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july-aug 2013 WHY DO THE TURKS PROTEST?
HUNGARY HELPS LITHUANIA’S EU PRESIDENCY
BRAZILIAN AMBASSADOR BIDS FAREWELL
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hungary’s got talent(s) - in britain! A Hungarian group won Great Britain’s most prominent talent show years after trying their luck in a similar show in Hungary. SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 2
V4 Presidency > HUNGARY launched its Presidency of the Visegrád Group July 1st. Deputy State Secretary in the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Gergely Prôhle tells Diplomacy & Trade that the V4 projects should be of ‘citizen-proximity’.
SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 24
Croatia joins the eu > DIPLOMACY & TRADE congratulates Croatia on becoming the 28th member state of the European Union.
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Former PM gyula horn Dies SEE ARTICLE ON PAGE 2
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> “A COUNTRY THAT HAS A DIFFICULT LANGUAGE and produces great wines cannot be a bad country!” That is how the Ambassador of the Republic of France to Hungary, Roland Galharague draws a parallel between Hungary and France. In the interview with Diplomacy & Trade, he also talks about his ambassadorial duties, his dialogue with Hungarians and the French community, the enhancement of economic ties and cultural relations as well as the ‘secret weapon’ of the Embassy.
SEE ARTICLES ON PAGES 8-17
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER > The summer brings a double July-August issue of Diplomacy & Trade as many in our community head off around the globe for a well-earned vacation. We congratulate Croatia and all Croatians in becoming the 28th member of the European Union. After many years of effort to meet membership requirements we wish you many years of prosperity as an active member of the Union. This issu e’s country focus is France that in July celebrates its Revolution, which gave the country its first written constitution 222 years ago. Currently, France is among the most substantial investors in Hungary and the French economic presence provides jobs for some 52,000 people. We attach special importance to our interview with the French Ambassador to Hungary, Roland Galharague and thank him for his clo se cooperation. We delve into bilateral economic relations (trade and investment), as well as cultural, social and civil relations. These topics are dealt with in more detail in the presentation of the Hungarian-French Chamber of Trade and Industry, the French Institute in Budapest as well as the French School. This July also sees Lithuania’s accession to the Presidency of the Council of the Europea n Union. Hungary has provided assistance and cooperation to the Baltic country. This month, Hungary takes over the Presidency of the Visegrád cooperation for one year and the aims of this Presidency are detailed in another article. Further articles on Hungary’s diplomatic activity include those on the visit of the Brazilian Vice President and the Africa Forum in Budapest. Our political analysis in this issue provides background on the demonstrations in Turkey. Of course, we also have the popular WittyLeaks section, authored this time by the Italian ambassador; an article on Budapest’s Great Market Hall picked as CNN’s ‘Travel favorite’; as well as the usual culinary guides, restaurant offers and Society picture compilations. Hungarians also had more to cheer about with the first place finish of a H ungarian group, ’Attraction’ winning the most prominent talent show on British television, Britain’s Got Talent. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our readers and partners a great summer holiday! And don’t forget our slogan : monthly in print - daily on the web: www.dteurope.com
Peter Freed PUBLISHER
FORMER PRIME MINISTER GYULA HORN DIES > Former Hungarian Prime Minister Gyula Horn, who played a key role – as Foreign Minister – in bringing down the Iron Curtain by letting East Germans cross the border to Austria, died in Budapest on June 19, at the age of 80. Horn's death was announced by the Hungarian government and confirmed by the Socialist Party, which he led to victory in the 1994 elections. Attila Mesterházy, leader of the now opposition Socialist Party, said Horn was one of the most successful prime ministers of Hungary and had made one of the greatest impacts on Europe during the sweeping changes that occurred over two decades ago. Gyula Horn was best known internationally for his announcement as foreign minister in 1989 that Hungary would allow East German refugees to leave the country for West Germany, one of the key events that helped bring an end to communism in Eastern Europe. Tens of thousands of East Germans had traveled to Hungary in the spring and summer of 1989 as expectations mounted that this more moderate Communist country might open its borders to the West. In September that year, Horn announced the Hungarian government’s decision to allow East Germans leave for the West without the pteniously required exit visa. The exodus was followed a few months later by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the start of the reunification of the two parts of the country. Gyula Horn joined the Communist Party in 1954 and held numerous party and government posts until 1989. His role in the 1956 events is not clarified. In 1989, he was a founding member of the Socialist Party. As party president, he was the third prime minister of the third Hungarian republic from 1994 to 1998. Between 1996 and 2003, he was vice president of the Socialist International. His career in international diplomacy was recognized with several awards, including the Liberty Prize given for his role in German reunification. Gyula Horn is buried in the Fiume Road National Graveyard on July 8.
H U N G A R I A N P R E S I D E N T J Á N O S Á D E R (third from the right) on the balcony of the Sándor Palace with his guests before a ceremonial dinner given to Fair Play prize winner athletes Dániel Gyurta, Eszter Liszkai and Balázs Baji and members of the ‘Attraction Show Theater Production’ (on the left).
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> The Hungarian shadow-dance group ‘Attraction’ won this year’s Britain's Got Talent show on ITV with 27% of the viewers’ votes. The Hungarians finished ahead of a teenage comedian from Yorkshire and a pair of singing brothers from Wales. The British newspaper The Guardian notes that the eight-strong troupe Attraction, whose participation on a show supposedly highlighting British performers had led to criticism, won the most public votes after a British-themed performance to the music ’Land Of Hope And Glory’ and the voice of Winston Churchill. Simon Cowell said the result had been a surprise: "It just shows that this country welcomes people from all over the world, and they loved this act," the article said. Having won the contest and the GBP 250,000 (close to EUR 300,000) prize money, Attraction's leader Zoltán Szûcs said the result was amazing and that he wanted to thank the British public. The group's final performance was against a backdrop that included the Union flag, the Olympic rings and the Queen's profile.
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Károly Matusz and Tibor Illyés/MTI
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BRITAIN'S GOT HUNGARIAN TALENT
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PUBLISHER I Peter Freed MANAGING DIRECTOR I Péter Kerényi EDITOR I Sándor Laczkó CULTURE & BEST OF BUDAPEST EDITOR I Réka A. Francisck COPY EDITOR I Joyce Freed PHOTO EDITOR I Dávid Harangozó DESIGN & PRODUCTION I Tamás Külkey
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SECURITY IN CENTRAL EUROPE AND BEYOND
GOVERNMENT BACKTRACKS ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
> The Political Directors of the countries of the Central European Initiative (CEI) held an annual meeting in Budapest this June on the occasion of Hungary assuming the chairmanship of the organization. The conference entitled ‘Security in Central Europe and Beyond’ was also attended by an American delegation headed by US State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary Philip Reeker. He and other participants, including CEI Secretary General Caracciolo di Vietri, were welcomed by State Secretary of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, Iván Bába. During the meeting, the parties discussed the role of regional and Euro-Atlantic cooperation in the process of maintaining stability and security in the West Balkans, integration processes in Europe, as well as in the preparation for the forthcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius. Iván Bába also inaugurated an exhibition on the work and life of Robert Capa at the Hungarian Institute of Foreign Affairs, Budapest. “Robert Capa is one of those famous Hungarians, who link Hungary and Central Europe at large with America. He was born a Hungarian as Endre Friedmann in 1913 in Budapest and died an American citizen in Vietnam, in 1954 as Robert Capa, legendary war reporter and photographer, killed by a land mine while accompanying retreating French troops there. UNESCO has put the centenary of his birth on this year’s list of anniversaries recommended for commemoration worldwide,” the State Secretary said.
> Early June, Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi announced that the government was ready to remove two provisions of the country’s Fundamental Law (constitution) in response to the objections of the European Commission (EC) in order to close the case before the Commission would initiate an infringement procedure. One provision would levy a tax whenever the Hungarian State incurs a payment obligation deriving from a decision of the Constitutional Court, the Court of Justice of the European Union or any other international court. The other issue disputed by the EC allows the transfer of court cases between districts. The government will propose to Parliament that the provisions in question be annulled entirely, Martonyi said.
CROATIA, THE 28TH EU MEMBER STATE > Following lengthy but fruitful negotiations, Croatia joined the European Union on July 1st. Talking to Diplomacy & Trade earlier this year, the Croatian Ambassador to Hungary, Gordan Grlic-Radman stressed that Croatia had worked hard for more than a decade to reach EU membership and that Hungary had been one of the biggest friends of his country in this process (accession talks were wrapped up during the Hungarian EU Presidency), and also one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Croatia as Yugoslavia was falling apart. “The European Union is a club that has achieved, over the past decades, great success in bringing stability to this continent. After the Cold War, it gave an opportunity to the countries of Eastern Europe to be part of this club with its economic order and free market. We should be responsible members in this club and we should take advantage of its benefits. Its principles oblige us, although, we are aware of its heterogeneity and the challenges it is going through.”
