Hungary

BUDAPEST, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) sanctions against individuals and entities in China and Myanmar are "pointless" and "harmful", Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Monday.

The EU imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entity on Monday, citing the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The Hungarian and Czech prime ministers will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss policies to fight COVID-19 as a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic sweeps central Europe.

“The main topic of the meeting will be the effort to curb the pandemic,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s press chief said in a statement.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party said on Wednesday it was leaving the largest centre-right political group in the European Parliament after the faction moved towards suspending it in a tug-of-war over Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s democratic record.

Fidesz’s departure from the European People’s Party (EPP) group in the parliament is likely to reduce Orban’s clout in Brussels following a long conflict over his perceived backsliding on the rule of law and human rights.

BUDAPEST, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hungarian President Janos Ader received an injection of China's Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19 on Friday as the country was bracing for the third wave of the pandemic.

Ader told local news agency MTI that he chose the Chinese product that was immediately available, instead of Pfizer or Moderna's vaccines, for which he would have to wait several months.

Meanwhile, in a short message aired by Hungarian public television M1, Ader called on all Hungarians to register for the vaccination as soon as possible.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary cannot yet ease its partial coronavirus lockdown as a third wave of infections has boosted new cases and only a small section of the population has received a vaccine so far, the prime minister said.

Hungary became the first European Union country on Wednesday to start inoculating people with the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, following a similar move with Russia’s Sputnik V shot, which have not been granted regulatory approval in the EU.

BUDAPEST, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine purchased by Hungary arrived at Budapest on Tuesday.

The shipment was welcomed at the Liszt Ferenc International Airport by Tamas Menczer, state secretary from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Qi Dayu.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - A leading Hungarian opposition party joined calls on Sunday for Prime Minister Viktor Orban to sack the head of a state-funded museum for making extreme anti-Semitic comments likening U.S. financier George Soros to Adolf Hitler.

Nationalist Orban has long vilified Soros, a Hungarian Jew who emigrated after World War Two, as part of a general campaign against immigration. Orban accuses Brussels of trying to force Hungary to accept migrants under the influence of Soros.

BUDAPEST, Nov 28 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Aeroflot delivery of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to EU member Hungary last week has sparked new criticism at home and abroad of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s go-it-alone policies.

“We are the first European country to receive such a sample,” said Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in a video showing the plane touching down at Budapest airport.

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary plans to veto the European Union’s 2021-27 budget and its post-COVID recovery scheme over a proposal to make funding conditional on member states’ adherence to the rule of law, its government spokesman said on Monday.

The permanent representatives of EU member states will convene in Brussels on Monday afternoon to discuss the issue. Hungarian news outlet Portfolio reported earlier that the German EU presidency will ask governments to express their political stance on the funding conditionality.

BUDAPEST, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tech company Huawei celebrated its 15th anniversary of operation in Hungary here on Tuesday, reaffirming its strategy of "in Hungary and for Hungary."

"Fifteen years ago, we opened our operation in Hungary. Thanks to the open and fair business environment, we keep on investing and developing in Hungary," said Cai Lingyu, Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Technologies Hungary Kft at an event marking the anniversary, as well as its 20th anniversary of operation in Europe.