About Hungary beta

News in Brief

George Soros lost money on Hungarian bond program and this is why agencies funded by him criticize the scheme

Oct 13, 2018

Between 2012 and 2016, the Hungarian government had to pay back IMF loans taken on by the socialist Gyurcsány government. Hungary repaid the debt from the proceeds of foreign currency and residency bonds. This went against Soros’s interests

News in Brief

The George Soros Open Society Foundation moves from Budapest to Berlin

Oct 05, 2018

Hungary’s stance is that it’s not only legitimate but necessary in a democratic society to require transparency of NGOs receiving funding from abroad in order to prevent them from being misused for foreign political goals

News in Brief

Sargentini Report is revenge against Hungary for rejecting illegal immigration, says official

Sep 04, 2018

“The European Union should be handling serious issues instead of pestering a member state for absolutely no reason,” Tamás Menczer said

News in Brief

Fidesz Group Leader: 2019 European parliamentary elections will be contested between those that support migration and those that don’t

Sep 03, 2018

Máte Kocsis said the line of division in European politics between “those serving the interests of the Soros empire” and those “who are willing and able to stop migration” was becoming more clearly defined

Blog

The show trial before the European Parliament’s LIBE Committee

Jun 27, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

The latest LIBE report is, in fact, nothing other than yet another Soros report, said Prime Minister Orbán earlier this week, and it’s aimed at applying pressure on Hungary to make the country change its position on migration.

News in Brief

Leading lawmaker says the “Soros network” is trying to influence Hungary’s judiciary system

May 28, 2018

István Hollik, the spokesman of ruling Fidesz-KDNP’s parliamentary group said the [Hungarian] Helsinki Committee holds pro-migration sensitization trainings clearly designed to sensitize court employees by representing the viewpoint of migrants and their interests

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán pens letter to Ronald Lauder expressing disappointment over his statements made about George Soros

May 18, 2018

Hungary and its citizens are “deeply insulted” by the comments made by Lauder concerning the move from Budapest to Berlin of the Open Society Foundations

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Soros’ shadow army should come out into the light

May 04, 2018

PM Orbán highlighted a plan to amend the constitution to outlaw the relocation of migrants to Hungary to go ahead in the new government cycle

Blog

That’s how you write in the West – oh, and on the Left

Apr 27, 2018 - Mária Schmidt

The mainstream western media put up an unprecedented ballyhoo about the elections in Hungary. It feels good but somewhat funny as well. It feels good because it has been my strong conviction for a long time that Hungary is the centre of the world and a flower on God’s hat, as the old folk saying goes, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this view of mine is shared by the “whole” West.

News in Brief

State Secretary says ECtHR lawsuit is the new method of Soros and his network to undo the European legal system

Apr 23, 2018

Pál Völner said the Soros network has realized that certain national governments are preventing them from settling hundreds of thousands of migrants in Europe. Therefore, if legal order is dismantled, a migration wave stronger than any so far may hit Europe, he warned

News in Brief

Government Spokesperson: The events of recent days have made it clear that George Soros is not prepared to accept the result of Hungary's election

Apr 18, 2018

Zoltán Kovács stressed that George Soros is continuing the negotiations aimed at calling into question the outcome of the Hungarian election and collecting allies against the democratically elected Hungarian government and majority

News in Brief

Hungary's FM: George Soros is intent on having the Hungarian people punished because they didn’t vote for his candidates

Apr 17, 2018

Minister Szijjártó pointed out that if Hungary had an electoral system like the United Kingdom or France, then the ruling party wouldn’t just have a two-thirds majority in Parliament, but a majority of 85 percent

News in Brief

Government Spokesperson: Sargentini Report presented by LIBE is the work of the “Soros empire”

Apr 16, 2018

Zoltán Kovács said that the LIBE Committee had presented the draft of its report on Hungary, which includes serious criticisms, the rapporteur of which is Green Party MEP Judith Sargentini

News in Brief

Budapest demonstrations were organized by the Soros network, says Cabinet Chief

Apr 16, 2018

“I know that the opposition parties find this hard to accept,” Antal Rogán said. “Those shouting about fraud haven’t uncovered any errors that they could protest or bring to the election committees. This is nothing more than a political flea circus,” he added

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán warns of the dangers if “Soros’s people” were to be installed in government in Hungary

