The Asia-Oceania Working Group (COASI) had an informal meeting in Budapest, Hungary earlier this month, hosted by the Hungarian EU Presidency. At the event, experts discussed such pressing issues as the current political and economic trade collaboration between the European Union and the countries in the Asia-Pacific area, the Indian general election in June of this year, and more.
Budapest Airport, managed by VINCI Airports, has introduced nine new routes in its winter schedule starting 27 October, expanding travel options for Hungarian and international passengers with new destinations in Spain, France, and beyond. This increase, including new long-haul connections, underscores Budapest’s growing appeal as a winter destination.
Dr Jordan B Peterson has recently had a public discussion with evolutionary biologist Dr Richard Dawkins, one of the most prominent figures of the popular atheist movement of the early 2000s. The two philosophers touched on subjects such as Jesus Christ’s birth of a virgin mother and his resurrection, the philosophical foundation for the modern scientific enterprise, and many more intriguing questions.
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Hungary’s investment-grade rating at ‘BBB minus/A-3’ for both foreign and local currency debt, with a stable outlook. The agency’s assessment highlights Hungary’s economic resilience, forecasting steady GDP growth, ongoing disinflation, and medium-term fiscal consolidation.
In parallel with its energy initiatives, Veolia has focused on addressing the growing concern surrounding PFAS contamination in water systems in Hungary. On 17 October 2024, during its Deep Dive – New Solutions for Water conference in Oroszlány, Veolia announced ambitious revenue goals of €1 billion by 2030 aimed specifically at PFAS treatment technologies. The event showcased a comprehensive global strategy for combating these pollutants, which are increasingly recognized as a significant public health threat.
The latest Századvég poll indicates that Fidesz–KDNP maintains a strong lead in Hungarian party rankings, with 40 per cent support among politically active voters. Tisza follows with 31 per cent, while the Our Homeland Movement and the joke party Two Tailed Dog hold 6 per cent each. Meanwhile, left-wing parties remain below the entry threshold for parliament.
‘Before I left for America on this trip, I complained to a Magyar friend about how stubborn Hungarians are, and how they refuse to change their ways of doing things, even when there is a plainly better way. “You’re right, we are like that,” she said. “But consider that our hard-headed temperamental conservatism is also the thing that makes us willing to stand up to Brussels and tell them to go to hell.” Touché.’
‘As a committed Protestant, Joó emphasized the primacy of “spirit” over matter in almost all his writings, but he failed to take into account that religion and “spirit” do not always overlap, and religiosity itself simply becomes ineffective if so-called religious people view the world on the same premises as their atheistic and materialistic counterparts.’
‘Armenia, according to the hagiographical account of the monk Agathangelos, is considered to be the first Christian nation when in the year 301 A.D. the Armenian King Trdat III was baptized by St. Gregory the Illuminator. Yet, if one is to accept legend as history in that Armenia was the first nation to officially accept Christianity, then Ethiopia, based on what is written on the 8th chapter in the Acts of the Apostles, has a better claim to that title.’
Despite BRICS countries’ impressive recent expansion and acquired regional and international leverage both economically and politically, the US dollar’s position as the global reserve currency seems unshakable at present…Upon examining the situation globally, it can be observed that 90 per cent of all foreign exchange transactions in the world were conducted with the help of the US dollar.
‘The diaspora mentality finds the meaning of Hungarian identity in the traditional folk values and advocates these throughout the world. It doesn’t isolate itself either from the world or from present-day Hungary but nurtures contacts with both; builds and maintains relationships everywhere. The idea of a “borderless homeland” means “Wherever there is a Hungarian, there is Hungary.”’
The UK government has confirmed that from June 2025 single-use vapes will be banned in England and Wales. The legislation aims to target environmental waste and counteract the products’ growing appeal among youth.
‘As modern consumer society has made consumption the root of identity, man has become a prisoner of the constant renewal of consumer demands…Contrary to early capitalist societies, people have completely reduced themselves to the self-as-consumer. The short excitement that accompanies consumption is all that modern man has left.’
The construction of Hungary’s New National Gallery in Budapest is expected to start in 2025, with the goal of transforming the revitalized City Park into one of Europe’s most sophisticated cultural quarters. The new institution is planned to open within the decade, showcasing Hungary’s commitment to a forward-looking cultural renaissance.
