‘Disillusionment in the West with Ukraine’s performance and ability to win the war has been rising for over a year. While a lot was expected from last year’s Ukrainian counter offensive, it ended up recapturing less than half the land Russia took in 2023. This year’s balance is not much better. Albeit it is true that Ukraine made an extravagant capture of lands in Kursk, on its own sovereign lands it claimed few to no successes.’
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.
John Tsagronis and Michelle Watson, the founders of the Corporate Statecraft programme at the Institute of World Politics, were among the speakers and panellists of the 4th Danube–Heritage Geopolitical Summit this September, when they graciously sat down with Hungarian Conservative for an interview.
Iran launched a major missile attack on Israel on Tuesday, just hours after the Jewish state began a ground offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán convened a meeting of the government’s National Security Cabinet and also condemned the Iranian attack in a post on X.
Under the presidency of Republican Herbert Hoover, the United States suffered the greatest economic depression in history. This set up a Democratic domination of the White House for five consecutive terms. Since Presidents serving two terms was just a tradition at the time and not law, Franklin D. Roosevelt won four out of those five terms.
‘Albeit few expected Mongolia to actually make the arrest, the case is nevertheless indeed a blow to the ICC’s credibility and generally to the Western institutional system. The unsurprising development of Putin walking away free exposes the fallacy of Western international institutions of having based their policies in the past couple of years on morality. The reality is that countries pursue their self-interest first and foremost, rather than doing “the morally right thing”.’
The Hungarian company Proofminder has been named one of the winners of the AgVenture 2024 competition, hosted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The programme aims to support the development of green technologies in the agricultural and food production sectors. Proofminder’s AI-based platform and drone technology help farmers increase yields, reduce chemical use, and protect biodiversity.
The war quite literally consumes people; they are killed or maimed physically and psychologically at an unprecedented rate. Using foreign fighters is consequently quite logical for both sides. They alleviate domestic pressure to recruit more soldiers, with the new fighters likely being versed in military matters. They also demonstrate the global clout of the given side by showing the diverse coalition that stands behind it. Of course, this is a double-edged sword, which is why there is an intense war of narratives about whether these people are mercenaries or volunteers.
By the end of October, the asphalting of the high-speed oval track at the Zalaegerszeg automotive test track will be completed, with its full operation set for May next year. In addition to high-speed trials, the new track will be suitable for stress testing of braking systems, suspensions, and cooling systems.
At the second annual MetroPOLICE Crime Film Festival in Kecskemét the Danish thriller The Boys claimed Best Feature Film, while the Hungarian short On the Lookout won Best Short Film. Mátyás Prikler received the Special Jury Prize for Best Director for his Slovak–Hungarian political thriller Power, praised for its minimalist direction and nuanced character portrayal.
Parties belonging to Patriots for Europe (PfE) are achieving electoral successes one after the other: first, Andrej Babiš’s ANO party secured a major victory in the Czech regional and senate elections, followed by Herbert Kickl’s FPÖ emerging as the leading party in the Austrian parliamentary elections. These results indicate that the preferences of the European electorate align closely with the vision of the political group co-founded by Viktor Orbán, which continues to gain strength day by day.
Atlas Intel has gotten the popular vote margins correct within 0.3 percentage points in the US in the last two election cycles. Their most recent polling data has Donald Trump leading Kamala Harris by 2.9 points in the popular vote; while their swing state polling data has him winning the election with 290 electoral votes. However, other public opinion firms have published different results.
‘Our meeting convinced me that we have every reason to hope that the will to develop neighbourly relations is mutual, and that it is common that these neighbourly relations can, over time, develop into good neighbourly relations,’ Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó highlighted following a long-awaited meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart on Monday in Budapest.
The ‘Friends of Peace’ group was established at the United Nations last Friday on Hungary’s initiative. Led by China and Brazil, the 15-member group aims to facilitate the initiation of peace talks regarding the war in Ukraine and promote the implementation of the key points of the Sino–Brazilian peace plan.
Historically, so-called ‘October surprises’ have influenced election outcomes, particularly when they involve national security or military engagement that provides little room for candidates to respond and little time for voters to digest before heading to the polls. A broader conflict in the Middle East could become a significant liability for Harris’s campaign, especially if US forces get drawn into the fighting.
