East

Vladimir Putin offers the Superjet 100 to Hungary.  (Photo from Interjet Airlines of Mexico)

Putin is wooing Hungary with “free” Superjet 100 planes

Russia has recently offered Hungary six brand new Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft, as well as support to launch a new national carrier. They began negotiations last October and Evgeny Andrachnikov, an official of Sukhoi told the media that a Hungarian national carrier would provide a great opportunity for the Superjet 100 to show its worth.  He added that the two […]

by · February 11, 2016 · East
The West and the defence of Eastern Europe from potential Russian aggression

The West and the defence of Eastern Europe from potential Russian aggression

Columnist Matt Gurney’s piece in Wednesday’s National Post is republished with permission in the Hungarian Free Press. Mr. Gurney argues that the United States is starting to view Vladimir Putin’s Russia as a real threat to the Baltic states and Eastern Europe more generally. While the West has a major military and economic advantage over Russia, President Putin has been […]

by · February 10, 2016 · East
István Beke and Zoltán Szőcs, replacing a street sign with one bearing the name of World War II convicted war criminal, Albert Wass.

Were Hungarian extremists planning a terrorist attack in Romania?

At the end of 2015, Romanian authorities arrested two Hungarian far-right activists associated with the nationalist and irredentist Sixty-Four Counties Youth Movement (HVIM), accusing them of planning bombings for Romania’s national holiday on December 1st, 2015. Also known as Great Union Day (Ziua Marii Uniri), Romanians recall the day in 1918, when the lands of Transylvania came under Romania’s control, following […]

by · January 2, 2016 · East
El-Sisi and Orbán - the two authoritarian leaders understand each other.

Travel safety, Egypt and the Orbán Government

On October 31st, a Russian plane crashed in the Sinai-peninsula and all 224 people on board were killed. It is suspected that terrorism had something to do with the crash: officials say it was likely caused by a bomb. The disaster has escalated fears over the capabilities of Islamist terrorists. Russia has already suspended flights to Egypt, Germany has warned […]

by · November 9, 2015 · East
Yerevan, Armenia.

A Canadian’s reflections on Armenia (video interview)

Will Hadrian is a young Canadian civil servant who is of part Armenian origins. A couple of years ago, his first trip outside of North America was to Armenia, where he participated in an internship program and worked with the Armenian Young Lawyers Association, a group that focuses on addressing corruption in the region and on strengthening civil participation and […]

by · November 7, 2015 · East
Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Trudeau government would stand up to Putin. What about to Orbán?

Canada may be on the brink of a change in government on October 19th, after nearly 10 years of Conservative rule under Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The Liberals, led by Justin Trudeau, seem to have the momentum in the last days of the campaign and are now leading with 36%, compared to 29% for the Conservatives and 25% for the […]

by · October 14, 2015 · East
Canada Border Services Agency.

Canada Border Services responds to HFP: CBSA officers deployed at Budapest Airport

Following an incident that raised concerns surrounding possible discrimination at the Budapest Airport, on the part of Canadian officials who have been reportedly hindering Hungarian passport-holders from boarding Air Transat and SkyGreece flights to Montreal and Toronto, the Hungarian Free Press contacted the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for comment. Spokesperson Wendy Atkins responded to the HFP’s questions below. Ms. […]

by · August 18, 2015 · East
A Canadian Air Transat flight takes off from Budapest Airport. Photo: Magyar Közlekedés Online.

Discrimination at Budapest Airport by Canadian officials

The Cornwall Newswatch, a small Canadian news site from eastern Ontario, published a letter this week from reader Frank Marton, which details increasingly common and disturbing discriminatory practices at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport, against Hungarian citizens looking to visit Canada. A few months ago, similar incidents against Hungarian passport holders (especially, but not exclusively, those who officials presumed were […]

by · August 16, 2015 · East
A photo of Aziz, after his courageous and compassionate intervention in Budapest. The photo was sent to us by Szilárd Kalmár, who knew Aziz personally during his stay in Budapest.

How a 16 year old Afghan refugee saved the life of a Hungarian homeless man

On Thursday, a homeless man in Budapest’s economically disadvantaged 8th District became agitated as he waited outside a small soup kitchen in Bérkocsis Street. The man may have been intoxicated, as he waited for his meal in Budapest’s relentless heatwave, with temperatures soaring to above 36 Celsius. According to eyewitnesses, the middle aged man became impatient and broke the glass […]

by · August 14, 2015 · East
Marian Kotleba supports Prime Minister Orbán.

Slovak neo-Nazi Marian Kotleba supports Orbán’s “brave steps” on immigration

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has a new admirer just north of the border in Slovakia. The regional governor of Banska Bystrica (Besztercebánya in Hungarian) Marian Kotleba, sent an open letter to Mr. Orbán on July 28th expressing his support for Orbán’s “brave and effective steps aimed at saving European countries from an inundation of immigrants.” “I express full support […]

by · August 10, 2015 · East