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BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Antifascist activists gathered in Hungary's capital on Saturday to oppose an annual commemoration held by far-right groups, underscoring diplomatic tensions between Budapest and Rome over the detention of an Italian citizen in a Hungarian jail. Hundreds of activists marched through central Budapest alongside a heavy police presence, and called for “freedom for every antifascist." The demonstration came as an Italian antifascist activist is being held in a Hungarian jail for allegedly being involved in assaults against suspected participants in the Day of Honor commemoration in Budapest last year. Images of the activist, Ilaria Salis, chained and shackled at a Budapest court hearing sparked official protests by the Italian government. The case is delicate for the far-right-led government of Meloni, who has forged friendly ties with the nationalist Orbán.

Persons: —, ”, Ilaria Salis, Luca Kruczynski, “, Salis, ’, Giorgia Meloni, Viktor Orbán, Salis ’, Antonio Tajani, Carlo Nordio, Nordio, Tajani, Elly Schlein, Giorgia Meloni’s, Schlein, Colleen Barry Organizations: Nazi, Prosecutors, Hungarian, Meloni, Italy's, Democratic Party, Associated Press Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Budapest, Rome, Hungarian, Italian, Berlin, Europe, Milan, Salis, Italy, Hungary’s, Salis ’ Hungarian

☆ Hungary's Ruling Party Submits Bill on 'Protecting National Sovereignty'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling Fidesz party submitted a bill on "protecting national sovereignty" to parliament on Tuesday to defend against what it called undue political interference by foreign persons or groups. The bill would set up a separate authority to explore and monitor risks of political interference and recommend changes in regulations. It would also punish banned foreign financing for parties or groups running for election with up to three years in prison. "Hungary's sovereignty is impaired -- and it also carries a heightened risk to national security -- if political power gets into the hands of persons or organisations dependent on any foreign power, organisation or person," the bill said. Orban, who has a two-thirds majority in parliament that allows Fidesz to change any legislation, scored his fourth landslide victory in 2022.

Persons: Viktor Orban's, Orban, Ursula von der Leyen, Boldizsar Gyori, Josie Kao Organizations: European Union, Communist, Fidesz, EU, Ukraine Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungarian, Hungary

☆ Hungary needs to change the EU, not leave it, Orban says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Orban again reiterated his government's opposition to starting talks with Ukraine about its accession to the EU. "Correcting the mistaken promise (by Brussels) to start talks (with Ukraine about EU membership) will also be our task, as Ukraine is light years away from the EU now," Orban said, adding that he would fight off attempts by the EU to settle migrants in Hungary. Ukraine, which applied to join the EU days after Russia's invasion in February 2022, sees membership as a top priority. The question of starting accession talks with the country will be on the agenda at an EU summit next month. With Hungary clambering out of an inflation crisis, nationalist Orban has this week started campaigning heavily for European parliamentary elections due next June.

Persons: Victor Orban, Johanna Geron, Viktor Orban, Orban, Krisztina, Kirsten Donovan, Mike Harrison Organizations: European Union, of, Caribbean, REUTERS, Rights, Fidesz, Ukraine, EU, Hungary, Thomson Locations: Caribbean States, Brussels, Belgium, Hungary, Europe, Ukraine, Kyiv

☆ Hungary's Orban says EU must not start membership talks with Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban looks on as he attends a European Union leaders summit in Brussels, Belgium October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The EU must not start membership talks with Ukraine, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday, stressing this was Hungary's "clear stance" on the issue. EU countries' leaders are due to decide in mid-December on whether to accept the Commission's recommendation to invite Kyiv to begin membership talks as soon as it meets final conditions. "Membership talks must not be started, this is the clear Hungarian stance," Orban said, adding that Brussels "owed Hungary money." Investors have been eyeing Budapest's talks with Brussels over the EU funds very closely.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Johanna Geron, Nationalist Orban, Orban, Budapest's, Krisztina, Jason Neely, Christina Fincher Organizations: European Union, REUTERS, Rights, EU, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, EU, Ukraine, Hungary, Budapest

☆ Hungary to ban rallies supporting 'terrorist organisations' -PM Orban
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban attends the informal meeting of European heads of state or government, in Granada, Spain October 6, 2023. REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUDAPEST, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Hungary will not allow any rallies supporting "terrorist organisations," Prime Minister Viktor Orban told public radio on Friday, adding that all Hungarian citizens should feel safe, regardless of their faith or origin. Hamas is designated a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States, European Union, Canada, Egypt and Japan. "It is shocking that there are sympathy rallies supporting the terrorists across Europe," Orban said, referencing the European fallout from the Hamas attack on Israel. "But we will not allow sympathy rallies supporting terrorist organisations as that would entail a terror threat to Hungarian citizens."