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Endre Véssey/Foreign Ministry, MTI Photos: Balázs Mohai, László Beliczay, Imre Földi, Courtesy picture
EXCESSIVE DEFICIT PROCEDURE ABROGATED FOR HUNGARY > European Union finance ministers (Ecofin) decided mid-June to endorse the European Commission’s May 29 recommendation to abrogate the excessive deficit procedure (EDP) for Hungary. The country has been in the EU’s fiscal cuffs since its accession to the bloc in 2004. The Council announced that it also closed excessive deficit procedures for Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary and Romania, confirming that they had reduced their deficits below 3% of GDP, the EU's reference value for government deficits. The Hungarian government, which has been using unconventional (‘unorthodox’) methods to reduce the budget deficit, welcomed the decision but Economy Minister Mihály Varga said the government cannot agree with some of the Council’s country specific recommendations made in May. The disputed recommendations are those on the energy tax and on taxation in general, as well as on the judiciary system. The Council has formulated seven country specific recommendations for Hungary, such as ensuring a stable, more balanced and predictable corporate tax system, broadening the powers of the Fiscal Council, lowering the extra burden on the financial sector, strengthening active labor market policy measures, creating a business environment more attractive for foreign direct investment by making the regulatory framework more stable and gradually abolishing regulated energy prices.
RECORD FLOOD ON THE RIVER DANUBE > Budapest "has been saved", the head of the municipal flood defense committee, Imre Pesti said on June 12, adding that the River Danube was rapidly receding after a peak of 891 cm in the downtown area on June 7, exceeding the previous record by 31 cm. However, it was not only in the capital but in 12 of the 19 counties in Hungary where the government had to declare a state of emergency as the country faced the highest recorded flood wave originating from heavy rainfall in Germany. At Mohács, where the Danube leaves the country in southern Hungary, the highest water level was recorded on June 13 with 964 centimeters. For six critical days, intensive flood protection efforts took place at over 800 kilometers along the river. The number of professional protection personnel was 18,687. They were joined by 8,306 soldiers of the Hungarian Army, over 6,000 public workers, 3,500 volunteer firemen and others. The number of civilian volunteers exceeded 36,000. According to official figures, for the reinforcement of dykes and the creation of temporary protection monuments, over ten million sandbags and over 240,000 cubic meters of sand were used. Also activated were 254 pieces of machinery, 1,092 transport vehicles, 338 water pumps, nine helicopters and 573 jeeps. The Danube flooded over 47,000 hectares of land and endangered over 200,000 people out of which 1,570 were actually evacuated.
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TELKI PRIVATE HOSPITAL CLOSES DOWN > Entrepreneur Gábor Kovács has announced that he sold the property housing the private hospital in Telki, west of Budapest, and the hospital is closed down as of July 10. In-patient care will end but outpatient services will continue at the operating company’s clinic in Budapest. The Telki Hospital was founded in 1998 by Gábor Kovács with the aim of creating a market-based institution to provide quality care, with none of the typical Hungarian national insurance health queues. Since then, the hospital's services have been used by more than 50,000 patients. Due to the longer waiting times and the deterioration of the quality of care characteristic of the state care system, there has been an unbroken demand for the hospital, but, in the absence of co-financing by public and private insurance, it produced, for the most part, a loss in the past 15 years.
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companynews company news.
PRODUCTION LAUNCHED AT NEW AUDI PLANT > Production has started in the new, EUR 900 million Audi plant in Gyôr, NW Hungary. The new Gyôr headquarters of Audi, under construction since 2011 is now capable of performing the full vehicle production process. In addition to current production, the brand new A3 Limousine will be made in this plant. Thanks to this project, the company could increase its vehicle production to 125 thousand annually, compared to 33500 in 2012. The investment is worth a total of EUR 900 million, and the number of staff, with additional employees recruited in recent months, has risen to nearly 9200. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said the government’s objective is to ensure that the greatest possible number of the car manufacturing industry's 21st century high-quality products will be made in Hungary. Audi has become a significant partner in this endeavor, he added. He expressed his gratitude for Audi’s relief contributions to victims of the current floods. Rupert Stadler, General Manager of Audi AG, noted that Audi Hungaria had become a strategic pillar of the company and that the Gyôr plant is one of the engines of Audi’s growth, adding that in the 1990’s, the Northwest Hungarian city was selected out of 180 potential locations due to its ideal conditions. The Gyôr plant was chosen to be the site of the new factory since it could develop rapidly in terms of production capacity and innovation, Thomas Faustmann, Managing Director of Audi’s Hungarian subsidiary said. He stressed that the A3 limousine will be the first Audi model to be entirely manufactured and assembled in Gyôr. In addition to the recently inaugurated new production site, Audi Hungary also boasts the world’s largest engine factory.
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THYSSENKRUPP INAUGURATES NEW PLANT IN GYÔR > Germany's ThyssenKrupp concern inaugurated a new plant in Gyôr, Northwest Hungary, which was completed through an investment of HUF 1.2 billion (EUR 4 million). The plant supplies axle systems for Audi, which has a factory nearby. Freshly assembled components manufactured at the plant, which operates a justin-line system, arrive on Audi's production line only 176 minutes after being ordered, the CEO of ThyssenKrupp Automotive Systems Thomas Möller said at the inauguration ceremony, adding that the Gyôr plant is expected to generate an annual revenue of EUR 120 million in the coming period. László Thuróczy, Deputy State Secretary for Competitiveness in the Ministry for National Economy, said that this plant embodies the objectives of the Hungarian government, which are to facilitate the presence in Hungary of industries that require high added value, increase employment and boost economic growth. He claimed that the European Union had also acknowledged the importance of the production sector, emphasizing that vehicle manufacturing, and especially German companies, play a key role in Hungary industry.
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> The planned expansion of Bridgestone's tire factory in Tatabánya, west of Budapest is on a similar scale to opening a new plant, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed at the cornerstone ceremony in June. In addition to the existing 350 jobs at the plant, 500 new ones will be created with this EUR 245 million investment project. The construction that increases the production capacity of the five year old plant is scheduled to be concluded in 2017. Franco Annunziato, CEO and President of Bridgestone Europe pointed out that the extension is a turning point, because it increases the production capacity of the plant and results in quality improvement. Japanese Ambassador Tadamichi Yamamoto said that the plant extension is a great step towards deepening business and cultural relations between the two countries.
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analysis political analysis.
would like to host the 2020 Olympic Games, the Prime Minister wishes to have a new bridge built between the European and Asian sections of Istanbul, among other things. These plans are marginally figuring in the current demonstrations: the environmentalists, who started the protests in protection of the trees in the Gezi park, similarly fear that these projects would demand the cutting down of thousands of trees in and around Istanbul. Nevertheless, the real issue is Tayyip Erdogan’s personal ambitions. He has to step down as Prime Minister next year but he does not seem to be reconciled to the idea of retirement from politics. According to a number of observers he would like to become the ‘Ataturk’ of 21st century Turkey. The only way for him to stay in the forefront would be to succeed Abdullah Gul as President. President Gul was, besides Tayyip Erdogan, the founder of the AKP and so far their political careers have been moving along parallel lines. President Gul, however, may not wish to yield to Tayyip Erdogan in 2014, and this could mean an internice fight within the AKP. The President is not on exactly the same wavelength as the Prime Minister anymore; as regards the current events, he is keen on playing the role of the moderator – as his position as President requires, anyway.
BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT
It seems that no one in the government in Turkey thought that the planned construction of a replica military barracks (and a shopping center) in Gezi park would result in major antiErdogan demonstrations throughout the country. Though, the planned building does have a symbolic meaning insofar as the original construction was a stronghold for the proto-Islamist insurrection against the Young Turks in 1909, it might be a mistake to attribute the ongoing protests exclusively as a secular backlash against some neo-Islamist tendencies by the government under Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Instead, the demonstrations on Taksim Square and elsewhere seem to show a burst of hitherto pent-up feelings in relatively large segments of the Turkish society.
Intrusion to private life
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that he received a mandate from the electorate three times in a row and, therefore, has the right to push through his legislative agenda even if it meets resistance in some quarters of society. He can claim a record that is fairly impressive. Since he took office, the annual GDP growth has averaged 5% – though, it has slowed down recently. Turkey started accession talks with the EU in 2005 – though, Tayyip Erdogan seems to have lost interest in them. He has made considerable efforts to settle the outstanding issues with the 15 million-strong Kurdish community
within Turkey, as well. Although, foreign affairs do not play any part in the recent events, Turkey has successfully positioned itself as a stable country, which is democratic and predominantly Islamist at the same time. In addition, its ‘zero conflict’ strategy with its neighbors has also increased Ankara’s clout in the region and even beyond it. However, as in domestic affairs, the Erdogan government has experienced some setbacks in its foreign and security policy, too. Its long-time close relationship with Israel suffered from the incident in
the Eastern Mediterranean in which a number of Turkish nationals were killed by Israeli security forces. Most recently, PM Erdogan calculated that President Bashar el-Assad would fall in no time; in fact, the Syrian civil war has been dragging on for months and Turkey has become more and more exposed to the direct and indirect effects of this dangerous source of instability along its southern borders.
