About Hungary beta

PM Orbán sends heartfelt condolences to Frau Kohl-Richter following the death of his friend Helmut Kohl

With his life’s greatest deed, the creator of German unity and his country’s refounding also guaranteed the freedom and independence of the nations of Central Europe," he continued

Hungarian Presidency of Visegrád Four: Our group serves as example of strength from strong nation states

A promising alternative to the "cooperation deficit" that prevails in Europe

Borders must be protected

Here's why we simply cannot support the system of mandatory quotas

Hungary’s 2018 ‘budget of working citizens’ and families

Hungarians can look forward to further tax cuts

Here’s what’s really behind the debate with Brussels over Hungary’s national consultation

We found it a little surprising to see the European Commission putting up such deliberate opposition to our national consultation.

Illegal Migration: What is going on in the Mediterranean Sea?

Europe’s citizens deserve answers to these tough questions

Case Closed: Venice Commission says Hungary’s draft NGO law pursues ‘legitimate aim of ensuring transparency’

Disappointing news for all those ringing the alarm bells about an NGO “crackdown”.

Border protection

News in Brief

European left-wing groups rallying to the cause of a convicted terrorist

Jun 16, 2017

European left-wing groups have decided to side with Ahmed H. They are attempting to place him on a pedestal, and want to present him as the idealized refugee

News in Brief

Hungarian authorities detain 123 migrants over past four days

Jun 01, 2017

Hungarian police revealed that the offenders did not have passports or any form of identification, and were subsequently escorted back to the Serbian border

News in Brief

Hungarian Police: 'We do not hold asylum-seekers captive'

May 23, 2017

"We do not hold asylum-seekers captive. They are free to leave towards Serbia anytime," said Zsolt Gulyás, deputy police captain in Csongrád Country, in an article published in the Danish newspaper Politiken.

News in Brief

Hungary welcomes German and Italian calls for EC to establish border protection mission in Libya

May 18, 2017

“The Hungarian government fully agrees with the proposal, especially in view of the fact that 42,500 illegal immigrants have arrived in Italy as of mid-April, and many more are expected to set out for the continent with the arrival of good weather," Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Hungary says illegal immigration must be tackled at point of origin

May 17, 2017

The EU Commissioner for migration has said that it is the legal and moral obligation of the member states of the European Union to participate in the EU mechanism to resettle 160,000 asylum-seekers

News in Brief

Government spokesperson says so-called NGOs are the problem, not charities or volunteer organizations

Apr 25, 2017

“The problem isn’t with the some 60 thousand civic organizations operating in Hungary, but with so-called NGOs, which are trying to prove that they are true civic organizations," Zoltán Kovács said

News in Brief

Hungary never closed its borders to migrants says minister

Mar 29, 2017

"Hungary actually never closed its borders to refugees or migrants. Anyone, even in the last two years, who wanted to cross the border legally [could use] border crossing stations. You provide your papers, your passport, and if you don’t have one, you basically play by the rules of the authorities and by the legislation of the EU," Hungary's deputy minster of Foreign Affairs and Trade said

Blog

The Trojan horse in Europe’s borderless Schengen zone

Mar 20, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

The migration crisis will continue, said Prime Minister Orbán at a recent swearing-in ceremony for 462 new Hungarian border rangers, “until people everywhere realize that [it is] the Trojan horse of terrorism.”

Speeches and Remarks

Viktor Orbáns Interview in der Sendung „180 Minuten” [„180 perc”] von Radio Kossuth

Mar 20, 2017

Viktor Orbáns Interview in der Sendung „180 Minuten” [„180 perc”] von Radio Kossuth

Speeches and Remarks

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Kossuth Radio’s “180 Minutes” programme

Mar 20, 2017

Budapest, 17 March 2017

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Europe is the best place in the World

Mar 13, 2017

"European culture, civilization and economy have achieved unprecedented results in the period since the Second World War, and there is every chance of Europe being able to offer its citizens the best and happiest way of life in the world," PM Orbán said

Issues

Hungary has an obligation to defend the Schengen borders

Mar 09, 2017

Protecting the external border of the EU remains essential to maintaining security and the freedom of movement in the Schengen Area

News in Brief

Hungary's new border controls protect the European Union

Feb 17, 2017

György Bakondi, the prime minister’s chief security advisor, said that the new border controls, if passed by parliament, would be applied “at times of emergency caused by mass migration”

News in Brief

Hungarian defense forces announce completion of border protection base

Feb 09, 2017

The Kelebia border protection base has been completed on the Hungary-Serbian border and the installation of bases at Bácsalmás, Madaras and Hercegszántó are expected to be finished by the spring

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Migration pressure on the Hungarian borders will not end, border protection continues to remain a priority

Jan 13, 2017

PM Orbán said that today Hungary is one of the European Union’s safest countries, thanks to the efforts of the defense and police forces

News in Brief

Hungary spends 500 million euros on border protection

Dec 09, 2016

The government’s position concerning the management of the illegal immigration situation continues to remain that the external borders must be protected under any circumstances

Blog

Frontex prepares for everything but border protection

Nov 21, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

“These people aren’t involved in border protection,” said Prime Minister Orbán of the newly established Frontex unit proposed to the management board. Frontex, of course, is the EU agency that was set up to manage cooperation among national border guards and help secure the EU’s external border. The problem with the proposed, new unit is that it is for anything but guarding European borders and coastlines. Plus, it is ridiculously weak in numbers.

News in Brief

Hungary funds its own border fences, NOT the EU

Nov 16, 2016

The Hungarian government did not construct a fence on the border out of EU monies “and especially not with Italian money”; we financed the fence from the budget, or “to make it more understandable for Matteo Renzi”, the people of Hungary are spending their own money on protecting the EU border, Hungary's foreign minister said

News in Brief

Constitutional amendment is a 'national issue' and not about politics or economics

Oct 28, 2016

The prime minister said that “the Seventh Amendment to the Fundamental Law of Hungary is an issue of national interest and cannot be linked to any party political debate or economic issue”

News in Brief

Italy threatens to veto EU budget over central Europe's immigration stance

Oct 26, 2016

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that the Italian prime minister “completely misunderstands the situation"

News in Brief

Hungary builds new border fence

Oct 26, 2016

The new fence is on the southern border with Serbia and is aimed at keeping migrants and refugees from freely entering Hungary

News in Brief

Is the migrant crisis affecting wildlife migration patterns?

Oct 17, 2016

The Hungarian government has said that the animals can adapt well to man-made habitat changes. The statement also noted that deer populations had been growing for decades in Hungary and across Europe, causing crop damage and road accidents