a crucial document that must be developed prior to institutional changes, the European Parliament elections of June 2024, and the appointment of the European Commission.

The attempt to shut down the National Conservatism Conference has ignited a new battleground in the EP election campaign: the fight for freedom of speech. While progressives were quick to lay blame on Brussels district mayor Emir Kir, this incident is hardly about him only: it is a culmination of a longstanding process of anti-freedom of speech tendencies in the European Commission and the European Parliament.

According to data collected by the European automobile manufacturers’ association (ACEA), last month saw a roughly 80 per cent increase in the sale of fully electric cars in our country compared to March of last year.

From 2010 the Hungarian government changed the previous approach to taxation entirely. This meant a significant reduction in taxes on labour, leaving more money for employers and employees, a huge improvement in the efficiency of consumption tax collection, and the most attractive corporate tax rate in the EU. The government has no plans to increase tax rates but is developing innovations that will make tax compliance simpler, less administrative and more efficient for both the tax administration and the taxpayer. It is fair to say that Hungary’s tax innovation has now become a best practice for the EU.

Pete Gogolak, a Hungarian immigrant, changed the way placekickers take field goal attempts in the NFL—his ‘soccer-style’ method is still used in the league today. He is celebrating his 82nd birthday today.

‘In other words, Hussar Cut puts into a broader perspective the policies that PM Viktor Orbán carried out in the recent decade. It is also a comprehensive analysis of international relations, with special emphasis on the currently changing world order. Balázs Orbán draws the conclusion that the changes of the international system have made a new strategy necessary for Hungary.’

According to the indictment, between 2019 and 2022, the man engaged in sexual acts with four minors, two of whom were under the age of fourteen.

Just a few weeks ago, Liverpool was the favourite to win the Premier League with eight games to go and a two-point lead. However, things have changed a lot for the team recently, and for the worse: they are third in the league and lost to Atalanta 3–0 at home in the Europa League. Some fans are even turning on Szoboszlai himself. Where will he go from here?

Commenting on the outrageous attempts to shut down the National Conservatism Conference in Brussels earlier this week, MCC Brussels Director Frank Füredi stated in an op-ed on POLITICO: ‘The campaign to cancel the NatCon wasn’t simply directed against this organization but against the foundational values of democracy. Those behind the campaign believe public life must be subjected to the policing of speech. That’s bad news for all of us, regardless of ideological affiliation.’

The website of the American cable news channel CNN listed the 18 best metro systems in the world. Among them was Budapest’s historic Metro Line 1, opened in 1896.

Mayoral candidate of Fidesz–⁠KDNP Alexandra Szentkirályi unveiled her seven-point plan for the city at a campaign event on 17 April. Outlined in her plan are measures to tackle corruption, streamline bureaucracy, improve transportation, and enhance cleanliness and orderliness in the city.

‘A radical paradigm shift is required in which mental suffering is understood not in isolation, but in relation to consuming and depriving human existence of its roots: family, community, and a transcendental orientation. Only then can Hungarian society, as well as the West as a whole, like a reemerging forest, rediscover itself and create a society based on human flourishing instead of technological determinism; a society full of mentally resilient people with meaningful lives.’

Organized in celebration of Earth Day, the three-day festival offers a rich programme of activities and experiences related to environmental and nature conservation.

‘The liberal aspirations of the 21st century include the destruction of human autonomy and freedom, and making people as dependent as possible on the state and other circles of power and wealth. One of the best ways to counter such aspirations is for everyone to live in their own property, which, incidentally, is constantly increasing in value.’

‘The gains of the conservative and patriotic renaissance are clear. We are making unthinkable progress. We are advancing in Italy, Hungary, France, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.’

‘The politicization of science is a terrible thing. In the Stalinist period, the ideological pseudo-science of Trofim Lysenko destroyed Soviet genetics research. Lysenko’s fraudulent scientific theories about plant genetics coincided with Soviet ideology, and received Stalin’s full backing. Russian geneticists opposed to Lysenko stood denounced as ‘human haters.’ Many were fired from their jobs and sent to prison. Though Lysenko fell out of favor after Stalin’s death, Russian genetics research still has not fully recovered from its ideological ruin. It remains to be seen whether or not America can avoid a similar fate.’

As one of the keynote speakers, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán addressed the issues of migration, freedom of expression, and the war in Ukraine on the second day of the National Conservatism Conference.

Since all the necessary permits have been obtained, Uber can indeed re-enter the Hungarian market in the summer. The American ride-hailing company withdrew from Hungary in 2016, but now it is set to resume operations in partnership with Főtaxi.