Ambitious visions Recep Tayyip Erdogan has an ambitious vision for his country and – allegedly – for himself. Istanbul
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m | D I P L O M A C Y & T R A D E | 2013 JULY - AUGUST
Tamás Külkey
Leading a stable country The perceived intrusion into the private lives of citizens touches on the concept of democracy at large. Prime Minister Erdogan seems to be endorsing the majoritarian notion of politics. He has taken the position
Uniter or divider? PM Erdogan is lucky to have a disorganized and weak opposition. The demonstrators on Taksim Square and elsewhere come from a diverse background: almost everybody can be found among them from urban intellectuals through Kemalists and environmentalists to fringe leftist groups. This diversity is their weakness, as well: besides the demand for the resignation of Tayyip Erdogan, there is not too much to unite them. The main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) under Kemal Kiricdaroglu is rather weak. Therefore, the real danger to Prime Minister Erdogan’s political future may as well be within the AKP. Despite the various demonstrations of strength through organizing mass rallies in support of his policies, some of his erstwhile allies quietly distance themselves from Tayyip Erdogan. It seems that the Prime Minister will have some more difficult tasks in the future than reconstructing a park in Istanbul; one of them might be to establish his place in the history of modern Turkey as a modernizer and uniter – and not as a divider. Le style est l’homme: his increasingly authoritarian style does not mesh really well in a democratic society. <
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Undeniably, there is a ‘secularism versus neo-Islamism’ fault line in Turkey. Secularism was one of the dominant themes of the Ataturkian revolution and until the emergence of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) at the very beginning of this century, the political and, above all else, the military authorities made sure that Mustafa Kemal’s legacy would be kept as intact as possible. As the incoming Prime Minister in 2003, Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s core constituency was different, though, than that of previous governments: it was constituted primarily from the less developed and rural Anatolia, urban working class, and neoIslamist people. PM Erdogan, who has been reelected twice since 2003, has moved decisively against such strongholds of secularism in the judiciary and the military; as for the latter, about one in eight of its generals are now in prison. (The charges against some of them rested on rather flimsy evidence.) Moreover, some other measures of the Erdogangovernment have also been interpreted by the opposition as an intrusion into the lives of the people in the name of some sort of social engineering. These included, among others, a ban on the sale of alcohol in shops during the daytime and the introduction of Koran classes for primary school pupils.
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hungary &the eu hungary & the eu.
Have a Sip of Europe!
HOW LITHUANIA CAN USE EXPERIENCES OF THE HUNGARIAN PRESIDENCY BY ENIKÔ GYÔRI, STATE SECRETARY, HUNGARIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY
AFTER SLOVENIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, Poland and Cyprus, Lithuania is the 6th Member State of the 2004 enlargement countries to take over the Presidency in the EU. This makes the expression ‘new Member States’ a bit worn out. Vilnius is going to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1st until the end of the year. The enthusiasm of our Lithuanian colleagues indicates that their Presidency will help further abolish the differences between EU member states. Hungary is ready to give full support to this.
First presidencies - supernatural forces A first presidency is always a bit of a shock for a Member State; we know this feeling very well, having had the experience from 2011. Up to the very first day, even the most basic questions on daily operations seem uncertain and vague. However, as soon as the presidency starts, functioning becomes an automatism for everyone. Not to mention the fact that taking the lead for the first time gives almost supernatural forces and infinite resources to staff members. Good and timely preparation is a necessity. Lithuania has not wasted any time: the Hungarian Presidency team started to share its experiences right after our semester ended. Within this framework, members of the Hungarian presidency staff gave a broad overview of the lessons learned and several high level and expert level meetings followed:
> LITHUANIAN EU PRESIDENCY LOGO REVEALED:
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite (in white jacket) holds the canvas depicting the logo of the Lithuanian Presidency at the official presentation.
we discussed issues ranging from coordination, logistics, through communication to cultural affairs. We have offered Lithuania a variety of ‘tips and tricks’, which make work easier for a medium sized Member State with restricted amounts of funding and staff and with the weight of responsibility to prove to Europe: “we can do it”. The accession of Croatia, the adoption of the so-called six pack (of regulations), the first ever Roma Strategy in Europe, etc. proved that Hungary was equal to the challenge. As a result, a great deal of experience lines up behind us.
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Andrius Ufartas, Endre Véssey/Foreign Ministry
Good institutional relations
> STATE SECRETARY HONORED: The highest French state award, the ‘Legion of Honour Officer degree’, was presented to Hungarian EU affairs state secretary Enikô Gyôri in June by French Ambassador Roland Galharague in Budapest for ‘her outstanding contribution and efforts in enhancing FrenchHungarian cooperation, particularly during Hungary's EU presidency in the first half of 2011’. “It is possible to serve one's country while maintaining friendship with others, and this is an ideal to which I want to remain true; so France may always view me as a friend,” Enikô Gyôri said after receiving the award.
For Hungary, involvement of the national and the European Parliament (EP) was a basic requirement. It is not only key to democratic legitimacy, but also secures political consensus inside the country. I believe – also as a former MEP – that involving the EP is a very rewarding exercise: it prevents the presidency from being caught in the middle of EPCouncil struggles. With a Parliament-friendly attitude, the Hungarian Presidency dealt with the immense task of reaching an agreement on all parts of the ‘six-pack’, except for one small detail which was finalized during the next, Polish Presidency semester. For Lithuania, which has to deal with the whole range of legislative acts related to the Multiannual Financial Framework, this is an extremely important advice. Other institutions also have to be at your side
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to fulfill presidency priorities: intensive contacts with the European Commission are a must; no presidency can manage without the General Secretariat of the Council, which – being the institutional memory of the Council –provides logistical, organizational and informational support to the presidency. The most important lessons learned (and handed over to Lithuania) were strategic: listen to the needs of Member States; cooperate closely with the European institutions but do not let them distract you from your goals; do not promise too much but stay ambitious; do not to run away from difficult issues if finding a solution is in the best interest of the EU. Also a good hint to Vilnius: a small budget does not mean less success! With better use of state owned capacities and the elimination of unnecessary services, we saved resources. Total spending topped at around EUR 82 million, which is a low-cost solution in comparison to other presidency budgets. Partners played a key role in supporting the Presidency with different services (e.g. cars, IT technologies, buildings) free of cost or in a budget-friendly way.
A Baltic breeze for Europe As Lithuania, Hungary also had to perform its Presidency during an economically hard time. The strong strategic cooperation between the small and medium sized Member States is more important these days than ever. Europe’s decision-making centers are shifting towards the big capitals and the crisis has, in many senses, weakened the community method. The Lithuanian Presidency can reinforce the cooperation and
visibility of Central and Eastern Europe in the EU and thus, counter-balance these tendencies. As this is a priority for us, Hungary has made two important decisions: as holders of the rotating presidency of the Visegrád Cooperation from July 1st, 2013, we will support the Lithuanian Presidency with all means; in this framework we have posted a so-called EU presidency diplomat to our Vilnius embassy so as to ensure first hand support. As Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius put it, Lithuania will be the “Baltic breeze” in the discussions about securing sounder public finances and strengthening the ground for financial stability, which is required to fully restore the EU’s economic credibility. While Lithuania is not yet in the euro-zone, Estonia already is a euro-zone country and Latvia is just about to enter. Taking into consideration the strong cooperation between the Baltic States, we expect that the Lithuanian Presidency will work out a perfect balance of interests while implementing and enhancing the agreed on reforms including economic governance and the deepening of the Economic and Monetary Union. No Member State can be left out of the formation of the future of Europe. We welcome that Lithuania has set a target to pursue the EU’s commitments made during the Hungarian Presidency, at the February 2011 European Council: to complete the internal energy market by 2014 and ensure that no Member State remains isolated from the European energy networks after 2015. Since Poland and Hungary cohosted the Eastern Partnership Summit in 2011, we will work closely with Lithuania for imminent success at the next summit in November. With the Western Balkans in our Southern neighborhood, Hungary also serves Vilnius with expertise on the enlargement process. Continuing one of the EU’s most successful policies is a must and it is the key to the peace and stability of this region and the EU as a whole.