Apr 06, 2018

The prime minister says Soros organizations have already taken over other countries and there is a real threat to Hungary, and this is what the “Soros Leaks” recordings makes clear

News in Brief

Sunday's general election will be the deciding factor in whether Hungary will remain an independent country, says state secretary

Apr 05, 2018

There are many years of work involved in the fact that Hungary is now standing on its own two feet and is not dependent on others. “If the country didn’t have a government for the nation, this would change," Csaba Dömötör said

News in Brief

Government spokesperson: George Soros interferes in the election campaign through NGOs and media outlets

Apr 03, 2018

The government spokesperson described the general election on Sunday as a decisive battle in the struggle against Soros’s organizations. "The people may decide whether Hungary will indeed remain a country of the Hungarian people or that of immigrants," he said

News in Brief Prime Minister

George Friedman: National sovereignty is always the most important issue, and George Soros can be trouble in this aspect

Mar 29, 2018

Leading geopolitical forecaster George Friedman details the importance of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and how Soros has come up against a far superior opponent

News in Brief

The Soros network is already looking for properties in Hungary to house migrants

Mar 28, 2018

Bence Tuzson, minister of state for Government Communication, said that the Helsinki Committee requested a list of empty state-owned properties in Budapest. He said the government will not issue this list and is prepared to go to court if necessary

Blog

Report: Hungarian aid group collected data on migrants illegally, says group's leader

Mar 19, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

An article published in today's Magyar Idők - the first in what the author says will be a series of reports - takes a close look at a group called Migration Aid and one of its leaders, András Siewert. It raises some troubling questions.

News in Brief

Government officially asks The Jerusalem Post for a copy of audio recordings “justifying efforts by a Soros NGO lobbying the German government to put pressure on Hungary”

Mar 19, 2018

The foreign minister said the government must respond to the Israeli paper saying on Friday that a Berlin-based NGO funded by US billionaire George Soros had tried to lobby the German government to intervene against Hungary’s law on the transparency of foreign-funded NGOs

Blog

Jerusalem paper exposes more anti-Hungary operations of the Soros network

Mar 19, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

In case anyone continues to have doubts about whether George Soros blatantly interferes in political issues, here's yet more proof.

News in Brief

János Lázár: The election will decide whether there will be “a government formed by George Soros or by Hungarian people who are against migration”

Mar 05, 2018

Whether Hungary becomes an “immigrant country” or it remains Hungarian is at stake during the April 8th parliamentary election, says government office chief

News in Brief

A guidebook funded by George Soros provides advice to illegal migrants on how to mislead authorities

Feb 27, 2018

György Bakondi said that several guidebooks including advice for migrants on what routes to follow and what to say if they are intercepted were first found in 2015

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Groups led by George Soros would like to see a weak Hungarian government in place that can be blackmailed

Feb 15, 2018

The prime minister said that what is at stake at the general election in April is whether Hungary will have an independent government or one that can be blackmailed. The latter would give up national independence and let Hungary be transformed into a migrant country

News in Brief

George Soros warned to keep out of British politics after financing anti-Brexit group

Feb 09, 2018

The "destructive" investor George Soros was told to “stay out of British politics” after admitting to providing 700,000 GBP (250,000,000 HUF) worth of grants for pro-EU groups

Blog

Why do we say ‘Stop Soros’? Just ask the people of the United Kingdom

Feb 09, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

George Soros is attempting to undermine the democratically elected government of the United Kingdom and overturn the results of a popular referendum.

News in Brief

Hungary says it will do everything in its power to close all loopholes open to illegal migration

Feb 06, 2018

Zoltán Kovács said that in Hungary’s experience, “self-proclaimed” charity or human rights organizations “operate according to a very different kind of political agenda”

Blog

The politics and meddling of Soros and the Open Society network

Jan 31, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

Soros and the Open Society are not philanthropic charities but political actors.

