David Landry

Analysis

Freedom on the internet: Hungary ranks no. 8 in study

Independent watchdog organization Freedom House released its fourth annual “Freedom on the Net” report last week; in its ranking of...

Competition

Fidesz leader: Free withdrawals “a right”

Parliamentary party leader Antal Rogán pushed forward the Fidesz proposal calling for a constitutional amendment that guarantees customers of Hungary-based...

Visits

MOL-INA: Orbán urges buyout; national relations emphasized

BBJ starts what is certain to be another week of stories on ongoing negotiations between Hungary-based gas-and-oil giant MOL and...

Party Popularity

Voter poll: More support for right, E14 on bubble

Hungary’s left-wing opposition parties don’t need bad news going into this weekend’s re-running of a Baja by-election, but think tank...

Issues

Orbán: Croatian relations more important than INA deal

Two days after the Hungarian government announced that the state-owned oil-and-gas giant MOL was advised to consider selling off its...

Deals

Hungarian startups meet with Israel-based businesses

The National Economy Ministry, the National Innovation Office (NIH) and the Israeli Embassy to Hungary hosted the first Israel-Hungary Innovation...

Sights

University of Kaposvár students go full monty in protest

“Ban the bra?” Streaking? That stuff has been proven to be positively ancient here in Hungary, as handful of students...

Sights

University of Kaposvár students go full monty in protest

“Ban the bra?” Streaking? That stuff has been proven to be positively ancient here in Hungary, as handful of students...

Conferences

President plugs World Water Summit

In visiting the LightTech water management plant in Dunakeszi this week, President János Áder touted next week’s international Water Summit...

Awards

Deputy PM: Hungary to “crack down” on anti-Semitism

The Conference on Jewish Life and anti-Semitism in Contemporary Europe currently being hosted in Budapest has garnered many speakers and...

In Hungary

Fidesz to propose free-withdrawal legislation

The ruling Fidesz-KDNP has once again flexed its muscle of constitutional majority with another populist move, upping a previously-discussed amendment...

Sights

Unhappy news: Vidámpark closes doors

A 175-year-old institution in Hungary has ended its historical run, as this week Budapest’s Vidámpark closed doors to all but...

Food

KSH: External trade surplus €448 million in July

According to a new slate of figures released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH), exports amounted to €6.7 billion (HUF...

Issues

MOL defies Croatian request to question CEO

Against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations between MOL and Croatian government representatives over the ownership of Croatia-based gas-and-oil company INA,...

In Hungary

Homeless ban passes, protests triggered

The Parliament of Hungary passed a law on Monday that essentially criminalizes homelessness, placing the future of thousands of people...

Visits

Hungary: Loving it, leaving it

When I first came here, local folks mostly asked me “Why Hungary?” Now when I tell them I’m leaving, they...

Int'l Relations

Szijjártó declares end of classic diplomacy

Perhaps gearing up for the rumored merging of foreign trade and foreign affairs ministries in a new government composition to...

Party Popularity

EP election: Fidesz, Jobbik tops on low voter turnout

Cruising to a landslide victory in which the governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition garnered 51.5% of the vote, opposition party MSzP and...

Deals

Ablon rechristened as CPI Hungary

Due to the takeover of its Hungarian operations by Czech Republic-based CPI Group in mid-2013, real estate firm Ablon has...

MNB

Debt rises to all-time high, government spins figure

Hungary’s gross consolidated government sector debt, calculated at nominal value, in line with the Maastricht methodology, rose to HUF 24.904...

MNB

Debt rises to all-time high, government spins figure

Hungary’s gross consolidated government sector debt, calculated at nominal value, in line with the Maastricht methodology, rose to HUF 24.904...

World

Dep. CEO: OTP Bank will not withdraw from E. Ukraine

Following the release of OTP Bank’s first quarter earnings report showing disappointing results due in large part to heavy losses...

MNB

Inflation rate concerns Varga, MNB deputy governor

National Economy Minister Mihály Varga on Thursday said the economy is in “top form” and the country’s fiscal position is...

Int'l Relations

Oslo awaits response from Hungary on suspended grants

Talks between Hungary and Norway on the suspension of funding from the EEA and Norway Grants scheme are not underway...

Automotive

Industrial output in March up 10.6% y.o.y.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) today indicate that in March 2014, industrial gross output in Hungary increased...

Deals

MOL: Report on management of INA “shameful”

Oil-and-gas giant MOL termed “shameful” the report of advisory Oil and Gas Consulting to the government of Croatia on MOL’s...

Initiatives

Epson study considers trends in SME printing habits

A study commissioned by Epson Hungary and undertaken by KutatóCentrum sheds some light on trends in printing among local small-...

Initiatives

Orbán supports Poland plan for EU energy union

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was in Poland this week to meet with his counterpart Donald Tusk on various issues headlined...

Deals

Nine of 35 banks to contest National Bank fines

Nine lenders, among them Raiffeisen Bank, Erste Bank Hungary and FHB Commercial Bank, are contesting fines by the National Bank...

Pharma

Michelin to close Budapest plant due to “shrinking tire market”

Michelin Hungária today announced the planned closure of its plant in Budapest. Labeling the facility “outdated,” the plant will be...

Hungary: Loving it, leaving it

When I first came here, local folks mostly asked me “Why Hungary?” Now when I tell them I’m leaving, they...

Szijjártó declares end of classic diplomacy

Perhaps gearing up for the rumored merging of foreign trade and foreign affairs ministries in a new government composition to...

EP election: Fidesz, Jobbik tops on low voter turnout

Cruising to a landslide victory in which the governing Fidesz-KDNP coalition garnered 51.5% of the vote, opposition party MSzP and...

Ablon rechristened as CPI Hungary

Due to the takeover of its Hungarian operations by Czech Republic-based CPI Group in mid-2013, real estate firm Ablon has...

Debt rises to all-time high, government spins figure

Hungary’s gross consolidated government sector debt, calculated at nominal value, in line with the Maastricht methodology, rose to HUF 24.904...

Debt rises to all-time high, government spins figure

Hungary’s gross consolidated government sector debt, calculated at nominal value, in line with the Maastricht methodology, rose to HUF 24.904...

Dep. CEO: OTP Bank will not withdraw from E. Ukraine

Following the release of OTP Bank’s first quarter earnings report showing disappointing results due in large part to heavy losses...

Inflation rate concerns Varga, MNB deputy governor

National Economy Minister Mihály Varga on Thursday said the economy is in “top form” and the country’s fiscal position is...

Oslo awaits response from Hungary on suspended grants

Talks between Hungary and Norway on the suspension of funding from the EEA and Norway Grants scheme are not underway...

Industrial output in March up 10.6% y.o.y.

Figures released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) today indicate that in March 2014, industrial gross output in Hungary increased...

MOL: Report on management of INA “shameful”

Oil-and-gas giant MOL termed “shameful” the report of advisory Oil and Gas Consulting to the government of Croatia on MOL’s...

Epson study considers trends in SME printing habits

A study commissioned by Epson Hungary and undertaken by KutatóCentrum sheds some light on trends in printing among local small-...

Orbán supports Poland plan for EU energy union

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was in Poland this week to meet with his counterpart Donald Tusk on various issues headlined...

Nine of 35 banks to contest National Bank fines

Nine lenders, among them Raiffeisen Bank, Erste Bank Hungary and FHB Commercial Bank, are contesting fines by the National Bank...

Michelin to close Budapest plant due to “shrinking tire market”

Michelin Hungária today announced the planned closure of its plant in Budapest. Labeling the facility “outdated,” the plant will be...