A sip of Europe The EU Council Presidency also provides an opportunity to bring the EU closer to its citizens; give a clearer picture what the EU does and how it deeply relates to our lives. However, a presidency is not only about EU policies. It is a ’showroom’ for the cultural heritage of the country. Hungary hosted 261 presidency events, including 26 informal and ministerial meetings, 102 senior officials’ meetings and 131 expert conferences in the first half of 2011. For all official dinners, Hungarian wines were put on the table. We were proud that the successive Polish Presidency also appreciated Hungarian viticulture and served Hungarian wines during its presidency events. A similar cooperation is underway with Lithuania. I hope that following this tradition, Dear Reader, you will also have the opportunity to taste Hungarian wines sooner or later as a jolly proof of what a presidency can bring to a country. And for our Lithuanian friends, my most important advice is: enjoy leadership and never forget that sometimes you have to stop and have a sip of Europe! <
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French Chamber
Accor
Groupama
French Institute
Legrand
The most important objective is to restore the harmony between the French and Hungarian page 09 business communities.
The French hotel chain has significantly increased its market share in Hungary. Their page latest gem is Hotel Nemzeti.
Groupama is a dominant and profitable French insurer in the Hungarian market where it has page 11 managed to solidify its position.
Its mission is to create and offer innovative programs to explore the richness and diversity of page 12 French culture.
A world leader in the manufacturing of products and systems for electrical installations and page 15 information networks.
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Economic Diplomacy is of Primary Importance
BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ
“WE ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND WITHIN THE EU, bilateral relations are a completely different ballgame. When I arrived, negotiations on the next EU budget had just started and it was certainly part of my job then,” Ambassador Galharague tells Diplomacy & Trade. “I’ve been trying to meet as many members of the Hungarian government and the various authorities as possible, as wel l as mayors, members of parliament and more generally, I’m also trying to meet with as many Hungarians from as many walks of life as possible in the different sectors of the economy, culture, education, etc. As an ambassador, my job description is to meet a cross-section of Hungarian society,” he adds. The other, equally important component is the French community here that number 3,000-5,000. “When I arrived, it was an electoral year in France and the Embassy organized the elections. This
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community is a mix of expatriates who spend only a few years in Hungary and of those who are here for a longer term for a variety of reasons. There were waves of emigration from Hungary to France at different stages of history and some of these people – or their descendants – have moved back to Hungary, and have dual citizenship. They are absolutely crucial in our relationship, providing people-to- people contacts, which are just as important as the official government-to-government ties. This is something that I actually did not expect to find to this degree. You go to very small towns in Hungary and find people there who – for one reason or another – have developed a sort of relationship with or liking for French culture. That is also the case in cities like Pécs or Szeged where the university has quite a good cooperation with French universities, plus, there are French businesses in these cities,” the Ambassador points out. There are almost twenty high schools with French-Hungarian bilingual sections and “I’m completely amazed by the level at which these kids speak French. This
all provides a sort of fabric that really constitutes the basis of relationships between the two peoples,” he adds.
Economic relations The Embassy has cooperated in publishing a bilingual booklet of over 180 pages about the French presence in Hungary. The Ambassador is of the view that this publication is essentially intended to be of assistance to potential investors in Hungary. “I believe it is helpful both for companies and the Hungarian authorities in the sense that it gives you a cross-reference of the French companies present here, what they do, where they are located. So, if you’re looking for business opportunities, you can immediately identify your potential partners. It is a significant partnership in the sense that French companies have invested about EUR 10 billion in this country.” Currently, French companies in Hungary number over 350. They are basically in all sectors but primarily in the different fields of industry. “It is a very diverse picture. Some companies – despite the crisis that affected all countries – are doing quite
well here. Others have faced difficulty, some of them have gone already, but it really depends of the sector and the individual circumstances,” the Ambassador says. As for the most important French investors in Hungary, “we have the big international groups, like in the energy sector and in the automotive industry where French suppliers (of tires, navigation aids and electronics) are active but perhaps not so well-known. Then, you have the upper-tier of the SMEs, like a company manufacturing silver utensils here, or the one producing canned vegetables and exporting it all over Europe. So, it is really a mix of SMEs, sometimes very small ones like restaurants and sometimes big international corporations,” he adds. “What I hear from French companies is that they would like to have a more predictable, more transparent business environment generally. The lack of these simply makes it difficult to draw up a business plan – for instance, if the tax regime changes too often,” he points out, seeing this uncertainty as one of the reasons for the level of foreign direct investments not increasing in Hungary. In the preface of the booklet about
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CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE >
Dávid Harangozó
INTERVIEW WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR, ROLAND GALHARAGUE
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French presence in Hungary, Roland Galharague says that economic diplomacy is of primary importance in his work as Ambassador here. He explains that “we’ve identified a number of sectors where we think there is potential for increasing the intensity of bilateral economic relations. For instance, the pharmaceutical industry has a very big and long-time tradition in Hungary. There are French companies active in this field in Hungary, so the health sector is certainly one where we think there could be improvements achieved. The other field is connected to the agro-business. I’m absolutely convinced that this is not a zero-sum game. We live in a world that is so interconnected that you have to think in terms of that one nation’s gain is also being the other nation’s gain. I think this is especially true now in this situation when we still have an economic slowdown in Europe.” He believes the European economy will be able to recover when a growth strategy is successfully implemented. “This is what we are trying to do now. You have to continue with budgetary consolidation but you cannot limit yourself to that. You have to implement reforms that will also lead to further growth. You have to improve the competitiveness of your business. We are doing this nationally in France but are also trying to do it at the European level,” he explains.
Cultural ties Ambassador Galharague is glad to talk about the diversity of French-Hungarian cultural relations. “One of the liveliest venues for the arts in Budapest is the ‘Trafó’, directed by a French-Hungarian artist, József Nagy, currently director of the theater of Orleans in France. Currently, the big show in the Pompidou Center in Paris is that of a Hungarian painter, Simon Hantai, who is a renowned artist in France. There have actually been a number of such personalities: Hungarian artists who went to France and then often came back to Hungary like János Bér or Endre Rozsda who has an exhibition here next year. There is a lot to talk about in this respect be it painting, photography or music. As an example, the conductor of the MÁV Symphony Orchestra, Péter Csaba, also works in Lyon, France. The Palace of Arts in Budapest regularly features French artists. The French Institute in Budapest is doing a lot to nurture cultural relations but things also happen independently of us, which is very
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Courtesy of CCIFH
facts compared AREA country comparison to the world: POPULATION country comparison to the world: POPULATION GROWTH RATE country comparison to the world BIRTH RATE country comparison to the world LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH country comparison to the world NET MIGRATION RATE country comparison to the world GDP - PER CAPITA (PPP) country comparison to the world UNEMPLOYMENT RATE country comparison to the world TELEPHONES - MOBILE/CELLULAR country comparison to the world AIRPORTS country comparison to the world
good. And it works the other way, too. Hungarian culture is very much known and appreciated in France.” The Ambassador has recently presented Hungarian film director Béla Tarr with a special French award. “He is immensely popular in France. I watched some of his movies and it is really what I call cinema! This French order is the acknowledgement of his valuable contribution to this art. We would like to see the great Hungarian cinema traditions continue and we wish to cooperate in this field with the Hungarian authorities. This very much represents the system we have in France, which is geared towards the continued existence of cultural diversity,” he stresses.