News in Brief

Figures show George Soros has pumped “billions of dollars” into influencing Hungary’s upcoming parliamentary election

Jan 29, 2018

Official figures show that Soros tripled his funding for lobbying activities against the Hungarian government in the US last year, spending a total 16 million USD

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán says George Soros has “transgressed every border”

Jan 29, 2018

The prime minister said that Hungary wants to protect its own interests, it does not want to become an immigrant country, and it wants to preserve its border protection and its border security fence

Blog

The Soros network spent more than 14 million dollars last year to lobby the US government, focusing in part on Hungarian issues

Jan 25, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

The Soros machine is not a charity

Blog

The “Stop Soros” bill: here’s our plan

Jan 19, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

This three-step legislative package creates a new situation,” Prime Minister Orbán said in his radio interview this morning. “Everybody, including George Soros, can decide what to do. Stop supporting or continue to organize and support illegal migration.”

News in Brief

Parliament to decide on "Stop Soros" legislative package in February

Jan 19, 2018

János Lázár, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, said the government believes it is important that organizations involved in organizing and facilitating illegal immigration with funding from abroad should operate in a more transparent manner

News in Brief

Soros funded Freedom House takes “politically motivated and biased” swipe at Hungary

Jan 17, 2018

Government Spokesperson Zoltán Kovács said the Freedom in the World report, knowing the organization’s financial background, is an attack against Hungary by another Soros organization

Blog

I know what authoritarian rule looks like. Does Freedom House?

Jan 17, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

The latest edition of Freedom in the World, an annual survey published by the Soros-funded Freedom House, places Hungary among a group of “states that a decade ago seemed like promising success stories” but are now “sliding into authoritarian rule.”

Blog

Here’s why that report is an embarrassment to the US Senate

Jan 14, 2018 - Zoltán Kovács

This week’s shameful example of anti-Hungary bias and ignorance comes to us – I regret to report – from the hallowed halls of the United States Senate. On January 10th, the minority staff – I’ll come back to that in a moment – of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee published a report entitled, “Putin’s Asymmetric Assault on Democracy in Russia and Europe: Implications for U.S. National Security.”

News in Brief

Hungary expects attacks from several directions after rejecting EU quota scheme

Jan 08, 2018

Hungarians have expressed their will and they do not want Hungary to become an “immigrant country” and they do not want the mandatory resettlement quota or any other elements of the “Soros plan” either, Fidesz spokesman Imre Puskás said

News in Brief

Gergely Gulyás says George Soros will continue to feature in Fidesz’s campaign in 2018

Jan 02, 2018

Gergely Gulyás said George Soros is a “symbolic figure in pro-migration policy and an anti-Hungary lobbyist”

News in Brief

The EU must be built on agreement among Member States rather than through “declarations and teachings” from western parts of Europe, says government spokesperson

Dec 08, 2017

Zoltan Kovács said we must carefully shape the path for the further development of the EU in a way which duly takes account the different “heritages” of the individual countries and regions

News in Brief

PM Orbán: George Soros has “signed up” for Hungary’s election campaign due to his network's commitment to forcing migration policies upon Europe

Dec 01, 2017

“The Soros network works like a party: it wants to remove and weaken governments that push back against the resettlement of Muslims,” PM Orbán said during his regular interview slot on Kossuth Radio

News in Brief

Hungary will not be made into a pro-migration country, says government official

Dec 01, 2017

János Lázár, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office, said that Hungary investigated the ‘Soros files’, which was necessary to protect the Hungarian border and guarantee sovereignty, and were matters of national security

News in Brief

Government announces that it will extend National Consultation deadline until December 1st

Nov 24, 2017

The government decided to extend the deadline because the public were still sending in their responses, but most importantly to allow for last week’s vote by the European Parliament to launch the EU's migrant relocation scheme

News in Brief

Hungarian government will block George Soros's attempts to bring illegal immigrants to Europe

Nov 23, 2017

The foreign minister said it was Hungarians rather than Soros that elected the current government and parliament. Hungarians can decide what’s good for them even without a US speculator, he added

Blog

The Soros media blitz to convince the world there is no such thing as a Soros plan

Nov 23, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

As I wrote last week, the European Parliament approved a regulation that would introduce a permanent and mandatory migrant quota system without an upper limit on the number of migrants to be admitted. What’s more, it says that the evaluation of asylum claims will no longer be carried out by the country of first entry, and all member states will have to accommodate migrants on an involuntary basis. Countries that don’t cooperate would be politically and financially penalized.

