Recently in the spotlight

Jon Greenwald

Seventy-eight year-old Jon Greenwald is lobbying to be the next US Ambassador to Budapest

Seventy-eight year-old (!) Princeton and Harvard trained Jon Greenwald wants to be next US Ambassador to Budapest.  He has already contacted the Biden team and declared that he wishes to serve the US in Hungary.  Greenwald also wrote a letter to Béla Lipták (Hungarian Lobby) about his past Hungarian experience and motivations and we asked permission to re-publish it.  Here […]

by · May 9, 2021 · Politics
The Benedictine Abbey at Tihany with the Lake Balaton, Hungary in the background.  Photo: ilovebalaton.hu

An HFP contributor and his winemaking past featured in The New Yorker

András Göllner’s son, Adam Leith Gollner, wrote a long-form essay for The New Yorker entitled “Does Your Wine Really Taste Like Rocks?” with a focus on vineyards and wines in Hungary. The piece, at times quite atmospheric and lyrical, takes off from the land of memories, before weaving its way through the mysteries of wine. The author’s father owned a […]

by · May 6, 2021 · Culture
Call to reopen the investigation of the death of Tamás Barta, Hungarian Rock Star

Call to reopen the investigation of the death of Tamás Barta, Hungarian Rock Star

Eszter Hajdú is a well-known Hungarian filmmaker with an impressive list of films under her belt.   (Click here to see the list of her films) Now she wants to reopen the 1982 murder case of Tamás Barta in California and she called numerous US politicians, among them Secretary State Anthony Blinken and California Lieutenant Governor and ex-Ambassador to Hungary, Eleni […]

by · April 29, 2021 · Focus
Why is the Hungarian Reformed Church in America mum about the death of Pastor Debreczeni in Phoenix, Arizona?

Why is the Hungarian Reformed Church in America mum about the death of Pastor Debreczeni in Phoenix, Arizona?

One of the most charismatic pastors of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America has died. In the past we wrote that lawsuits and chaos paralyze the Church in America.  One of the most vicious court battles involved Pastor Debreczeni.  Church officials openly called Debreczeni immoral, a liar and cheater who illegally taped conversations.  Zsolt Demeter, Presbiter and Bishop Zoltán Lizik […]

by · April 18, 2021 · Diaspora
Hungarian conservatives launch English-language journal

Hungarian conservatives launch English-language journal

This month, we are witness to an eyebrow-raising development in Hungary. A new English-language journal entitled Hungarian Conservative is being launched on April 15th by the Batthyány Lajos Foundation — a non-profit group dating back to 1991 and established by Hungary’s first democratically elected prime minister, József Antall. The Batthyányi Circle of Professors, affiliared with this foundation, has been critical of […]

by · April 13, 2021 · Politics
Marc Dillard

Marc Dillard likes absurdity and he now is the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Budapest

On October 27th, 2020, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán presented the Hungarian Order of Merit, Middle Cross with the Star, to 82-year-old US Ambassador David Cornstein “for his role in strengthening Hungarian-U.S. diplomatic, economic and trade relations.”  Ambassador Cornstein’s tenure has ended and currently there is no US Ambassador in Budapest.  It is not clear when the new Ambassador will be named by […]

by · April 5, 2021 · Politics
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Békevár-Kipling, a piece of history from the Canadian Prairies

In the 19th century this area of Canada was called Assiniboia, named after local first nations people who lived here for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years as they claim. At this time the province belonged to the Northwest Territories. In 1905 the province joined to the Confederation of Canada and became known by the name of Saskatchewan. Early […]

by · March 24, 2021 · Diaspora
March 15 National Day in the time of the Coronavirus

March 15 National Day in the time of the Coronavirus

On March 15th Hungarians commemorate the Revolution and the War of Independence against the Austrian-Hapsburg rule in 1848–49.  Normally, on this day there are commemorations and family programs all over the country and in Hungarian communities all over the world.  In Budapest the main event takes place on the steps of the Hungarian National Museum just like on March 15, 1848. Today […]

by · March 15, 2021 · Culture
Sándor Sík – the Catholic (and Jewish) icon of Hungarian American Scouts

Sándor Sík – the Catholic (and Jewish) icon of Hungarian American Scouts

The 106-acre Sándor Sík Hungarian Scout Park is in upstate New York, close to Fillmore, in Allegany County.  It was founded as a campground and training center in 1964 by the Hungarian Scout Association in Exteris. “With its gently hilly slopes and meadows, firs and a variety of other trees, it is an ideal location for camping,” says the official […]

by · March 8, 2021 · Diaspora
Consul General Valér Palkovits awards Sándor Balla in 2020.

Exploring the millions of dollars the Orbán government has spent in Canada

In 2020, Vinum Tokaj Canada Inc., owned by Sándor Balla, was awarded nearly C$4 million (944,880,000 forints) from Hungarian public funds to operate an office and warehouse in Toronto, as well as provide marketing services for the promotion of Hungarian businesses and products. Of all the funding envelopes allocated by the Orbán government to Canada since 2010, this was the largest.  […]

by · March 1, 2021 · Diaspora