Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy defended Elon Musk at a press conference in Rome yesterday, asking the reporters: ‘Is the problem that he is rich and influential, or that he’s not left-wing?’ She also said she believes Musk is no threat to democracy, George Soros is.
Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky introduced a groundbreaking sport reality series co-created by the Ministry of Defence and TV2 at a recent press conference. The television show will offer viewers an inside look at military training, personal challenges, and the transformative power of camaraderie.
The Texhibition celebrates its tenth anniversary with a rich programme showcasing Polish textile art, music-inspired creations, and a retrospective of a decade’s achievements. The exhibition runs at Budapest’s FUGA from today until 19 January .
Europe’s largest solar park has received all necessary approvals, with construction set to begin soon at the Hungarian–Romanian border. Spanning over 1064 hectares, the 800 million euro project will deliver 1044 MW of installed capacity, marking a major leap in renewable energy in the region.
24 armed men attacked the Presidential Palace in N’Djamena, Chad yesterday, 8 January, but the attack was thankfully thwarted. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary commented on the incident on his X page. Hungary has had a strategic partnership with the African nation of Chad since September 2024.
Former US Ambassador to Hungary David Cornstein has joined the critics of the Biden administration’s decision to impose sanctions on senior Hungarian government official Antal Rogán. Cornstein characterized the decision as ‘terrible and shameful’.
In a provocative and disingenuous statement, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry declared that Ukraine would be prepared to take Hungary’s place in NATO and the European Union if Hungary chose to exit them and join Russian-led organizations such as the CIS and CSTO instead. Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó described the statement as ‘rather aggressive.’
‘Like most U.S. presidents, Nixon had controversial policies, as with the secret bombing of Laos and Cambodia, which coerced the North Vietnamese to the aforementioned peace accords. All things being equal, perhaps history will one day remember him as the man who paved the way, if not fomented, for nations to consider speaking with each other, as opposed to shooting at each other.’
The Hungarian National Police (ORFK) and CIB Bank have signed a cooperation agreement to fight cybercrime. The partnership aims to curb internet fraud through swift action and enhanced communication, safeguarding victims and reducing financial losses.
In a bizarre Facebook post, György Raskó, an operative of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party, argued that Europe needs a war to do away with right-wing populism for good. The post was a reaction to the right-wing populist FPÖ party now being close to forming a government in Austria.
The University of Szeged (SZTE) is at the forefront of innovative medical treatments in Hungary, particularly in cancer care. By adopting cutting-edge interventional oncology methods, SZTE is shaping the future of minimally invasive cancer therapies and medical education.
Katinka Hosszú, Hungary’s ‘Iron Lady’ and three-time Olympic swimming champion, announced her retirement at age 35. Reflecting on an extraordinary 30-year career, she shared her journey’s highlights and the lessons learned from her life in the pool on social media.
‘A Hungarian grand strategy for the 21st century must be based on principles that go beyond the question of Eastern or Western orientation.’
Poland took over the presidency of the EU from Hungary on 1 January. The ceremony launching the presidency, however, was conducted without the Hungarian ambassador to Poland, as the Polish Foreign Ministry declared he would not be welcome at the event. Political Director for the Prime Minister of Hungary Balázs Orbán commented on the incident and its context in an interview with wPolityce.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that it will cease working with third-party fact-checking services on its social media sites Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Instead, it will rely on user-submitted ‘community notes,’ popularized on major Trump supporter Elon Musk’s X.
Former Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro gave an interview to the Hungarian outlet Mandiner, in which he discussed, among other topics, the political asylum granted by Hungary to his former deputy, Marcin Romanowski, the deterioration of the rule of law in Poland under Tusk, and the European Union’s complicity.
‘Elon Musk is dismantling one of the most powerful weapons progressives have wielded: the deliberate silencing of opposing voices. Musk is countering this strategy by simply allowing right-wing forces to voice their opinions. In other words, he is upholding their most fundamental democratic right: the right to freedom of expression.’
Companies in the hospitality industry can now apply to the Hungarian Tourism Agency’s Priority Partners programme, organized by Visit Hungary. Successful applicants will receive valuable perks, such as a 50 per cent discount on the application fee for tourism sales programmes run by Visit Hungary; and participation in B2B activities such as webinars, roadshows, and workshops. Applications are open until 27 January.
A recent survey by the Mária Kopp Institute reveals widespread public support for Hungary’s new economic action plan. Policies like housing assistance, a permanent 13th month pension, and doubled family tax benefits are seen as vital by the majority of respondents.
Bryan E. Leib, a potential successor to outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman, has voiced sharp criticism on social media of the US administration’s recent sanctioning a key Hungarian politician. Leib expressed optimism for improved ties under Trump’s leadership in his commentary.
Antal Rogán, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Hungary, has been placed on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list, in the last two weeks of the incumbent Biden administration. US–Hungary relations have severely soured under President Biden.
The first guest of the new edition of the Danube Info podcast was Or Yissachar, a national security researcher and team lead in the Israeli high-tech industry, leading the Israel Defence and Security Forum’s Content Division and Research Department.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founding father of the French right-wing party National Front (now known as National Rally), has passed away at the age of 96. While his career was marked by controversies and scandals, Le Pen will be remembered as one of the first to alert France to the existential threats it faced.
A video shared by American journalist Colin Rugg on X has gone viral, showing a stray being the first to rush across the Hungarian-Romanian border at an event celebrating the full incorporation of Romania into the Schengen Area on 1 January 2025. Romania and Bulgaria became the full members of the Schengen Area under the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU.
Three months after the September 2024 elections Austria now has the opportunity to align with the will of the electorate. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen has invited Herbert Kickl, leader of the Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) and an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, to form a government after mainstream parties’ talks collapsed.
A recent study by Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) highlights the influence of media, tabloids, and women’s magazines on shaping unrealistic body image expectations for women. The findings reveal troubling trends in content and visual representation.
Donald Trump and Grover Cleveland are the only two presidents in US history to have been elected to non-consecutive second terms. However, as it turns out, it is not the only thing the two statesmen serving in the highest office in the land have in common.
Hungary’s largest career and education event, the EDUCATIO International Exhibition, opens this Thursday, offering students inspiring university exhibits, scholarship programmes, and career opportunities.
As Brazil takes the helm of BRICS in 2025, Indonesia has officially joined the group as a full member, marking a significant milestone in strengthening collaboration among emerging economies and advancing the priorities of the Global South.
In 2024, over 50 films supported by Hungary’s National Film Institute debuted, including 13 in cinemas and more than 40 on television. The NFI-sponsored productions attracted over 575,000 viewers in film theatres.