News in Brief

Soros held meeting with MEP responsible for resettlement quotas just days before EP vote

Nov 20, 2017

Antal Rogán said that the European Commission states that immigration via the Mediterranean has slowed with the onset of winter, therefore 50,000 immigrants should be “brought in” from Turkey and distributed across central Europe

Blog

When the Washington Post, and its anti-Hungary echo chamber, refuses to run my response

Nov 13, 2017

Echo chambers – the lack of different opinions on a certain issue – are threatening people’s right to information in the modern age. In today’s world of social media saturated with fake news and sensational, online media fighting for page views, the echo chamber effect is growing, and those media outlets that pride themselves on professional journalism have a special obligation to restore a little reason to the discourse.

News in Brief

Hungary's government office chief: Attempts by factions in the European Parliament to shame and undermine Hungary are intensifying

Nov 10, 2017

At the request of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, an intelligence assessment has been completed concerning Soros’s activities in Berlin and Brussels and the extent to which Soros has succeeded in influencing opinion against Hungary

Blog

European Parliament speeds up realization of the Soros plan

Oct 28, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Last week’s decision by the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament to propose a limitless resettlement quota scheme and the EP’s newest Hungary-bashing report all point in one, disturbing direction: a concerted effort to push a pro-immigration agenda that would accept an unlimited number of migrants into Europe and to strong-arm any member states that dare to oppose.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Security service looking into the “Soros network” and how it engages in political activities that target Hungary

Oct 27, 2017

The Hungarian government wishes to clarify whether the activities of George Soros-affiliated organizations have targeted Hungary in Brussels and other forums and, if so, how

Prime Minister Blog

PM Orbán on Kossuth Radio this morning: ‘Soros network aims to create a Europe of mixed population’

Oct 27, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

In his regular Friday morning interview on Kossuth Radio’s program 180 Minutes, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke about the latest European Council meeting and the machinations of the Soros network to aggressively drive a pro-immigration agenda.

News in Brief

Governmentinfo 101: PM Orbán's "successful, fruitful and useful" meeting with Juncker, the Soros plan and CEU

Oct 20, 2017

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had a "successful, fruitful and useful" working dinner with Jean-Claude Juncker and V4 leaders on Wednesday

News in Brief

Hungary's House Speaker: The real struggle today is between “people protecting their traditions, faith, and values” and “nihilists denying all that”

Oct 18, 2017

The speaker said that certain “private powers” sought to eliminate traditional values and those circles were now “overpowering” most countries in the world

Blog

The Financial Times has become completely unhinged

Oct 04, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Over the course of the last two weeks, the Financial Times has run no fewer than four – yes, four – articles maligning the Orbán Government for our opposition to George Soros’ pro-immigration agenda and for the usual charge of undemocratic behavior. We must have got under their skin.

News in Brief

George Soros and his network pose a serious threat to Hungary's national security

Sep 25, 2017

“I regard it as a serious risk to national security that the organizations funded by Soros actively transported illegal immigrants to Hungary’s border," János Lázár said

Blog

The Financial Times and the Soros plan deniers: these people just aren’t being straight with us

Sep 22, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Sometimes, you just can’t make this stuff up. Over the course of last week, two prominent media sources have run pieces featuring flat-out denials that the Soros plan exists.

News in Brief

PM Orbán: The government wants “a Hungarian Hungary and a European Europe”

Sep 18, 2017

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says “immigrant countries” constitute the biggest threat to European values and migrants coming to Europe endanger the freedom of religion, women’s equality and the fight against anti-Semitism

News in Brief

Fidesz's parliamentary group leader says people in Venice Commission are sponsored by George Soros

Aug 14, 2017

Lajos Kósa said it was “absurd” that the European Commission believes the Central European University does not have to comply with Hungary’s law on higher education

Blog

Wondering what PM Orbán meant with that reference to the Soros plan? Here it is

Aug 04, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has made a number of references to a Soros plan to bring one million “refugees and migrants” into Europe each year. Some are skeptical, but the doubters haven’t familiarized themselves with the facts. The plan is real.

News in Brief

Hungary's foreign minister responds to Austrian Chancellor's comments on migrant resettlement quotas

Jul 28, 2017

Péter Szijjártó, minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said Europe wants to punish countries that do not want to allow illegal immigrants through their borders

Blog

Why do these NGOs resist transparency?

