Nicholas Pongratz

Business

Fireworks Company Issued HUF 100 Million Dividend

Nuvu Kft., the pyrotechnics company responsible for the technical execution of today's fireworks display, promised to be Europe's largest, booked...

Domestic

Back-to-School Shopping Still a Struggle for Many Families

Many families in Hungary still find back-to-school shopping a significant financial burden, according to a Erste Bank survey....

Ukraine Crisis

EU Fall-out Follows Unsanctioned ‘Peace Mission’

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s unsanctioned visits to Russia and China to treat with their respective presidents as part of his...

Ukraine Crisis

Orbán’s Shuttle Diplomacy Aims to Understand Positions

In the past two weeks, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has met not only with the opposing leaders of the countries...

Ukraine Crisis

EU Finds Workaround on Hungarian Funding Veto

The European Union determined that it would use the EUR 1.4 billion in profits from the sale of frozen Russian...

EU

Outgoing European Council President Advises Incoming Orbán

The outgoing European Council president provided some parting words of wisdom for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, at a press conference...

Ukraine Crisis

Could B9 Become B8 Over Hungary’s Actions on Ukraine, Russia?

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed a victory for “advocates for peace” following the European Parliament elections held in Hungary on...

Ukraine Crisis

EU and Hungarian Tensions Grow Over Ukraine Aid

Hungary will continue to maintain its current position of advocating for peace while avoiding any escalation of the war despite...

Ukraine Crisis

PM Blames Low Growth on War, Speaks With Zelensky

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blamed the ongoing war in Ukraine for holding back Hungary’s economic expansion in an interview with...

Ukraine Crisis

‘Not Our War’ PM Says as Talks Continue on Transcarpathia Minority Rights

In the lead-up to the European Parliamentary elections on June 9, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made clear that keeping Hungary...

Food

Aldi Opening Biggest Store in Budapest

German retail company Aldi’s biggest store in Hungary will open in a deserted mall in the heart of Budapest, according...

In Hungary

Leadership Skills Also Essential for Mothers

Determination, conflict management, problem-solving ability and empathy are the main leadership qualities which are also essential as a mother, according...

Ukraine Crisis

Hungary Blocks NATO Role, Builds Trust With Ukraine

“Hungary will not back any NATO proposals that might draw the alliance closer to war or shift it from a...

Ukraine Crisis

NATO to Assume Some Control of Ukraine Group Coordination

“The terrifying risk of a Third World War is approaching,” Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó told Russian...

Ukraine Crisis

U.S., Hungary Exchange Barbs Over ‘Difficult’ Relationship

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met with former U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on March 8. Afterward, Orbán told TV...

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...