Page 3 - Hungary

Hungary's PM visits Ukraine for talks with Zelenskyy, first since war began

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn was in Kyiv on Tuesday for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his first visit to the country since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Orbn's press chief confirmed to Hungarian news agency MTI that the prime minister had arrived in the Ukrainian capital in the morning for the talks. Bertalan Havasi said the main topic of the rare meeting will be the opportunity for building peace as Ukraine fights off Russia's invasion. This visit comes the day after Hungary took over the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union, a position that has little real power but can be used to set the tone of the bloc's agenda. Hungarian officials have indicated that they will act as honest brokers in the role despite worries from some EU lawmakers that Hungary's democratic track record makes it unfit to lead the bloc. Orbn, known as Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest EU ally, has long been accused by his European partners o

Hungary's Orbn to take over EU presidency as many issues hang in balance

When Hungary takes over the helm of the European Union on July 1, many politicians in Brussels will have the same thing on their minds: whether populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbn will use the role to further his reputation as the bloc's main spoiler. Orbn in recent years has seemed to relish opportunities to block, water down or delay key EU decisions, routinely going against the grain of most other leaders on issues like the war in Ukraine, relations with Russia and China, and efforts to defend democracy and the rule of law. His public opposition to EU policies and stances has long frustrated his partners in the bloc and pushed him to the margins of the continent's mainstream. Hungary's motto for its presidency Make Europe Great Again raised eyebrows for its resemblance to the famous tagline of former U.S. President Donald Trump. The EU presidency rotates among its member countries, and while the post holds little real power, it does allow countries to put their priorities high

Hungary forward Barnabas Varga stable after injury against Scotland

Hungary forward Barnabs Varga was in hospital in stable condition after a serious-looking injury at his team's final group match at the European Championship. Varga will likely undergo surgery after fracturing several bones in his face. The 29-year-old also has concussion and will take no part in the rest of Euro 2024 should Hungary advance to the round of 16 as one of the four best third-place teams. The Group A game against Scotland was halted for nearly 10 minutes so Varga could get treatment after colliding with opposing goalkeeper Angus Gunn midway through the second half. Varga's teammates held up blankets to shield the player as he was tended to by medical staff, while everyone looked on in concern. Both sets of fans applauded when Varga was stretchered off. Several bones in Barnabs Varga's face were broken during the collision during the match, and he also suffered a concussion, the Hungarian soccer federation wrote on X, formerly Twitter, after the match. The Ferencvros

Euro Cup 2024 today match: SUI vs GER live match time, SCO vs HUN streaming

The Switzerland vs Germany football match as well as the Scotland vs Hungary football match will begin at 12:30 AM IST on June 24

Euro Cup 2024: Germany vs Hungary live match time (IST), telecast streaming

The Germany vs Hungary football match will begin at 9:30 PM IST today. Victory for Germany would almost guarantee a spot in the knockout stages (pre-quarterfinals, which begin on June 29)

Euro Cup 2024: Italy vs Albania live match to begin at 12:30 AM IST

On Saturday, June 15, three matches will take place in the Uefa Euro 2024 being played in Germany. Teams such as Hungary, Switzerland, Spain, Croatia, Italy and Albania will be involved

EU elections: Huge voter turnout expected; surveys predict shift to right

Voters are heading to the polls for the European Union's election super Sunday amid concern that a likely shift to the political right will undermine the ability of the world's biggest trading bloc to take decisions as war rages in Ukraine and anti-migrant sentiment mounts. Citizens in 20 countries, from the Alpine nation of Austria to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, will cast ballots to elect 720 members of the European Parliament. Seats in the assembly are allocated based on population, ranging from six in Malta or Luxembourg to 96 in Germany. Official results of the elections, which are held every five years and began in the Netherlands on Thursday, cannot be published before the last polling stations in the 27 EU nations close those in Italy at 11 p.m. (2100 GMT). Unofficial estimates are due to trickle in from 1615 GMT. An unofficial exit poll on Thursday suggested that Geert Wilders' anti-migrant hard right party should make important gains in the Netherlands, even thoug