Hungarians and their wines Ambassador Galharague has been in Hungary since the spring of last year, having served French diplomacy previously in London, Pretoria and Washington, D.C. He says he loves Budapest which he considers a wonderful city. “If you want to feel secure, you just look around you and it’s a great panorama,” the Ambassador said. “It is key that when you want to try and understand the Hungarians, it is worth the effort to understand their language. It is not easy but the way people think is the way their language is structured. It helps you to understand the sort of intellectual mechanisms and also helps to perhaps understand what the newspaper headlines are about. It is a beautiful language but follows a completely different logic from other languages. That is what I believe Hungarians and French have in common: they are very proud of their languages and their languages are a bit difficult. A country that has a difficult language and produces great wines cannot be a bad country! There are wines here that you cannot find anywhere else in the world. Foreigners tend to associate Hungarian wines with Tokaj but the picture is much richer than that. The dry furmint, for instance, is a jewel of wines – and the kadarka, again unique to Hungary.” People often say that the French Embassy in Budapest is special in that it has ‘two ambassadors’ – Monsieur Galharague and the Embassy chef Hervé Aubry, ‘an ambassador of gastronomy’ with two decades of international experience whom Ambassador Galharague calls his ‘secret weapon’ – or simply a ‘good chap’ and a great chef! <
HUNGARY
93,028 sq km 110 9,939,470 (July 2013 est.) 87 -0.2% (2013 est.) 212 9.37 births/1,000 population 203 75.02 years 93 1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population 50 $19,800 (2012 est.) 63 11.2% (2012 est.) 121 11,690,000 67 41 (2012) 104
FRANCE
643,801 sq km 43 65,951,611 (July 2013 est). 21 0.47% (2013 est.) 152 12.6 births/1,000 population 157 81.56 years 15 1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population 54 $35,500 (2012 est.) 40 10.3% (2012 est.) 112 59,840,000 (2011) 21 176 (2012) 67
Source: World Factbook
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Restoring Harmony in Business FRENCH CHAMBER CALLS FOR LONG-TERM PREDICTABILITY THE FRENCH-HUNGARIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (CCIFH) was established in 1991. As its President, Antoine Guego, explains to Diplomacy & Trade, “these 22 years of our existence here show that French investors did not come to Hungary for opportunistic reasons but really to be part of the Hungarian economy. It is a long-term relationship that has produced investments amounting over EUR 10 billion. Most of the French-owned companies are managed by Hungarians and we are one of the biggest employers in the country. We are certainly one of the most reliable taxpayers.” There is a long list of services CCIFH offers. As the director the Chamber, Ágnes Ducrot points out, CCIFH organizes about 50 events a year, produces three publications and also provides commercial services for French companies such as accompanying them for visits to possible partners and meeting their needs in finding partners. It is something Antoine Guego calls ‘targeted networking’. “We do not just put people around the lunch table but rather organize ‘speed meetings’ for them, which are very successful, always attracting at least 200 people. We have just done a ‘targeted networking’ event for a distribution company to meet local suppliers an d even foreign suppliers with the intention of serving the Hungarian market. This is a service provided exclusively for our members,” the President explains. He believes the most important task is to restore the harmony between the French and Hungarian business communities because “there is no issue between France and Hungary. The Hungarian government decided to levy taxes on strategic sectors in which Fra nce – among other foreign investors – occupied and still occupy an important position. Our role at the Chamber is not only to defend the interests of our members and also to – on one hand – lobby the authorities for what we think is fair and normal business but also to reassure both our members and the French partners that this matter is not a bilateral issue. It was an economic issue in which French compa nies were in the forefront due to the nature of their investments. Today, our main goal is to restore understanding, peace and harmony so that all our members can be sure that we are doing business normally in Hungary.“ The concern for Antoine Guego, who is the Country and General Director for Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria Accor Hotels, is that foreign investments in Hungary seem to be flat at best. “This is a key issue, which – unfortunately – is not yet visible in daily life
today. However, it will be. When foreign investment is declining, it is not replaced by local investment. It is tomorrow’s jobs that are at stake. We are building a generation of highly educated young people who may enter the market where there are fewer jobs available. The main issue for me regarding the Hungarian government is to re instate the climate in which all foreign investors feel welcome and feel that their investments will be safe in the long run. What the business community needs is long-term predictability. We need to know that the legal environment is not going to change every year – the same for the fiscal environment. Until this feeling of insecurity ends, people will not invest here.” What the Chamber can do is “talk to whoever we can in the government bodies and the surroundings of the prime minister to convince the decision-makers. We always communicate that the foreign investors want to continue to invest in Hungary, we want to be part of the Hungarian economy, we are not here to be opportunistic, we are here to support the economy, and thus, of course, make our own profit,” he says. <
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Anticipating the Changing Needs of Customers ACCOR HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED ITS MARKET SHARE IN HUNGARY hotels. Now, our staff members devote their attention to its introduction to the market and its positioning. Being faithful to the MGallery brand, Hotel Nemzeti is a hotel with a unique concept: it aims to reflect the artistic spirit of the Hungarian capital.” In 2013, the main goal of Accor Hungary is to “win the satisfaction and loyalty of our clients in all our hotels. Moreover, we have developed direct sales and internet penetration of new markets, revenue management and, of course, the quality of service is one of the most recognized by customers in this sector,” Guego explains. He believes today’s world is permanently changing: “it is true for our environment, habits and the expectations of our customers, as well. That is why it is a challenge for us not only to meet the changing needs of our customers but also to anticipate them. With our broad portfolio of strong brands, we are present in all market segments and offer services and quality products that continue to grow in 2013 and beyond.” <
ARTISTIC SPIRIT IN THE HEART OF BUDAPEST
DIGITAL HOSPITALITY
> The first member of the MGallery Collection in Hungary, Hotel Nemzeti Budapest, opened its doors in the heart of the city in December 2012. It joins close to 60 hotels all around the world belong to Accor’s high-end MGallery Collection, providing exclusive, personalized, memorable experience to their guests. The Nemzeti, with its 117-year history, with close ties to the city's cultural life (which can be traced back to the National Theatre that once had been on the opposite square), is a highly individual hotel. The hotel that opened in the year of the Hungarian Millennium (1896) was considered the most modern hotel of that era. It was a popular meeting place for artists, the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. There was a hot socio-cultural life within its walls and its history is interspersed with many legends. Following a full renovation, the historic building has maintained its eclectic style, through a bold, modern interior design, coupled with a harmonious balance between history and modernity, past and present. The hotel will once again be active on the cultural scene of Budapest, reflecting the artistic spirit with its graphic identity, its own modern art exhibitions, events that are tied to arts, exclusive walking tours and other cultural events, giving memorable moments for all its guests. Beyond its rich cultural overtures, Hotel Nemzeti offers unique gastronomic experiences introducing Hungarian cuisine and culinary specialties prepared with revised cooking techniques as well as Hungaricums and Hungarian premium brands in emphatic roles.
ACCORHOTELS.COM, THE ONLINE MULTI-BRAND and multi-destination reservation website for Accor hotels, continues its development as a key performer of e-tourism. More than 100 million persons visited the website last year and ten online booking are registered every minute. Its success is based on its adaptations to the local specificities and to customers’ expectations, offering the best price guarantee as well as last room availability. Accorhotels.com gathers more than 200,000 fans on Facebook and launched its new generation mobile applications early 2013. Accor has strengthened its digital strategy with a new, free and innovative iPad app that allows business travelers to create their own interactive, customized business travel planner. In 30 cities worldwide, ‘Away on Business’ allows travelers to book stays in Accor hotels, manage their schedules and use a wide range of additional services so they can combine business obligations with leisure activities, providing a wide range of tools and advice to help them optimize their schedules and enjoy the benefits of tips and suggestions on what to do in town. Functions include the local weather forecast, a travel expense management device, Linkedin contacts in the vicinity, a landmark map as well as a geo-location service. <
www.hotel-nemzeti-budapest.hu • www.facebook.com/hotelnemzetibudapest
THE FREE IPAD ASSISTANT FOR YOUR BUSINESS TRIP
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Courtesy of Accor Group
its competitiveness and its strengths,” the COO says. He points out that unlike in other countries – Poland, for example – this business in Hungary does not rely on
domestic demand, but rather on international customers, including leisure, business or medical tourism. “Yet tourism as a whole, occupies a prominent place in the national economy, accounting for almost 10% of GDP and more than 300,000 legal jobs,” Guego says, adding that in order improve the situation it would be very important to develop the competitiveness of the country and the capital in which it is necessary to create a favorable business environment, with visibility in the medium and long term. Regarding the world’s leading hotel operator and European market leader Accor group’s activity in Hungary, Antoine Guego proudly says that “thanks to our Sofitel, MGallery, Novotel, Mercure and Ibis hotels in Budapest, we have significantly increased our market share and hope to continue this trend to consolidate our leadership. Last December, we had the pleasure of opening Hotel Nemzeti, the first Hungarian member of the MGallery, Accor’s collection of high-end
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“In recent years, basically all sectors in the economy were affected by the economic crisis, the areas of hospitality and tourism included.” That is how Antoine Guego, Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Accor Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria, describes to Diplomacy & Trade the current situation in Hungary within the hospitality and tourism industry. He adds that it was in 2010 when this country suffered the deepest crisis in tourism. “Fortunately, since 2011, we have steadily improved our performance as evidenced by an increasing number of customers. However, the performance of the tourism sector is well below that of our regional competitors and has not yet reached the pre-crisis level,” he adds. For illustration, he mentions that the RevPAR (revenue per available room) completed last year was one of the lowest among the capitals of Central Europe. “That is why our goal is to better position Budapest on the international market, thereby increasing