‘Artificial intelligence (AI) literacy will undoubtedly be of paramount importance in the future, so teaching it, rather than letting children find harmful, addictive or otherwise destructive content themselves online is going to be the biggest challenge of protecting our youth.’
Tamás Deutsch, the leader of Fidesz’s European Parliament delegation, has accused the MEPs of the largest Hungarian opposition party TISZA of backing the EU’s migrant quotas and opposing the payment of the €1 billion Hungary had requested from Brussels as reimbursements for protecting the Union’s external borders.
While the prospect of North Korean soldiers arriving at the front lines is alarming, there are already many foreign mercenaries fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine. Moscow has trained mercenaries near Aleppo, with at least 100 Syrians believed to have joined the Russian army. A couple of months ago, the government of Nepal has demanded the Kremlin stop recruiting Nepalese into its military. Since the Crocus City Hall terror attack in Moscow, the Kremlin has also been recruiting Central Asian migrants, presenting them with the option of either serving in Ukraine or being deported back to their countries.
Newly elected Budapest District XII Mayor Gergely Kovács has vowed to remove the local Turul monument, which is dedicated to the fallen soldiers of World War II, due to its connection to fascism. However, Minister of Construction and Transportation János Lázár prevented him from doing so by placing the statue under historic monument protection.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán highlighted new government measures and plans regarding Hungary’s upcoming EU presidency, the Europe Summit, and recent Brussels policy interventions. He also addressed issues such as economic policy shifts and a national consultation on migration, speaking on public Kossuth Radio.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with his Montenegrin counterpart, Milojko Spajić, in Budapest, discussing shared goals in EU enlargement and enhancing bilateral trade. Orbán reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to supporting Montenegro’s EU accession, while both leaders welcomed deeper economic ties, particularly in investment.
Budapest continues to dominate the list this year, with only one school outside the capital—Lovassy László Gymnasium in Veszprém—breaking into the top ten at tenth place, consistent with previous years. Schools excelling in foreign language instruction, especially bilingual institutions, tend to hold an advantage in the rankings, though other criteria like exam performance remain key.
The world premiere of the ten-part Rise of the Raven (Hunyadi) TV series was held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France at MIPCOM, one of the most important annual events for the film, television and streaming industry. The sold-out screening was attended by the series’ creators as well as Hungarian and international stars and producers.
‘The post–1989 period has not been free from debates and conflicts on how Hungary could and should assert its national interest while integrating into the Western order. The Left has been anxious about not integrating into and aligning with the “developed” West fast enough, while Conservatives have feared the loss of tradition, identity, and national consciousness in the melting pot of accelerating globalization.’
Coincidentally, on the Hungarian national holiday of 23 October, the English club Liverpool featuring Dominik Szobszlai faced off against the German side RB Leipzig with Péter Gulácsi and Willi Orbán in their starting line-up in the UEFA Champions League. Liverpool won the game 1–0. This was the first time both sides in a UCL game featured Hungarian internationals since December 2006.
Tibor Kapu and Gyula Cserényi, the two selected participants of the Hungarian to Orbit (Hunor) astronaut programme, are undergoing training at NASA’s Johnson Space Centre for the upcoming Ax-4 mission. In a recent interview on Hungarian public radio they shared insights into their rigorous preparation.
During his speech on the 68th anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and Freedom Fight, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán warned against foreign control, vowing to defend Hungary’s sovereignty. He emphasized the importance of national unity in the face of external pressures, and stated that Hungarians will not tolerate Hungary being turned into a puppet state of Brussels.
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.
At a commemoration marking the anniversary of the 1956 Revolution and Freedom Fight on Wednesday, President Tamás Sulyok highlighted that Hungary’s sovereignty today is what the nation’s heroes fought for 68 year ago. Recalling the unity manifested during the revolution, the President stated that Hungarians are a people immune to inhuman ideologies.
‘Family, school, church, scouting. The combination of these four elements is the only way the Hungarian diaspora can survive in North America. Despite the lack of a perceivable enemy today, we give up ourselves,’ 1956er Gyula Varga, former principal of the Széchenyi Hungarian School and Kindergarten in New Brunswick and an active scout, said in an in-depth interview.
‘The Hungarian people, who cherish freedom, will do everything in their power to defend their sovereignty. Just as in 1956, when we were the first Eastern European country under communist dictatorship to stand up against Moscow, Hungary is now leading the fight for freedom against the oppression of Brussels.’