Hungary's PM Orbn faces new serious challenger in upcoming EU elections

About three months ago, a scandal rocked five-time nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbn's Fidesz party which prides itself on upholding family values and Christian conservatism. As party leaders attempted damage control after close Orbn allies, President Katalin Novk and Justice Minister Judit Varga, were forced to resign over a presidential pardon for a man convicted of covering up a string of child sexual abuses, Pter Magyar saw a chance and broke ranks with the party in February. In a matter of weeks, Magyar a 43-year-old lawyer built a political movement, now poised to become Hungary's largest opposition force and challenge Orban's party in the June 9 European Parliament and municipal elections. Magyar said in a recent interview with The Associated Press that the upcoming vote was a prelude to his planned run in the 2026 Hungarian national elections. Whether he can score a win remains to be seen. Orbn has delivered his Fidesz party four straight wins in Hungary's parliamen

Hungary, China sign strategic cooperation agreement during Xi's visit

Hungary and China signed a number of new agreements on Thursday to deepen their economic and cultural cooperation during a visit to the Central European country by Chinese President Xi Jinping, a trip meant to solidify China's economic footprint in the region. Xi and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn held talks in the capital Budapest as part of the Chinese leader's final stop on a five-day European tour that also took in Serbia and France. During a press briefing following the talks, Orbn praised the continuous, uninterrupted friendship between the two countries since his tenure began in 2010, and promised that Hungary would continue to host further Chinese investments. I would like to assure the president that Hungary will continue to provide fair conditions for Chinese companies investing in our country, and that we will create the opportunity for the most modern Western and the most modern Eastern technologies to meet and build cooperation in Hungary, Orbn said. Beijing has .

Xi Jinping arrives in Hungary for talks on expanding Chinese investments

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hungary late Wednesday, the final stop on his five-day European tour, where he's expected to finalize a number of agreements with Prime Minister Viktor Orbn that will deepen China's economic footprint in the region. Xi is set to spend two nights in the Hungarian capital Budapest where he will meet with Orbn and Hungarian President Tams Sulyok. Talks will center on future Chinese investments in the Central European country, which has courted deep economic ties with Beijing even as mainstream European leaders have pursued more protectionist policies to limit its reach on the continent. Orbn, a nationalist populist whose illiberal policies have pushed him to the fringes of the European Union, made his country the first in the 27-member bloc to participate in Xi's signature Belt and Road Initiative. Hungary has straddled a middle ground between its membership in the EU and NATO and a willingness to establish diplomatic and trade relationships with

Continuing his embrace of autocrats, Trump to meet Hungary PM Viktor Orbn

Former President Donald Trump on Friday is scheduled to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbn, as the likely Republican presidential nominee continues his embrace of autocratic leaders who are part of a global pushback against democratic traditions. Orbn has become an icon to some conservative populists for championing what he calls illiberal democracy, replete with restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. But he's also cracked down on the press and judiciary in his country and rejiggered the country's political system to keep his party in power while maintaining the closest relationship with Russia among all European Union countries. In the US, Trump's allies have embraced Orbn's approach. On Thursday, as foreign dignitaries milled through Washington, D.C., ahead of President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, Orbn skipped the White House and instead spoke at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank overseeing the 2025 Project, the effort to create a ..

EU approves $54 bn aid package for Ukraine despite Hungary's threats

All 27 European Union countries have reached consensus on an additional 50 billion euros (USD 54 billion) aid package for Ukraine, overcoming potential vetoes, notably from Hungary

Hungary blocks European Union aid for Ukraine after membership talks nod

EU leaders will reconvene for a second day of their summit meeting on Friday with several topics on the agenda, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas

Hungary asks EU to take action against Bulgaria transit tax on Russian gas

Hungary has asked the European Union's executive to open a legal procedure against Bulgaria over a tax it recently imposed on Russian natural gas passing through its territory, a government minister said on Friday. Bulgaria believes the tax, which it levied in October, will reduce the privileged position of Russia's state-owned energy company Gazprom in southeastern Europe and deter Russian influence in the region. But the tax has angered Bulgaria's neighbour Serbia, as well as fellow EU member Hungary, which are heavily dependent on Russian gas coming mostly via Turkey and Bulgaria through the TurkStream pipeline. In a Facebook video, Hungary's minister for EU affairs, Janos Boka, said he had sent a letter to the European Commission urging it to launch an infringement procedure against Bulgaria, the first potential step the bloc can use to ensure its laws are upheld by member states. Boka complained that Bulgaria had imposed the tax without consulting first with Hungary, and that