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Groupama Garancia
Dominant French insurance company in the Hungarian market
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Fotomillok
PROFITABLE INSURER CONFIRMS ITS POSITION IN HUNGARY
THE HUNGARIAN INSURANCE COMPANY GROUPAMA GARANCIA was established on April 1, 2009 with the fusion of the insurance firms Groupama and OTP Garancia. Diplomacy & Trade talked to the CEO of Groupama Garancia, Yann Ménétrier about the company’s presence on the Hungarian insurance market scene and the results of the previous financial year. "The insurance market for the year 2012 was one of the most difficult the country has ever passed through because of the continued economic downturn. However, Groupama Garancia confirmed its 3rd place among insurance companies in Hungary and – despite the huge tax burden – realized profit in 2012, as well,” the CEO summarized the situation. He said it was important in the achievement of these results that the deterioration of the economic situation was partially offset by two independent factors. “One was the favorable weather conditions we experienced in the year 2012, and – as a result of that – a better loss ratio for our residential and agricultural branches, areas where we are dominant players in the market. The other one was an improvement in the European financial market and its positive effects on the Hungarian market. Its favorable impact showed both in the fixed interest rate products environment and in the value of our equity portfolio." As for the most popular types of insurance on the Hungarian market, CEO Ménétrier pointed out that compared to last year, an increase can be seen in the market, due particularly to a higher number of life insurance contracts. “We believe that there is going to be improvement on the savings market, since in times of great uncertainty, households are starting to save again, which offers us a growth opportunity in the area of life insurance. However, in non-life insurance, the competition will continue as households seek simpler and less costly insurance solutions. Therefore, the competitively priced online automotive, Casco, home and travel insurance will continue to grow in popularity. As for us, our goal is the following: to get even closer to our customers and provide quality service at a reasonable price for them." He stresses that Groupama Garancia Insurance is a major player in the domestic insurance market. “In addition to the 150 branches and the network of approximately 1,700 sales representatives of our own, we also make our products and
services available through 400 branches and over 450 broker partners of OTP Bank and, of course, through our direct sales channel Groupamadirekt.hu. As a composite insurer, we provide a full range of insurance services to retail and corporate customers in the life and non-life insurance business, as well.” The company also wishes to reach out to as many people as possible in the area of corporate social responsibility. In this field, the objectives of Groupama Garancia – just like those of the Groupama Group – are to promote sustainable economic development, for which the company is initiating and supporting multiple activities, including the areas of prevention, sports sponsorship and culture. With the fusion in 2009, Groupama Garancia also enjoys having an international background. Yann Ménétrier says "the
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success of the action plan adopted by the Groupama Group at the end of 2011 bore the fruition of excellent results internationally. Despite the financial crisis affecting many countries, the Groupama Group managed to reinforce its financial background in 2012 and, at the same time, reduce the risk of its asset portfolios. The Fitch credit rating agency improved the classification indicating financial strength of Groupama SA and its main subsidiaries to 'BBB-' from 'BB +' in March this year. The Group has become financially stable, thus demonstrating its reliability. So, in addition to international experience, the financially strong group also provides a stable background for the Hungarian subsidiary. " It looks as if natural disasters have become more frequent in recent years and Groupama Garancia is prepared to handle these
situations. “From a financial point of view, we dispose of strong reinsurance protection against naturals events. For the handling of natural disasters during the past year, we introduced our expedited claims process, so that we could handle the incoming claims faster. During the flood in June this year, we provided immediate financial assistance and offered free accident policies to 6,000 volunteers working on the strengthening of embankments, volunteers who helped in the disaster relief work. Thanks to the efficient protection and resistance of dikes, we expect less than two thousands claims reported in this case, as well. For comparison: so far this year, we handled about ten thousand claims arising from natural disasters not related to the flood," the CEO of Groupama Garancia concluded. <
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Hungarian EU presidency. Also, in the last few years, the French Institute has established affiliations with a number of universities, including the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) and the Faculty of Law at the University of Szeged. “Despite the economic crisis, we have managed to maintain the number of scholarships,” director Laquièze notes. “Currently, students may apply for grants to receive a double MA degree: one in International Relations in European Studies from the University of Szeged, Central and Eastern European Specialization, and one from the Institute of Political Studies Lille, through a program that is led by László Trócsányi, Hungary’s ambassador to France.” The Director mentions the Kosztolányi Program, initiated by the French Foreign Ministry, as another great achievement. “The project that was originally EUR 15,000, that supports Hungarian publishers who publish French literary pieces in Hungarian language, has grown to a handsome EUR 70,000 project, with some 200 books coming out in the past four years,” he remarks, adding that a series of programs, focusing on architecture, building-protection and energy effectiveness, proved to be a huge success, as well.
French films rule
“Our mission is to create and offer Hungarians innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of French culture.” BY RÉKA A. FRANCISCK
INSTITUT FRANCAIS EXISTS TO PROMOTE FRENCH LANGUAGE and culture and to encourage crosscultural exchange, according to Director Francois Laquièze, who is also Councelor in charge of cultural and cooperative affairs at the French Embassy in Budapest, and who will soon return to Paris to take up a new position at the French Cultural Ministry. “There is a growing interest in Hungary in French culture. This is a demand which I have tried to satisfy in the past four years. Today, this institute is the destination for French culture, presenting a unique mix of arts programs including lectures about philosophy, literature and history, music, dance, theater, cinema, and visual arts. It will maintain this position and will continue to develop in the future,” he adds with a reassuring smile. Isabelle Farçat, Cultural Attaché and Deputy Director of the institute agrees and adds that the institute seeks to generate new ideas and promote cross cultural dialogue through partnerships and
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new platforms of expression. “Some of our events get visitors up close with French designers, artists, and authors, with other events featuring culinary and wine events. We are very present on Budapest’s cultural scene, co-organizing a great number of festivals and exhibitions with Hungarian partners,” she adds. According to her, the institute has a routine of supporting big projects such as the performance of the Comédie-Française in Budapest’s National Theater, a large Cézanne and Gustave Moreau exhibition in the Museum of Fine Arts, as well as introducing the works of Hungarian born French artists, for example János Bér in 2012 at the Museum of Kiscell. “As for the future, Bastille Day is coming up, with concerts and a street carnival on Pala utca. The exhibition of Chagall entitled ’Between War and Peace’ that is currently on show at the Musée de Luxembourg, will arrive to the National Gallery soon. The Gallery will also host an exhibition to mark the 100th birthday of Endre Rozsda, another French artist of Hungarian origin. We often work together with Budapest’s Trafó, most
Scholarships Under the leadership of Laquièze, an immense number of new projects and initiations sprung to life. The institute took a key role in supporting Hungary, with the help of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), while preparing for the EU presidency in 2010 with administration and language courses, targeting some 750 civil servants who were working on the
MORE MEDIA The institution, that last year celebrated the 20th anniversary of its current location on Fô utca, serves as a French hub and a second home for those 2-3,000 French living in Hungary, offering a library with a significantly large collection of 40,000 documents, widely used by the Hungarian public and the French community. A digital portal named ‘Culturethèque’ has also been created, and is constantly being updated.
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Dávid Harangozó
A FIRM FRENCH PRESENCE IN BUDAPEST
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French Institute
recently on Jérome Bell’s theater project and dance performances of Maguy Marin and Preljocaj. In the long run, we are happy to work together with the National Theater, bringing Jeanne d’Arc au bucher by Paul Claudel, in 2014. It is important to follow the path of Monsieur Laquièze, who demonstrated perfectly how important is to identify new Hungarian partners and to maintain open dialogue with them.”
“The introduction of Francophone Film Days in 2011, as part of the annual Francophone Festival, is a success story. The large number of visitors attending this event every spring since has proved that Francophone films are extremely popular these days,” the director continues. His willingness to open towards the countryside was also realized via this program series, as it was organized in six cities (Debrecen, Gyôr, Miskolc, Pécs, Szeged and Szolnok) too, bringing up to 6,000 guests in front of the screens. For those who are hungry for more French films, Laquièze suggests visiting Budapest’s ‘Holdudvar’ soon, for a new selection of French movies. “We started this open-air film club in 2009. People were flowing in, begging for extra seats,” he notes. “This year’s repertoire includes Mark Fitoussi’s ’Pauline, the inspector’, Benoît Jacquot’s ’Farewell my Queen’ and JeanJacques Zilbermann’s ’He is my girl’. Movies will be presented in original language with English subtitles.” <
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Future Technology with Motion & Emotion PEUGEOT IMPROVES MARKET SHARE IN HUNGARY “THERE IS NO BETTER PROOF OF PEUGEOT’S imperturbability than that a small French firm, started more than 200 years ago, has grown to be a global concern,” the Managing Director (MD) of Peugeot Hungária, Gábor György Kutas points out to Diplomacy & Trade. He adds that the development of the lion brand can arguably be best observed through its product range. In 2013, Peugeot introduces a number of technological and product innovations internationally, including, in the first half of the year, the new urban crossover, the 2008, and the 208 range will be expanded with the legendary GTI version, and the renewed RCZ sports coupe that has received
a number of international awards. The second half of the year will see the arrival of the new Peugeot 308 in the mid-range category featuring a number of technical innovations while the 3008 and 5008 models, quite popular in Hungary, will also be renewed. “In the field of technology and environmental protection, Peugeot's commitment is illustrated by the HYbrid4 diesel hybrids, the Hybrid Air technology and a 100% electric model, the iOn,” the MD says, adding that PARTNER Electric is also in the pipeline.
