Hungarians living abroad often have difficulty accessing information directly from Hungary. As well, most publications or websites from Hungary are not available in English. An online service called Hungarian Register now aims to bridge this gap. Officially unveiled last week by the Public Administration and Justice Ministry, the Hungarian Register aims to provide the latest [...]
The Tom Lantos Institute was officially inaugurated in parliament this week with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her predecessor Condoleezza Rice leading the ceremonies. The institute, named after Hungarian-born U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos, was established to promote tolerance and support minority issues in Central and Eastern Europe and in the world. “This represents [...]
Hungary will implement a strict anti-smoking law starting in 2012 after the measure received overwhelming parliamentary approval earlier this week. The law is to go into effect on January 1, 2012 in all public institutions including on public transport vehicles, at stations, underground pedestrian passages and in playgrounds. Cafes, bars and resturants must also comply [...]
A giant seesaw made from glass and metal will be placed in central Berlin to commemorate Germany’s 1990 reunification. Culture Minister Bernd Neumann announced earlier this week that officials were backing the proposal for the memorial, entitled “Citizen’s Movement”. It will carry the inscription: ”Wir sind das Volk” (We are the people) and “Wir sind ein Volk” (We are one people). The monument will [...]
Former Soviet Union president, Mikhail Gorbachev, celebrated his 80th birthday today. Gorbachev, the architect of perestroika and glasnost, is well-regarded by some Russians for having brought freedom and democracy to the country, while others said he was a weak politician who ruined the Soviet empire. A gala concert will be held in his honor on March 30th [...]
September 21 is Peace Day. The day is dedicated to promoting a global ceasefire and non-violence, and provides an opportunity for individuals, organisations and countries to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day [...]
Hungary is among the countries in Europe that was hardest hit by the international financial crisis. In 2008, it required a 20 billion-euro emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund, the EU and the World Bank. The country is now restructuring its financial outlook. Prime Minister Viktor Orban who won a landslide election victory this spring is calling for Hungary to reclaim “economic [...]
