The „PROGRESS – equality without boundaries” programme of the Ministry of Human Resources focuses on topics such as people with disabilities, ethnic discrimination and solidarity between generations. The aim of this programme is to help young people eliminate prejudice and stereotypes in order to strengthen acceptance and combat discrimination.
The enlargement package presented by the European Commission last week confirmed Hungary’s position that the European Union remaining open to new members was a value that contributed to improving the competitiveness and the crisis management capacity of the Union, Parliamentary State Secretary Zsolt Németh declared before the parliamentary committee for European affairs on October 15.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, alongside State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó received Cemil Cicek the Speaker of the Turkish Parliament on Tuesday.
Ministers of the Visegrád countries and Slovenia responsible for European integration and for cohesion policy adopted a joint declaration on the package of legislations dealing with the future of cohesion policy on 11-12th October 2012 in Katowice, Poland. Following the meeting, Enikő Győri, Minister of State for European Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Visegrád countries and Slovenia together constitute a substantial force.
According to the Nobel Committee’s justification, the European Union, during its history of six decades contributed to promoting peace and human rights in Europe, and helped to transform Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.
Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog greeted retired Chief Rabbi József Schweitzer on the occasion of his 90th birthday at the event, held in his honour.
Chief Rabbi of Israel Yona Metzger expressed his “great appreciation” to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian Government for the “magnificent relationship” fostered with Jews in Hungary. In his recent letter, the Chief Rabbi wrote that he prays for the Prime Minister to continue to successfully lead the country with dignity, understanding and wisdom.
Oracle, one of the world’s leading business software and hardware corporations, is setting up a development centre in Hungary and will increase workforce by 10%, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó announced at a press conference on Monday.
The new Land Act retrieves the land appropriated by illegal pocket contracts, protects the agricultural land from speculators and bankers and puts a limit to large estates, said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Saturday, at the congress of the National Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Societies’ (MAGOSZ) young farmer section in Cegléd.
The Venice Commission welcomed the amendment of the judicial laws, Minister of State for Justice Róbert Répássy told MTI, the Hungarian News Agency on Saturday, adding that the body maintained its concerns on two issues; the retirement of judges and the appointment of courts. Due to the critical remarks, the Government will seek the decision of the Constitutional Court and will render any further amendments conditional upon its findings.
"The Hungarian Government respects Serbs living in Hungary, who form an important and valuable community", Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated on Friday following a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić in Budapest.
Speaking on Friday at a joint press conference with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó, Phil Marshal, Regional CEO of General Electrics (GE), said that this quarter GE Lighting will start producing LED lamps in Nagykanizsa. Mr. Szijjártó also said that the Hungarian government will announce a 50-billion-forint public lighting modernisation programme for local governments.
The conference that was designed to help professionals in preparation for the application of the new Penal Code was held in the Parliament Building.
The Hungarian Diaspora Council held a regular conference at the beginning of this week. The Council welcomed its new members declaring that they are open for wider and deeper cooperation. The Hungarian Diaspora Council was founded in November, 2011.
On Kossuth public radio station today the Hungarian prime minister confirmed that action will be taken in support of the lower middle class next year, adding that Hungary is not far from coming to a ‘good agreement’ with the International Monetary Fund.
The Hungarian Government declares every public administration authority case priority that is in relation to the implementation of projects linked to the construction and regular operation of the Southern Stream natural gas pipeline’s 229 km Hungarian section.
Foreign Minister János Martonyi asserted that relations between the EU and ASEAN were developing laudably, and so were relations between Hungary and the ASEAN.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary has launched a series of international human rights conferences to be held annually under the name of “Budapest Human Rights Forum”.
From the beginning of next year Austrian, Bulgarian, Croatian and Hungarian drivers will be fined by local policemen if they commit traffic violation in each other’s countries. An agreement was signed on this topic by the four countries’ ministers and deputy ministers of interior on Thursday, in Mátraháza during the Salzburg Forum meeting.
After talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that she welcomes the fact that the Hungarian government is following the European Commission's guidance on recent contested issues; Viktor Orbán said that after weaker performance in 2012, Hungary's economy will turn the corner next year.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has recently published a note on asylum seekers who entered Hungary through Serbia, subsequently left Hungary after having applied for asylum there and afterwards were sent back to Hungary from another EU Member State via the so-called “Dublin procedure”.
At the weekend the European Skills Competition for young skilled workers was held in Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium (EuroSkills 2012). At the event organized by the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MKIK) the Hungarian team has achieved its best ever result by winning 5 gold, 1 silver and 5 bronze medals. This excellent performance placed Hungary as the fifth most successful among the 24 participating countries.
Hungary congratulates the Georgian people for the parliamentary elections on 1 October 2012, which is widely considered as free and fair and despite minor irregularities reflects the will of the Georgian voters. Hungary commends the high level of participation, the professional and transparent administration and the peaceful transition of Government. These elections manifested Georgia’s commitment to the country’s democratic development and set an example for other countries in the region and in the wider Eastern European area.
Minister of State Zoltán Cséfalvay of the Ministry for National Economy identified financial stability as a precondition of growth on Thursday at a conference on the European situation held in Brussels which was organized by Friends of Europe, an independent think tank.
On Friday 5 October 2012 the Government of Hungary published its latest package of draft measures, formerly introduced measures as well as the updated macro economic outlook which takes into consideration the aforementioned measures and a different economic growth prospect in its Progress Report in order to fulfill recommendations proposed by the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council. Markets welcomed the Report which was reflected in prompt forint appreciation and a lower Hungarian CDS spread. After the announcement at 9am the forint exchange rate gained almost 1 percent against the euro thereby outperforming regional currencies.