MOTION & EMOTION The Peugeot brand was renewed in 2010, a more prominent role was given to the modern-looking lion and a new slogan: Peugeot, MOTION & EMOTION was created. MOTION means to become a reference in the area of mobility services in the world. Peugeot offers solutions which will help to make the cars more harmoniously fit into the environment. “The eternal search for EMOTION is rooted in the genes of Peugeot.
The brand remains committed to style as a car model is not only about technique, but also about emotions,” Kutas says.
POPULAR MODELS Among corporate clients, increasingly popular are the 3008 and 5008 models. The 3008 is chosen because of its currently popular SUV nature, while the MPV 5008 minivan is an excellent choice for large families, but, the 208, with its new dynamic shape, presented last year, is also a popular urban model. The Peugeot 301, also introduced last year, attracted individual customers with its favorable value-for-money ratio. A spacious interior and luggage space makes it a great family car at an affordable price. The Managing Director stresses that “despite the recession, Peugeot has managed to improve its market share by 1% in Hungary this year, occupying 10th place with 4.7% market share. Approximately 75% of sales are realized in corporate acquisitions.” As for 2013, Peugeot sold 1,234 cars and light
commercial vehicles in Hungary in the first five months.
ELECTRIC AND HYBRID In 2012, the Peugeot brand became a market leader in Europe in terms of eliminating CO2 emissions. The average emissions of Peugeot models last year was 121.6 grams, compared with 128.6 grams of a year earlier, far exceeding the output value of 130, the goal undertaken for 2015. kThe brand's environmental policy is manifested in the continuous refinement of internal combustion engines (efficiency improvement, reduction in size, stop & start e-HDi), and in introducing a new generation of engines, such as the 1.0 and 1.2-liter three-cylinder petrol engines. “A major step towards the consumption of two liters / 100 kms is the Hybrid Air technology, with which Peugeot reaffirms its pioneering role,” the MD points out. The HYbrid4 diesel hybrid technology also speaks highly of Peugeot's commitment to protect the environment. The HYbrid4 drive first introduced internationally in the 3008 HYbrid4 model, and further popularized in the 508 RXH and 508 HYbrid4 types, combines environment-friendly operation with highly enjoyable driving. More than 20,000 vehicles of the three HYbrid4 models have been sold already. <
peugeot.hu
New Peugeot 508 RXH HYbrid4 technology Quality Time on every road.
Consumption combined: 4,1 l/100 km, CO2 emissions: 107 g/km.
photo by
Péter Hilbert
NEW PEUGEOT 508 RXH
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International Approach with a French Twist GUSTAVE EIFFEL LYCÉE FRANÇAIS OFFERS STUDENTS A PASSPORT TO THE WORLD BY RÉKA A. FRANCISCK
from Lake Balaton to Szeged, on a regular basis. The school is also involved in the Comenius exchange project, through which it sends students on study trips to Berlin, Brussels and Strasbourg. “To find out how it feels to be a European, they visit the parliaments, meet MPs and listen to lectures.”
Exceptional results
Perfect balance
Lycée Français de Budapest offers baccalaureat Francais and also primary school and kindergarten, for children of all ages from two-and-a-half to 18 years. “We respect and follow the French school system, officially approved by the French Ministry for Education, and include strong and deep curricula required for some of the high-level French certifications,” the director remarks, adding that although, instruction is carried out in French, the school employs Hungarian native speakers who teach Hungarian
According to the Headmaster, Lycée Français de Budapest is connected to an International French School network (AEFE), which includes 430 schools in more than 130 countries with 310,000 students, of whom 195,000 are not French. As for the campus facilities, the Headmaster notes that it has been built to enhance and improve education by incorporating the latest innovative and forward-thinking practices. “Our 10-year-old building is bright and open to nature, providing the relevant energy for daily
studies,” he says. “There are specially designed premises for the little ones (from age 2.5 years to five years) and other rooms designed to host students from different ages with specific needs and approaches according to the various curricular activities. Two libraries, computer lab, language lab, theater room, 4 special scientific labs and a technology classroom, music and art room, full-size gymnasium, outdoor athletic facilities and playgrounds await children. The Forum, the center of the main building is where everyone can meet or relax.” Students are engaged in a number of extra-curricular activities, such as drama in English, dance, singing, visual arts, chess championships, recycling workshops and photography, to name a few. “In addition, some projects involve the whole school, for instance, this year, there was a week when Philippe del Mestre, the chef of Budapest’s French restaurant ‘Pavillon de Paris’ cooked at the school’s canteen, to everyone’s great delight. We also organize charity events, a Carnival in April and a French Drama Festival in March, in addition to the regular Xmas and Halloween parties and the prom,” the Headmaster continues, adding the annual summer camp to the list. “This initiation was originally born on a whim. This year’s edition, to start on July 4, is the third in a row, and now, we can see a growing demand. Designed to serve as an introduction to our school, this one-week day camp is in fact an extended open-day, and in addition to our own students, welcomes warmly those children who aren’t yet enrolled to our school.” <
photo by
Dávid Harangozó
LOCATED IN BUDAPEST’S DISTRICT 2, ONE OF THE GREENEST AND QUIETEST DISTRICTS IN THE HUNGARIAN CAPITAL, the French School of Budapest recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the 7,000 square meter campus, more than 600 students of 33 nationalities live and study together in harmony, making the school a truly international hub. “Cultural diversity is an asset, and I believe, an appropriate form of modern education. Our school is able to prep students to think and act as true metropolitans, anywhere their life leads them in the world,” Headmaster M. Régis Haudecoeur says. “Also, considering that 50% of our pupils are Hungarian, I can state that we are not an isolated island here in Budapest. On the contrary, we’d like to think of ourselves as a gateway that opens the world to Hungarian parents and students, and at the same time, promotes Hungary and the language to foreign parents, often diplomats and expats, and their kids. Learning Hungarian has come into fashion these days,” he notes, adding, “I’m not an exception myself, although, I could do better.” Haudecoeur’s career has led him to some of the most interesting parts of the world, from France to Venezuela and Mauritius. He arrived to Budapest three years ago, and ever since, thinks of the Hungarian capital as one of the most beautiful places he has ever seen. He enjoys touring the country and encourages students to do so, by organizing school trips to the countryside
literature, Hungarian civilization and Hungarian grammar courses, for the Hungarian curriculum. “We not only offer a great number of certifications connected to the French school system (equivalents of the British GCSEs and ‘A’ levels), we also offer preparation courses for international linguistic certifications such as TOEFL (English), DELE (Spanish) and ZERTIFIKAT Deutsch (German). As for the examination results, the Headmaster notes that “in the past five years, students have completed high-school graduation with laudable success. Thanks to the French CGSC, the best foundation to move on to life as an international college student, and the selfconfidence they have in speaking both English and French, all of our graduate students were accepted last year at universities. Even the Sorbonne receives our graduates, but they can also integrate with the best universities throughout Europe, Canada or the USA.”
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Global Specialist with Hungarian Expertise LEGRAND OPENS ‘SMART HOME’ SHOWROOM IN BUDAPEST LEGRAND, WORLD LEADER IN THE MANUFACTURING OF PRODUCTS and systems for electrical installations and information networks in terms of sales, has been present in Hungary for over two decades since it acquired – in 1992, through a privatization deal – the Hungarian Kontakta company which had been operating in Szentes, SE Hungary since 1961, with its predecessor established in 1919 in Budapest. Nowadays, Legrand, which is considered a global specialist in building electrical and informatical infrastructure, has production facilities in 70 countries, employing over 35,000 people, and distributes its products in over 180 countries. The CEO of Legrand Hungary, László Károlyi outlined the development of the company to Diplomacy and Trade by saying that at the time of the privatization, the annual production of accessories by one employee was 9,000, which grew to 55,000 by 2013. This is due, in part, to an investment of HUF 12.4 billion (EUR 47 million) by Legrand over the past two decades, as well as to the Hungarian expertise at the Szentes plant, which includes a research and development department dedicated to
sustainable development through innovation. Legrand manufactures nearly 200,000 different types of products worldwide, of which it sells 30,000 in Hungary. The product range includes – besides switches and sockets – building automatization (e.g., smart solutions) and energy distribution systems, and even the installation of informatical structured networks. Legrand’s latest ‘smart home’ technology is presented in a showroom that opened in May 2013 at the company’s Budapest office. It puts energy efficiency in focus in different daily situations families normally live with in their homes. It is possible to program the coordinated ‘behavior’ of different domestic appliances from the TV set to the shades according to ones
needs. The showroom also serves educational purposes. The aim of Legrand is to involve state-ofthe art technology in the creation of products that are easy to install and use – accessories that guarantee effective, timesaving work. The high-tech products all reflect the current trends in design, as well. They do not only serve the purpose of energy efficient operation and convenience in one’s home, but also provide complete solutions for electrical equipment in offices, workplaces, industrial facilities and even in hospitals, the CEO says. Since 2007, Legrand Hungary has been among the country’s top 500 companies, with a turnover of HUF 20 billion (EUR 68 million) in 2012. In terms of profit growth between 2008 and 2011, Legrand Hungary is ranked 83rd in the country. Legrand’s social responsibility activities are geared primarily to the local community in Szentes and to the environment. The management promotes healthy lifestyle through campaigns like supporting mass bicycle rides around town on car-free days. Through a joint foundation with the Hungarian Red Cross, Legrand acknowledges and rewards its employees
who donate blood. Cultural and sports activities have also been supported. The company provided accessories for the reconstruction of 50 houses and the mayor’s office in Szendrô, a northeastern Hungarian town, during a flood that ravaged the town. Such help is part of the company’s global ‘electricity for all’ program. László Károlyi not only successfully manages Legrand Hungary but has also debuted as a business writer. ‘Business Seasons – Business Solutions’ is about business environments changing like seasons. They periodically return and one must not be surprised by them but get used to these changing conditions. “Solutions can be found with creativity” – this is shown in the book through short ‘easy-to-read’ but illuminating real-life stories. <
THE UPCOMING ISSUES OF DIPLOMACY & TRADE WILL FEATURE INDIA, RUSSIA, KOREA AND GREAT BRITAIN.
