Nicholas Pongratz

Energy

Good News on EVs, Solar, but MVM Deal in Romania Hits Turbulence

Hungary’s efforts at advancing its electric vehicle adoption, battery usage, and solar development continue to make strides, yet renewed concerns...

Ukraine Crisis

End of Ukraine Gas Route Leaves Some Struggling

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó has placed responsibility for the recent spike in European gas prices on...

Green Energy

Hungary’s Share of Solar Grows at Pace, but Dependence on Russian Energy Remains

Hungary has made significant strides in its solar power development recently. Through its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) and...

Ukraine Crisis

Szijjártó Continues to Push for Peaceful end to War

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó has made repeated calls to boost peace efforts in Ukraine in the...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Worried by Missile Permission and Bank Sanctions

The war has entered its most dangerous phase, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a post on his Facebook page...

Ukraine Crisis

European Leaders Consider Options on Ukraine After Trump Win

European leaders gathered at the European Political Community summit in Budapest on Nov. 7 to discuss the implications of the...

Ukraine Crisis

Orbán Contrasts Fates of Georgia and Ukraine

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán traveled to Georgia on Oct. 28 to congratulate Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on his electoral...

Ukraine Crisis

EU Head, Orbán Clash Over Energy, Visas, Russia and Ukraine

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen criticized Hungary’s government in a debate with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the...

Analysis

Hungary Well-placed on Energy Front as Fall Begins to Bite

As cooler temperatures arrive with the onset of fall, the Ministry of Energy Affairs assured Hungarians that regulated household gas...

Interview

Yepp App Plays ‘Digital Leapfrog’ in Hungary’s Telco Market

Yettel recently brought some of its services directly into the digital age through its Yepp app. Chief commercial officer Nemanja...

Ukraine Crisis

Tension Around Sale of Frozen Assets and Gas Supplies

The European Union has started working to provide Ukraine with between EUR 20 billion -40 bln in unilateral support in...

Sustainability

The Hungarian Forestry Firm Working to Restore Soil, Spread Carbon Credits

For the past year and a half, climate policy consultant Viktor Jósa has been contributing to the sustainable business development...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Changes Rules on Supporting Ukrainian Refugees

As many as 3,000 Ukrainian refugees sheltering in Hungary may be forced onto the streets due to an amendment to...

Telco

Communication Costs on the Rise

Hungarians' spending on communications rose significantly last year....

Events

Fireworks Delayed due to Thunderstorm

The fireworks display over the river Danube, marking the climax of St. Stephen's Day celebrations yesterday, was delayed by one...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Again Digs in Heels on EU Accession Clusters

Hungary withheld approval for Ukraine’s next European Union accession clusters for a fifth time, after Prime Minister Péter Magyar rejected...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungarian-Ukrainian Relations Advance, to a Degree

Hungarian-Ukrainian relations advanced on several fronts in August, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Prime Minister Péter Magyar to Kyiv, Budapest...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Again Stalls on Opening Further Ukrainian EU Accession Clusters

Within five days, Hungary twice declined to clear the first procedural step toward opening two further European Union accession clusters...

Ukraine Crisis

Still no Date or Venue for Magyar-Zelenskyy Summit

Hungary’s government ordered an investigation into the Orbán-era seizure of Ukrainian bank assets, lifted a nine-month ban on Ukrainian media...

Ukraine Crisis

Magyar Lifts Veto on European Peace Facility, EU Accession Talks

Prime Minister Péter Magyar lifted Hungary’s two-year veto on European Union arms reimbursements on June 2 and announced a comprehensive...

Ukraine Crisis

Kyiv, Budapest Closer to Minority Rights Agreement

In the concluding weeks of May, Prime Minister Péter Magyar managed to secure EUR 16.4 billion in frozen EU funds...

Ukraine Crisis

Ukraine Makes Reset With Hungary a Foreign Policy Priority

Péter Magyar’s May 9 inauguration as Hungary’s prime minister, formally concluding Viktor Orbán’s 16-year continuous rule, brought an immediate shift...

Ukraine Crisis

Can Tisza Victory Help Budapest and Kyiv Reset Relations?

The European Union has approved a EUR 90 billion loan for Ukraine and unblocked delayed Russia sanctions after Hungary lifted...