The Liget Budapest Project has made history by winning three awards at the prestigious International Travel Awards in Dubai. Recognized as the World’s Best Tourism Development and Europe’s Best Family-Friendly Development, the project also saw the House of Music Hungary named Europe’s Most Attractive Tourist Attraction, affirming Hungary’s rising global tourism profile.
The Hungarian Ministry of Defence and the HDF’s joint initiative Szeretem, megvédem! (I love it, I protect it!) started in June, looking to recruit new people into the Army’s territorial reserve units. Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky has informed the public that since the start of the programme, over 2,000 people have joined.
The 17th Korean Film Festival in Budapest will showcase twenty-three new South Korean films from 11 to 18 October at the Corvin Cinema. Highlights include the box office hit Exhuma and a special focus on environmental films. Viewers can also meet renowned production designer Cho Hwa-sung and enjoy films in their original language with Hungarian and English subtitles.
Polish war reporter Tomasz Grzywaczewski’s documentary, screened last week at the Danube Institute, is a striking record of the deliberate destruction of Ukrainian cultural monuments across cities such as Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kharkiv by the invading Russian forces.
On 27 September an online conference organized jointly by the Diaspora Project Network of the University of Pécs and Kerko Media Ltd. featured Hungarian communities in San Francisco and its vicinity. The livestreamed discussion, followed in more than ten countries, was an impressive presentation of the diverse voluntary activities and exemplary cooperation of Hungarian organizations.
Despite spending a significant amount of time online, young people, particularly Generation Z, feel the absence of real communities, according to Zsófia Nagy-Vargha, Deputy State Secretary for Youth Affairs. Addressing the Digital Child Welfare Conference in Budapest, she emphasised the need to reduce digital dependency and promote more meaningful, in-person interactions among the youth.
The Balaton shippimg company BAHART ended its peak season on a high note, surpassing two million passengers by the end of August, a milestone attributed to new ships, a diverse programme offering, and special discounts. Bahart’s ferries and passenger ships saw record traffic, with the introduction of new catamarans and ferries boosting growth beyond expectations.
In a recent interview with Hungarian sports daily Nemzeti Sport Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr said he believes there needs to be a holistic solution to protect biological women from unfair competition; and that he thinks no-one would be surprised if Budapest made a bid for hosting the Olympic games, given its success in hosting major sporting events in recent years.
The hackathons provide an opportunity for young people to turn their ideas into reality. The transfer of entrepreneurial basics, the encouragement of innovation, and the fostering of creative problem-solving equip them with tools that can address social and economic challenges. This knowledge not only leads to individual success but also contributes to community well-being, sustainable development, and enhancing the region’s competitiveness.
Kenya’s approach to religious diversity is equally remarkable. It is a deeply Christian country, yet the coastal region, like much of East Africa, is mixed, even Muslim-majority in some areas. Despite this, there is an almost unique religious harmony. Mosques and churches coexist peacefully, and schoolgirls, whether in hijab or not, walk to school together as friends.
Both Emese and her husband, László Kerkay have been cultivators of the rich Hungarian historical and cultural heritage and overall active contributors to the life of the Hungarian community of Passaic, New Jersey, having served at the Hungarian school for over 30 years: Emese as teacher and principal, László as treasurer. Emese has also been an active scout since the age of six and was a founding member and for 25 years curator of the American Hungarian Museum of Passaic.
According to a recent study by Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH), frequent TikTok use negatively impacts the ability of young people aged 13–25 to recognize fake news. The study highlights the platform’s influence on critical thinking, revealing that extended TikTok usage diminishes the accuracy with which users assess information.
Viktor Orbán paid an official visit to North Macedonia, where he also attended a joint meeting of the Hungarian and North Macedonian governments. Discussions focused on the Balkan country’s EU accession and the fight against illegal migration. The Hungarian PM stated that it is in the EU’s vital interest to complete the integration of the Balkan region as swiftly as possible.
‘Ukraine is losing this war, indeed has likely lost it, and Washington is looking for a scapegoat for its colossal strategic failure. Viktor Orbán, who was right about this war from the beginning, is that scapegoat. If Harris wins in November, we can expect a narrative coming out of Washington saying that Ukraine and its allies would have prevailed if it had not been for Hungary stabbing Ukraine in the back.’
Hungary and China are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2024. To mark the occasion a reception was held in Budapest, where House Speaker László Kövér stated that the deepening of Sino–Hungarian cooperation is not a threat, but an opportunity.