
FM: Attacks on minorities in Syria are ‘unacceptable'
The minister said on Facebook on Saturday that he had discussed the situation with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, and 'agreed that the attacks against minorities in Syria must be firmly condemned'.
Minister Szijjártó said all Christian communities in a difficult situation could rely on the Hungarian government, and welcomed recent talks between the Vatican and Israel concerning 'the sad developments in recent days.'
The Hungarian government is sending another 10 million forints to help the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the minister added.
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Budapest Times
13 hours ago
- Budapest Times
Defence Minister: Government committed to maintaining and developing Hungarian Grand Prix
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Budapest Times
2 days ago
- Budapest Times
State Secretary meets with National Security Council official in Washington
State Secretary Levente Magyar has met with Charles McLaughlin, the senior director for European and Russian Affairs at the National Security Council, in Washington, D.C. According to MTI , Magyar, a state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said the sides had discussed mainly bilateral matters, adding that ties between the two countries were 'excellent' in spite of the complicated international situation. He noted the US administration's recent decision to lift sanctions related to the upgrade of the Paks nuclear power plant, at the request of Hungary, and said the US had also asked that Hungary be open to the American nuclear industry as well as the Russian one. 'We can comply with that request as it dovetails with our intentions,' he added. Magyar acknowledged that 'America first' was a basic condition of US foreign policy, but said the Americans also accepted that Hungary took a similar approach. 'For us, Hungary is first, and we try to assert Hungarian interests,' he added.


Budapest Times
5 days ago
- Budapest Times
Final details confirmed for 3% housing loan program, new state support for public employees
Key eligibility criteria include being over 18, having two years of continuous income and social insurance contributions, which may include employment in a neighboring country for Hungarian commuters. Applicants must not have held full ownership of an urban residential property in the past ten years, with partial ownership capped at 50% or HUF 15 million in property value. The loan is capped at HUF 50 million with a fixed 3% interest rate over a maximum of 25 years. It may be used for buying or building new or used homes, including farmhouses. Price limits are set at HUF 100 million for apartments and HUF 150 million for detached homes or rural properties. A 10% down payment is required, and although beneficiaries must reside in Hungary, permanent residence at the purchased property is not mandatory. Usage rights may not be transferred, but rental is permitted. In addition, the government has introduced an annual HUF 1 million housing support for public service employees—such as teachers, doctors, police officers, and soldiers—which can be applied to mortgage payments or down payments. The benefit will be tax-advantaged, aligned with existing cafeteria rules, and final regulations will be determined at next week's cabinet meeting. The cabinet also extended the rural grocery store support program to settlements with under 5,000 residents. All eligible applicants will receive their requested funding, despite demand exceeding available funds by over HUF 6 billion. Addressing international affairs, Minister Gulyás strongly criticized the recently announced EU-U.S. customs agreement. He argued the deal contradicts Europe's strategic and economic interests, stating that if Hungary had negotiated independently, it would have secured better terms. He criticized the European Commission for overstepping its mandate by committing to investment concessions without proper authorization and labeled the agreement as an example of 'unauthorized administration of power' that also binds the EU to obligations it cannot fulfill.