Ukraine Crisis

Election Result Offers Hungarian Reset With EU and Ukraine

In what could prove a watershed moment for Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party decisively ended the 16-year rule of...

Energy

Oil, Gas Pipeline Threats Highlight Hungary’s Energy Dependency

With an oil pipeline halted since January, a global price shock from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and...

Ukraine Crisis

Fidesz, Tisza Exchange Tit-for-tat Spying Allegations on Foreign Interference

Hungary’s government and opposition traded accusations of serving foreign intelligence services in the final days before the April 12 election,...

Ukraine Crisis

Ukraine Loan Blocked by Orbán, Szijjártó Phone Briefings Raise Eyebrows

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó has been accused of covertly briefing Moscow on EU meeting proceedings, prompting...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Seizes Ukrainian Cash, Gold from Armored Truck Convoy

Hungary detained seven Ukrainian bank employees transporting USD 40 million, EUR 35 mln, and nine kilograms of gold through Budapest...

Ukraine Crisis

Budapest and Kyiv Trade ‘Blackmail’ Allegations Over Energy Supplies

Hungary intensified its confrontation with Ukraine over halted Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba (ironically, the name translates as “Friendship”)...

Ukraine Crisis

Gov’t Outrage Over Deaths During ‘Forced Conscription’ of Ethnic Hungarians

The death of a second ethnic Hungarian during Ukrainian military conscription processing triggered a series of escalating measures by the...

Hungary Again Digs in Heels on EU Accession Clusters

Hungary withheld approval for Ukraine’s next European Union accession clusters for a fifth time, after Prime Minister Péter Magyar rejected...

Hungarian-Ukrainian Relations Advance, to a Degree

Hungarian-Ukrainian relations advanced on several fronts in August, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Prime Minister Péter Magyar to Kyiv, Budapest...

Hungary Again Stalls on Opening Further Ukrainian EU Accession Clusters

Within five days, Hungary twice declined to clear the first procedural step toward opening two further European Union accession clusters...

Still no Date or Venue for Magyar-Zelenskyy Summit

Hungary’s government ordered an investigation into the Orbán-era seizure of Ukrainian bank assets, lifted a nine-month ban on Ukrainian media...

Magyar Lifts Veto on European Peace Facility, EU Accession Talks

Prime Minister Péter Magyar lifted Hungary’s two-year veto on European Union arms reimbursements on June 2 and announced a comprehensive...

Kyiv, Budapest Closer to Minority Rights Agreement

In the concluding weeks of May, Prime Minister Péter Magyar managed to secure EUR 16.4 billion in frozen EU funds...

Ukraine Makes Reset With Hungary a Foreign Policy Priority

Péter Magyar’s May 9 inauguration as Hungary’s prime minister, formally concluding Viktor Orbán’s 16-year continuous rule, brought an immediate shift...

Can Tisza Victory Help Budapest and Kyiv Reset Relations?

The European Union has approved a EUR 90 billion loan for Ukraine and unblocked delayed Russia sanctions after Hungary lifted...

Election Result Offers Hungarian Reset With EU and Ukraine

In what could prove a watershed moment for Hungarian-Ukrainian relations, Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party decisively ended the 16-year rule of...

Oil, Gas Pipeline Threats Highlight Hungary’s Energy Dependency

With an oil pipeline halted since January, a global price shock from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and...

Fidesz, Tisza Exchange Tit-for-tat Spying Allegations on Foreign Interference

Hungary’s government and opposition traded accusations of serving foreign intelligence services in the final days before the April 12 election,...

Ukraine Loan Blocked by Orbán, Szijjártó Phone Briefings Raise Eyebrows

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó has been accused of covertly briefing Moscow on EU meeting proceedings, prompting...

Hungary Seizes Ukrainian Cash, Gold from Armored Truck Convoy

Hungary detained seven Ukrainian bank employees transporting USD 40 million, EUR 35 mln, and nine kilograms of gold through Budapest...

Budapest and Kyiv Trade ‘Blackmail’ Allegations Over Energy Supplies

Hungary intensified its confrontation with Ukraine over halted Russian oil shipments through the Druzhba (ironically, the name translates as “Friendship”)...

Gov’t Outrage Over Deaths During ‘Forced Conscription’ of Ethnic Hungarians

The death of a second ethnic Hungarian during Ukrainian military conscription processing triggered a series of escalating measures by the...