Ukrainian boat captain found guilty in Hungary for 2019 Danube collision

The captain of a river cruise boat that collided with another vessel in Hungary's capital in 2019, killing at least 27 people most of them South Korean tourists, was found guilty on Tuesday of negligence leading to a fatal mass catastrophe and sentenced to five years in prison. Judge Leona Nemeth with the Pest Central District Court found that the negligence of the Ukrainian captain, Yuriy Chaplinsky, had caused his river cruise boat, the Viking Sigyn, to collide with the tourist boat Hableany (Mermaid) from behind, causing it to sink into the Danube River within seconds. The court acquitted Chaplinsky of 35 counts of failure to render aid. He may appeal. The collision occurred May 29, 2019, when the Hableany, carrying mostly the South Korean tourists, sank after being struck beneath Budapest's Margit Bridge by the much larger Viking Sigyn. Seven South Koreans were rescued from the water in the heavy rain following the collision, and 27 people were recovered dead including the ...

F1 Hungarian GP: Max Verstappen records 7th consecutive win, Red Bull 12th

Formula One champion Max Verstappen needed only a few seconds to stamp his authority on the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday and win his seventh straight race of a crushingly dominant season. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton started from pole position ahead of Verstappen, who muscled him out at the first corner and never looked back. Red Bull's 12th straight win, including the final race of 2022, broke McLaren's record for consecutive team wins set in 1988. That was so enjoyable to drive, 12 in a row that is unbelievable, Verstappen said. Unbelievable. I was really enjoying that last stint. Verstappen is cruising toward a third straight F1 title. His ninth victory overall complete with another bonus point for the fastest lap means the 25-year-old Dutchman already leads his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez by 110 points. McLaren driver Lando Norris finished second for the second-straight race and Perez was third for a much-needed second podium in six races. Verstappen's career

Explained: Why Turkey has not yet approved Sweden's bid of joining Nato

Despite Sweden implementing new anti-terror legislation in June, Turkey still claims Sweden has not taken sufficient "concrete steps"

Hungarian parliament approves Finland's bid to join Western alliance Nato

Hungary's parliament on Monday approved Finland's bid to join NATO, ending months of delays and bringing the Nordic country one step closer to becoming a full member of the Western military alliance. Hungarian lawmakers voted 182 for and only six against with no abstentions. The vote came after Hungary's government frustrated allies in NATO and the European Union by repeatedly postponing the measure for months after nearly all other members of the alliance had ratified Finland's bid. With Hungary's approval, Turkey is now the only one of NATO's 30 members not to have ratified Finland's NATO accession. Admitting a new country requires unanimity among all member nations.

Hungarian PM vows to block sanctions against Russia to safeguard interests

In the foreseeable future, Hungary would remain dependent on fossil fuel imports from Russia, and he was optimistic that Russia would prove reliable supplier, Xinhua news agency quoted Orban as saying

Hungarian delegation supports Sweden's Nato membership application

A parliamentary delegation from Hungary said Tuesday that it supports Sweden's NATO membership bid after meeting the speaker of the Swedish parliament to iron out what Hungary's governing party has called political disputes. Some Hungarian lawmakers have raised doubts about whether to support the NATO membership applications by Sweden and Finland, citing what they call blatant lies from Stockholm and Helsinki on the state of Hungary's democracy. But the Hungarian delegation indicated Tuesday that the parliament in Budapest would ultimately ratify Sweden's NATO bid. We support Sweden's NATO membership, Hungary's deputy parliamentary speaker, Csaba Hende, told Swedish news agency TT. We made it clear that the Hungarian government, the Hungarian president, the prime minister and most of the Hungarian parliamentarians clearly support Swedish NATO membership, Hende said, according to TT. He added that it was necessary to improve bilateral relations between Budapest and Stockholm. Hunga