About: Hungary
MEPs shut out of Hungary Council hearing as rule of law situation worsens
MEPs are reeling after being shut out of a Council hearing under the Article 7 procedure against Hungary for systemic breaches to the rule of law, as the situation in the country further deteriorates.
Russia’s EU ambassador: The fall of the Berlin Wall was ‘a victory of common sense’
In a wide-ranging interview, Russia’s Ambassador to the EU Vladimir Chizhov spoke about gas transit talks with Ukraine, NATO and EU enlargement, nuclear arms control, Russia’s sales of the S-400 anti-aircraft system, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and Brexit.
Hungary’s Commission pick survives enlargement test, deflects on Orban
The Western Balkans must have a credible perspective of joining the European Union as it is in Europe's geopolitical interest, Hungary's Commissioner-designate for enlargement and neighbourhood told his European Parliament hearing on Wednesday (14 November).
Hungary’s emergency infrastructure hardware built by Huawei
Devices provided by the Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei play a core role in the operation of Hungarian state infrastructure, including in the country's emergency services, an in-depth investigative report by Direkt36 shows. The US responded to the news by reaffirming the fact that they have "strong concerns" about the company.
Budapest declares climate emergency, teases carbon-neutrality
The new Green mayor of Budapest on Tuesday (5 November) added his city to the growing list of capitals to have declared climate emergencies. It is the first visible break with Viktor Orbán’s government, which still opposes an EU plan to go climate-neutral by 2050.
Ukraine ready in case transit of Russian gas stops
Ukraine is ready for the gas transportation being stopped on the Ukrainian territory in case a new gas transit contract with Moscow is not negotiated, Ukraine's Energy Minister Oleksiy Orzhel announced on Monday (4 November). The current gas contract expires on 31 December.
Germany decries Iran’s move to speed up nuclear work, urges return to accord
Iran's announcement that it has developed advanced machines to speed up uranium enrichment jeopardises a 2015 accord with world powers, Germany's foreign minister said on Monday (4 November), urging Tehran to return to the pact.
Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland ‘breached EU law’ by refusing refugees
The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland likely broke EU law by refusing to take in asylum-seekers at the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, the top EU court's legal advisor said Thursday (31 October).
Hungary blocks NATO statement on Ukraine over minority rights row
Hours before a Russian state visit to Budapest on Wednesday (30 October), Hungary vetoed a joint NATO statement about Ukraine because it did not mention the “deprivation of rights” of the Hungarian minority in the neighbouring country's Transcarpathia region.
Erdogan thanks Orban for ‘support at the international stage’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in Baku on Tuesday (15 October), on the fringes of the Turkic Council, a group of countries speaking the same family of languages, which Hungary wants to join.
Hungary’s opposition wins Budapest election, makes gains in other cities
Hungary's opposition scored its biggest election victory in a decade on Sunday (13 October) when liberal challenger Gergely Karácsony ousted ruling-party incumbent Istvan Tarlos as mayor of Budapest and opposition parties made gains in other major cities as well.
Jourova: ’I don’t want us to come back to the pre-1989 era’
Věra Jourová, the European Commission's Vice-President elect for Values and Transparency, gave the good example on 9 October by meeting with Brussels journalists to talk about her future portfolio, answering their questions openly and making some strong political statements.
Hungary wants Montenegro and Serbia to join EU before 2025
It is in the European Union's economic and security interest that Montenegro and Serbia join the bloc before 2025, Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó told the Warsaw Security Forum on Wednesday (2 October).
Michael Ignatieff: Hungary will not be a single-party state forever
The democratic transition is not over in Central and Eastern Europe and we will continue our mission of training people and creating "free minds, people who think", Michael Ignatieff, a Canadian academic and president of the Central European University, told EURACTIV Slovakia.
Wojciechowski’s poor performance adds to von der Leyen’s woes
If Polish Commission-nominee Janus Wojciechowski ultimately gets rejected by the European Parliament after his hearing on Tuesday (1 October), it will not be for political reasons, but simply because his performance was so disappointing.
After setback, Hungary offers its EU ambassador for Commissioner
Hungary has nominated its ambassador to the EU, Olivér Várhelyi, as its new candidate for the European Commission after the Parliament blocked the first candidate put forward by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday (30 September).
Budapest-Belgrade railway: Orbán flirts with China
Hungary has signed a deal with China to modernise the railway link between Budapest and Belgrade. The project - the first major Chinese infrastructure deal inside the EU - aims to facilitate the distribution of goods arriving at the Chinese-owned port of Piräus, but critics say it might be a waste of taxpayer money.
Is von der Leyen on course to ease tensions with Hungary?
European Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen's Commissioner pick for the enlargement and neighbourhood policy, the former Hungarian Justice Minister László Trócsányi, is appearing to be a particularly controversial one, though it may be motivated by her wish to cool tensions between Brussels and Budapest,
CEU provost: Academic freedom is in crisis everywhere in Europe, not only in Hungary
It is the start of a new semester at the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. But this year, many of its students are preparing to move to Vienna, where lectures will start in October. It's because CEU, a private US university founded by the Hungarian billionaire George Soros, has been kicked out of Hungary.
EU grills Hungary over rule of law concerns
EU affairs ministers grilled Hungary on Monday (16 September) over Prime Minister Viktor Orban's tightening of restrictions around free media, judges, academics, minorities and rights groups, which the bloc worries weakens democracy in the ex-communist country.
Timmermans clashes with Polish MEPs on rule of law
If we do not step up efforts to defend the rule of law, the EU will be at risk, outgoing Rule of Law Commissioner Frans Timmermans told EU lawmakers on Thursday (5 September), followed by a confrontation between the Dutchman and Polish MEPs from the country's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Orban commiserates with ‘fellow combatant’ Salvini
Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán commiserated Thursday (29 August) with Italy's outgoing far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, calling him a "fellow combatant" in the fight for the "preservation of European Christian heritage and against migration".
Hungary and Finland wage media war of words
In July, a spat broke out between Hungary and Finland, which took over the EU's rotating Council presidency Romania and with its program quickly became a new enemy for Budapest.