Jul 21, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

A number of Soros-funded NGOs in Hungary have declared that they will not comply with the new NGO law and will instead boycott out of civil disobedience. There’s nothing valiant in their cause, just hypocrisy. The fact that the same NGOs have no problem abiding by even stricter rules and regulations in Germany, Austria, Israel, and the US speaks for itself.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: “A nation that can’t protect its borders is non-existent”

Jul 21, 2017

“[O]r even if it exists today,” said Prime Minister Orbán, “it will vanish.” The prime minister, speaking during his regular radio interview this morning, was referring to the dangers of unchecked, illegal migration into Europe and the realization of the “Soros plan.”

News in Brief

Hungary will keep its Southern border standing to protect EU from terrorism

Jul 19, 2017

Hungary will only give refugee status to those who have indeed fled countries where their lives were in danger. Hungary’s asylum regulations conform to the Geneva Conventions

News in Brief

Hungary and Israel are both taking action against Soros’s funded organisations

Jul 17, 2017

“Hungary is taking determined action against the organisations funded by George Soros, and so is Israel, according to news reports”, according to a statement issued today by the Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister.

Blog

Soros ‘undermines democratically elected governments’ and criticizing his agenda has nothing to do with anti-Semitism

Jul 12, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

The heritage of a particular American billionaire speculator is not relevant to his agenda. Criticizing the radical policies he’s pushing all over the world – completely lacking any democratic mandate or accountability – is not anti-Semitism. Suggesting otherwise amounts to a cheap tactic to silence his critics and support the far-from-mainstream Soros agenda.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán to head of Hungarian Jewish Communities: 'a modicum of assistance would be appreciated'

Jul 11, 2017

PM Orbán highlighted that illegal immigration is bringing a culture of intolerance and growing anti-Semitism into Europe. The prime minister wrote that “I do not expect either thanks or recognition for our fight against illegal migration, but a modicum of assistance from your community would be appreciated”

News in Brief

PM Netanyahu calls for Israeli ambassador to withdraw statement calling for Soros campaign to be scrapped

Jul 10, 2017

Prime Minister Netanyahu is due to meet with Prime Minister Orbán in Budapest on July 18, which will be the first visit by an Israeli premier to Hungary for 30 years

News in Brief

PM Orbán: It was a mistake to kill Gaddafi and European armed forces are needed to patrol Libya's northern shores

Jul 07, 2017

PM Orbán also said Soros is intent on importing one million migrants to Europe and other plans include stripping EU member states of their right to decide on immigration policy

News in Brief

Hungarian government says "Soros" billboard campaign is not anti-Semitic

Jul 07, 2017

The Hungarian government is open to the opinions of those who feel that these billboards violate their human dignity or feelings

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech at the closing event for the National Consultation

Jun 29, 2017

27 June 2017, Budapest

News in Brief

PM Orbán: We want Hungarians to come first and prosper from economic success

Jun 28, 2017

PM Orbán said that in this democracy he can see no one asking the people for guidance except his own party

News in Brief

Rules surrounding NGOs are much stricter in the USA

Jun 20, 2017

"The most recent statement by the US Department of State is another stark example of double standards, since the regulation in force in the USA is much stricter than that in Hungary. In the United States, Soros organizations could never do what they are doing in Europe," Hungary's International Communications Office said

Blog

The machinations of the “Soros Mafia network”

Jun 03, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

“There is only one important and significant element of Hungarian public life that is not transparent,” said Prime Minister Orbán in the Friday morning radio interview, “and that’s the Soros Mafia network and its organizations that cannot be considered civic organizations but agents working for the pursuit of George Soros’ goals.”

News in Brief

PM Orbán: The only network which “operates like a mafia” in Hungary is run by George Soros

Jun 02, 2017

Soros’s network and its "agencies" were “a significant and non-transparent component of Hungary’s public life”. Soros and “his supporters in Hungary” were seeking to implement “a program to allow migrants into the country," the prime minister said

News in Brief

MEP says Soros “has sent an open declaration of war” to Hungary following Brussels speech

Jun 02, 2017

Tamás Deutsch said that it had become apparent from a speech where Soros compared Hungary to a mafia state that he was ready to take any anti-democratic step to ensure the Hungarian government’s defeat

Blog

Myths and Facts about Hungary and George Soros (Part 2)

May 30, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Democracy means first and foremost accountability and the people’s right to participate in the decision making of their lives and futures. Governments, including the Hungarian government, are held accountable and can be voted out of power. The shadowy power networks of the “open society” are accountable to no one.

