Nicholas Pongratz

New Projects

Lazy Felix Promises an end to Downloading to Upload

Serial entrepreneur András Györfi recently launched the browser extension Lazy Felix, which received its second round of funding from Hiventures...

Ukraine Crisis

War or Words Continues Over Ukrainian Grain Export Bans

Satisfied that distortions in the domestic markets of five European Union member states bordering Ukraine have been eliminated, the European...

Ukraine Crisis

Mixed Messages Continue in Hungary-Ukraine Relations

President Katalin Novák paid an official visit to Ukraine last month, celebrating Hungary’s national holiday with ethnic Hungarians there, visiting...

Debt

ÁKK Modifies 2023 Financing Plan

Hungary's Government Debt Management Agency (ÁKK) announced late on Monday that it is modifying its financing plan for 2023 in...

Weather

Heat Alert to Last Through Weekend

The heat alert was raised to the third-degree and extended until Monday at midnight across the entire country, according to...

Tourism

Foreign Guests, Athletics Championship Boost August 20 Tourism

Foreign guests, largely attracted by the start of the World Athletics Championship, contributed significantly to the boost in tourism for...

Figures

Sinking Eurozone PMI Drags Down Forint

The economic performance of the Eurozone decreased more than analysts expected, according to the preliminary values ​​of the Purchasing Managers'...

Int'l Relations

Continest Containers to Arrive in Hawaii by October

Hungary's Continest Technologies Plc. will deliver foldable containers designed for temporary housing for nearly 250 families to the fire-ravaged Hawaiian...

Int'l Relations

Continest Containers Delivered to Fire-stricken Hawaii

Some 20 foldable containers that can be used as temporary accommodation were delivered to Hawaii by cargo plane from an...

Construction

Rosatom Subsidiary Breaks Ground on Paks II Blocks

The main contractor of the Paks II nuclear power plant project, Atomstroyexport, the nuclear power equipment and service exporter subsidiary...

Ukraine Crisis

Nagy and Zelensky Argue Over ‘Unacceptable’ Timing of Agri Ban

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the European Union to follow through on lifting restrictions that have been placed on the...

Ukraine Crisis

Orbán Calls for Peace, Stoltenberg Hails Ratification

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán again reiterated Hungary’s stance regarding the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a ceasefire and...

Ukraine Crisis

Orbán says Putin Remains ‘Strong’

The armed rebellion attempted by Russia’s Wagner Group over the weekend, in which leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led his mercenary group...

Food

Online Food Price Comparison Platform Launched

An online food price comparison platform launched by the Competition Office and the Ministry of Economic Development on July 1...

Ukraine Crisis

Agriculture row Rumbles on as PoWs, Coaches Handed Over

The European Commission chose to extend restrictions on the import of several agricultural products from Ukraine, including wheat, maize, rapeseed...

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...