Persons: Viktor Orban, Juan Medina, Orban, Nationalist Orban, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Khaled Meshaal, " Orban, Gergely, Christina Fincher Organizations: Hungary's, REUTERS, Rights, Hamas, Israel, Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Granada, Spain, Hungary, Israel, Gaza, United States, European Union, Canada, Egypt, Japan, Europe, Palestine, Budapest

☆ Teenagers tear-gassed at protest against Orban's education reforms
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Boldizsar Gyori | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Police officers spray people, as protesters take part in a protest against Hungarian government's 'Status Law? which may increase teachers' workloads and restrict their independence in Budapest, Hungary, May 3, 2023. The police action follows a thousands-strong rally in central Budapest earlier on Wednesday against legislation that would significantly increase teachers' workload. The protest was the latest in a series of demonstrations over the past year for better working conditions for teachers. Hungary is facing a growing shortage of teachers mainly due to low wages and the unpredictability in the regulatory environment.

Summary Wedding boom, fuelled by government handouts, fizzlesSurging inflation boosts wedding costs, devalues benefitsSome couples scaling back or even scrapping wedding feastsJanuary weddings fall to lowest since January 2014BUDAPEST, March 27 (Reuters) - Soaring inflation is taking the steam out of Hungary's wedding market, supercharged in recent years by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's lavish family support measures, with the number of weddings plunging to a nine-year-low at the start of 2023. In January the number of weddings recorded in Hungary fell to 1,230, preliminary data showed - the lowest number since January 2014. "We did not think that this wedding boom would be so strong and prolonged, but it will now probably return to equilibrium." Mihaly Toth, a master of wedding ceremonies, says the number of couples planning to tie the knot is likely to fall from last year's levels. "We will just have a small family get-together and then go out with some friends for the night," Szabo said.

☆ Hungary signals fresh delay in Finland, Sweden NATO approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sweden and Finland applied last year to join the transatlantic defence pact after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But all 30 NATO members need to back the applications and Sweden has faced objections from Turkey for harbouring what Ankara considers to be members of terrorist groups. With Hungary's ratification process stranded in parliament since July, Orban aired concerns about Sweden and Finland's NATO membership for the first time on Friday. A legislative agenda published on parliament's website this week showed a final vote on the NATO bids could take place in the week of March 6. "Parliament will put this on the agenda on Monday and start debating the legislation next week," Gulyas told a news conference.

☆ Hungary's Orban says Europe 'drifting into' Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUDAPEST, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Saturday that Europe was "indirectly at war with Russia" as several European countries pledge to send battle tanks to help Ukraine fight Moscow's invasion. Orban, who last met Russian President Vladimir Putin just three weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, projected that the war could drag on for years. "Europe is drifting into the war in these very minutes, it is doing a dangerous balancing act," he told his supporters in a speech. Orban said the stance of Poland and the Baltic states with respect to the war was understandable. It could have treated it as a local regional war, or a military conflict between two Slavic nations as Hungary suggested," Orban said.

[1/2] Drivers wait for fuel at a gas station of Hungarian oil company MOL Group in Budapest, Hungary, December 5, 2022. MOL, Hungary's main oil and gas group, has said the price cap was unsustainable as major players stopped importing fuel due to low prices, aggravating the shortage. "In the past days, the oil sanctions of Brussels took effect and what we had been afraid of, has actually happened. From now on there are sanctions prices on petrol across entire Europe," Orban said on Facebook, adding the government will "take away the extra profits generated by this" and redirect them to the state budget. At 1218 GMT, its shares traded 1.8% lower, reversing earlier gains of around 3% after the fuel price cap was ditched overnight.

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