Blog

Myths and Facts about Hungary and George Soros (Part 1)

May 30, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Browse the international media coverage of Hungary over the last several weeks and a handful of keywords stand out: migration crisis, NGOs, transparency, media, Central European University and George Soros. While much of the coverage lacks balance, the keywords themselves can be instructive, shedding light on a far-reaching, ideologically driven and wholly undemocratic network that pushes George Soros’s “open society” agenda.

Blog

Here’s the scary part of the Article 7 nuclear option pursued by European Parliament leftists against the Hungarian government

May 22, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Once again, Hungarian left-wing politicians have taken domestic affairs to the stage of the European Parliament, hoping to gain traction in their political campaign against the Hungarian government. Their timely intervention intersects neatly with the interests of an American billionaire whose extreme ideas about an open society aim to undermine Europe’s external border.

News in Brief

Hungary is ready to battle it out with Brussels over Article 7 proceedings

May 18, 2017

János Lázár, head of the Prime Minister’s Office, has said that the latest developments will only bring Hungarians closer together and ensure that Hungary will fight for its survival

News in Brief

Frans Timmermans should resign, says Hungary's foreign minister

May 05, 2017

Timmermans' accusation is unfair and unacceptable. Hungary “has done more than anyone in Europe to combat anti-Semitism"

Speeches and Remarks Prime Minister

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

May 02, 2017

April 28, 2017

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary's second line of defense will guarantee the security of Hungarians for a long time

Apr 28, 2017

The 155-kilometer long fortified fence which is being inaugurated today is up to the job of “keeping out any kind of mass of people," PM Orbán said during an interview on Radio Kossuth today

News in Brief

Hungary's government spokesperson meets with members of Congress during four-day visit to Washington D.C.

Apr 28, 2017

Zoltán Kovács held talks with several Republican politicians, and with officials from important think-tanks and research institutes

Blog

The Gravedigger of the Left

Apr 25, 2017 - Mária Schmidt

What kind of philanthropist is a serial destroyer of European and Asian currencies, who wiped out the savings, retirement pensions and salaries of masses of ordinary citizens in order to reap huge profits for himself?

Prime Minister Speeches and Remarks

Interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the Kossuth Radio programme “Sunday News”

Apr 19, 2017

April 16, 2017

News in Brief

Border security is the key to Hungary's homeland security

Apr 18, 2017

Hungary's chief security advisor made the remarks in light of more than eighty people who have started demonstrations in the locality of Röszke. Bakondi said that a "Soros organization” arrived at the scene with organized transport

News in Brief

Hungary holds parliamentary session to discuss NGOs

Apr 18, 2017

Hungary's Parliament will hold a four-day session over the legislation on the transparency of foreign-funded NGOs

News in Brief

PM Orbán: Migration stands in the focal point of current conflicts

Apr 17, 2017

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán spoke to Kossuth Radio on Sunday to deliver an Easter message to the people of Hungary

News in Brief

Hungary has no intentions of closing down CEU, but Soros tries to politicize the issue

Apr 11, 2017

The Hungarian government is not closing down any universities, and that includes the Soros university. All the Hungarian government would like is for every university to enjoy a level playing field, and if someone would like to enjoy special privileges, such as issuing a diploma from outside Europe, then there must be an international agreement concerning that fact

Blog

Is the European Union carrying out an NGO crackdown?

Apr 10, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Members of the European Parliament are so worried about the activities of certain foreign-funded NGOs that they’re calling for the EU to cut public funding for NGOs "demonstrably disseminating untruths". Others question "democratic legitimacy" of NGOs.

Blog

Hungary, says Washington Post, has unleashed a “xenophobic attack” on a “beacon of freedom”

Apr 07, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Professional media outlets who fail to ask critical questions or consult a balance of sources, who favor a hysterical narrative over rational discourse, are simply not professional

News in Brief

Hungarian government responds to Freedom House attack

Apr 06, 2017

Press freedom is fully respected in Hungary; in the Hungarian press every shade of political opinion may appear. In addition, the citizens of Hungary exercise their democratic rights in free elections

News in Brief

Hungary expresses deep regret that 'Soros lies' have been able to deceive the German government

Apr 06, 2017

Meanwhile, Deputy State Secretary Kristóf Altusz has summoned the temporary chargés d’affaires of the United States and Germany to discuss the act on higher education

News in Brief

PM Orbán says the 'Soros university' must comply with the law

Mar 31, 2017

Hungarian universities have a good reason to complain because CEU has an unfair advantage due to the unclear legal situation, PM Orban said

News in Brief

Response of the Government of Hungary to the press statement of the Department of State of the United States of America

Mar 31, 2017

The Government of Hungary found it with surprise that the Department of State of the United States released a press statement that is based on factual errors.

Blog

Every university – domestic or foreign – must follow the rules

Mar 29, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

A comprehensive study on 28 foreign institutions of higher education operating in Hungary reveals that not all of these educational service providers abide by existing regulations

Blog

That’s exactly what we’re talking about

Mar 29, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Crackdown it's not. Considering how these organizations are using foreign funding to engage in political activities in Hungary, any government in the world would call for greater transparency.

News in Brief

Hungarian government has "always stood on the foundations of law"

Mar 22, 2017

“The Hungarian government will not change its policies despite the pressure it is being put under; to us, Hungary comes first," Hungary's foreign minister said

Blog

Prominent US and European think tanks taken in by the “NGO crackdown” ruse

Mar 21, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

The government of Hungary is not the only one concerned about foreign meddling to influence domestic political outcomes, and we’re not the only ones who believe that it’s the citizens’ right to know.

Blog

Transparency can be bought?

Mar 06, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Something strange is happening with Transparency International. The international NGO that made a name for itself for its “global coalition against corruption” has remained rather tight-lipped about why it decided in January to strip accreditation from its US affiliate, denying it the use of the TI name and logo.

Blog

Amnesty’s fake report arrives on schedule

Feb 22, 2017 - Zoltán Kovács

Amnesty International has just released its annual report called “The State of the World’s Human Rights.” This once-lauded international human rights organization was founded in 1961 as an advocate for the prisoner of conscience, those “imprisoned, tortured or executed because [of their] opinions or religion.” Amnesty is a far cry from that today.

News in Brief Prime Minister

PM Orbán: Hungary faces five major 'attacks' in 2017

Feb 11, 2017

Delivering his nineteenth annual state of the nation address, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Hungary’s main task in 2017 would be to fend off five major “attacks” against the country

News in Brief

WATCH VIDEO: Hungary's foreign minister says people should know if NGOs are funded from abroad

Jan 31, 2017

The foreign minister said there was a clear demand for politics to be transparent. He argued that in this case transparency should be demanded of all organizations that influence public affairs, including NGOs, “because the people have a right to know whom these NGOs, whom these organizations actually represent”

News in Brief

The 2010-2014 period has been the most successful governing cycle since the transition to democracy in Hungary

Dec 27, 2016

The Speaker of Parliament hopes that most Hungarians are looking forward to the new year with more aspirations than before

Blog

Soros pushing “the anti-Orbán agenda”, says POLITICO

Dec 13, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

In what is becoming an annual tradition, POLITICO Europe has published a list of 28 people “who are shaping, shaking and stirring Europe.” Each of the 28 representing an EU member state, it’s a thoughtful and provocative list and no less so with the editors’ pick this year from Hungary.

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Who thought that was a good idea?

May 27, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

International relations has its political dimension. Certain interests will support a government or oppose it motivated by a political agenda. That’s understandable. But when purely partisan politics becomes the most important driving force behind bilateral or multilateral relations among sovereign, independent countries, then we’ve got a serious problem.

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Eine gute Idee? Von wem?

May 27, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

Internationale Beziehungen haben eine politische Dimension. Gewisse Interessengruppen unterstützen eine Regierung oder lehnen sie ab – je nach der politischen Agenda. Das ist verständlich. Aber wenn reine Parteipolitik zur treibenden Kraft hinter bilateralen oder multilateralen Beziehungen zwischen souveränen, unabhängigen Ländern wird, haben wir ein ernsthaftes Problem.

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When ‘the mouth belongs to Clinton, but the voice belongs to George Soros’

May 25, 2016 - Zoltán Kovács

A conspiracy theory?