FOR MORE INFORMATION EMAIL AT
publisher@dteurope.com
photos by
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FAMOUS FRENCH CHEF JOSEPH VIOLA VISITS HUNGARY BY ANNAMÁRIA RIEDL
A CELEBRATED CHEF OF LYON, FRANCE, JOSEPH VIOLA LEARNED THE NUTS AND BOLTS of his trade from renowned chefs Remy Les Vallées and his wife. In 2004, he earned the title Meilleur Ouvrier de France or MoF (master of trade). In the same year, in Lyon, he opened two restaurants of the same name: Daniel et Denise and they have won two Bib Gourmand (that is, Michelin) ratings. The cooking of both restaurants is highly appreciated by noted members of the restaurant trade. The components of their success are a dedicated staff, top-quality raw materials used in the kitchens, the unmistakably intimate ambience of family-run restaurants and, most importantly, the patrons themselves. Their gaiety and lively conversations leave no doubt that you are in a genuine bouchon (family-run restaurant). Ci rcumstances were thus set for Joseph Viola to win the World Pâté en Croûte Championship in 2010, which vaulted him to the top echelon of French chefs. Pâté en Croûte means meat pie, a dish so much a staple of the French cuisine as gulyás (beef and vegetable soup) or lecsó (ratatouille) of Hungarian cooking. The King of Pâté en Croûte arrived in Hungary in late May this year. On the evening of May 29, he displayed his skills for eminent representatives of Hungarian gastronomy at the Chivas Luxury Club. Not only did he demonstrate how to prepare Poulet au vinaigre (chicken in vinegar), he shared some experience on how to organize a bouchon that can become the gastronomical epicenter of a village or town. After all, a family-run restaurant is more than an ordinary eatery: it is a real experience. After tasting each portion of Poulet au vinaigre, he said he had the impression that the members of his Hungarian audience were well disposed to create an excellent blend of taste and atmosphere. Evident is the question: what makes a star chef? It is treating the raw materials of cooking with passion, admiration and professional humbleness. While the hand-picked guests of the Chivas Luxury Club were having their French dish, Joseph Viola told them about his creed. He had already made thousands of meat pies but whenever each Pâté en Croûte is finished, he looks at that gem of French cuisine as it were with awe and happiness. Nothing makes him happier than when he can offer for his guests an impeccable specimen of his favorite course. Next, a broader audience got an insight into the complex but wondrous world of meat pies on the gastro stage of the Gourmet Festival. While the dishes were in the making, Chef Joseph Viola shared first-hand experiences with French cuisine. <
An exhibition opened in the Hungarian National Gallery on June 27, presenting paintings and drawings by French and Hungarian impressionists and post-impressionists, including Claude Monet, Paul Gauguin, Pál Szinyei-Merse and József Rippl-Rónai. The exhibition highlights the points of contact with the period's central and eastern European art in a broad context. The exhibition, on display until October 13, includes close to fifty French and seventy Hungarian paintings from the collections of the Israel Museum of Jerusalem, the Hungarian National Gallery and the Museum of Fine Arts of Hungary. <
BES BEST EoofSST T f tthe th he T TIME IIM M ME
LUXURY LUXUR RY WATCH WATCH AND JEWELLERY JEWE EWE LL ER RY
photos by
11052 052 B Budapest, udapest, P Párizsi árizsi uu.. 33.. T Tel.: el.: + +36 36 1 3318 18 22156 156 www.barakadiamond.hu www .barakadiamond.hu ond.hu
Courtesy picture, Zoltán Máthé/MTI
The King of Pâté en Croûte
Impressionist Exhibition Opens in National Gallery
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The French Art of Living A BRAND THAT VALUES THE PAST, BUT IS ALSO FORWARD LOOKING A MANUFACTURER OF FINE SILVER FLATWARE AND HOME ACCESSORIES, the house of Christofle possesses an exceptional heritage that retraces a rich history spanning nearly two centuries. Since its foundation in 1830, prestigious commissions from royalty and heads of state, including King Louis-Philippe and Napoleon III, the royal households of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, Tsars of Russia and the supply of silver for grand hotels and airlines bear witness to the house’s success and reputation. “Christofle had also equipped the wagons of the famous Orient Express, and the most elegant ocean cruiser of the time, the Normandie. Today, the brand is a proud and official supplier of the Palais de l’Elysée in Paris,” says Mónika Feder-Argay, owner of Pavillon Christofle Budapest. “Today, this brand is still a symbol of luxury and elegance,” she adds. It never fails to impress whether gracing the tables of emperors, or in your home.”
> Christofle remains under the guidance and ownership of the founding family, now represented by Maurizio Borletti. In addition to the manufacturing facilities in Yainville, Normandy-France, Christofle operates its own retail distribution network, featuring more than 800 points of sale around the world, including 70 Pavillon Christofle retail stores. The company’s global turnover was around
The French company has been present in Hungary for almost ten years. “Our store at Lázár utca 14 targets receptive people who appreciate a noble interieur and fine tableware. Most of our clients are private people, but we do sell to restaurants and hotels. For example, Budapest’s Michelin star awarded restaurants ONYX and Costes, are among our clients – it is a great pride to be present in fine restaurants. From our wide range of products, it is the flatware, holloware and gift items (photo frames and christening gifts) that we sell the most.”
A luxury pioneer According to Feder-Argay, Christofle has always been at the forefront of the decorative arts, constantly perfecting new techniques and renewing its creative sensibility. The House continually reinterprets its iconic collections to restore life to its heritage. “On the other hand, it has always been very important for the company to reflect the era in which we are living, thus, there is constant cooperation with the most renowned designers, who are in the best position to feel the vibration and artistic direction of an epoch. In the past, the firm has worked together with Christian Lacroix and Christian Dior while today’s contemporary designers include Andree Putman, Martin Szekely, Richard Hutten, Karim Rashid and, most recently Ora-Ito, who has designed furniture pieces for Christofle. The collection named ‘Arborescence’ includes a coffee table, a console and a side table,” Feder-Argay says, adding, “Since the world has become one global market, it is inevitable that Christofle engage in actively bringing the novelties to the customers. Several events, great shows are organized to introduce the new items. The brand also represents itself at all major events in the field of design, such as at the Designer's Days, organized every June in Paris, and the Salone de mobile in Milan. <
EUR 80 million in 2012.
Dávid Harangozó
www.christofle.com
photos by
BUDAPEST : PÁRIZSI U.3. +36 1 318 2156 | www.boucheron.com
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Birthday of Queen Elizabeth II > B R I T I S H A M B A S S A D O R Jonathan Knott (pictured top right) welcomed guests to his residence to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday. The special guest was the Hungarian group ‘Attraction’ (pictured left) who won this year’s ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ show.
New Ambassadors > P R E S E N T I N G C R E D E N T I A L S to Hungarian President János Áder were (pictured clockwise from top left) Ousman Badjie (Gambia), Ricardo Vallarino Pérez (Panama), Mohammad Reza Morshedzadeh (Iran) and Deborah Geels (New-Zeeland).
The Day of the Italian Republic > I T A L I A N A M B A S S A D O R Maria Assunta Accili Sabbatini held a reception at the Italian Institute in Budapest to celebrate her country’s national day. She also presented awards for outstanding achievement in strengthening bilateral relations.
Egyptian National Day Slovene National Day Russia Day > THE RUSSIAN A M B A S S A D O R , Alexander Tolkach welcomed guests to his Embassy to celebrate June 12, the day of accepting the declaration on the state sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The hundreds of guests, including diplomats, members of the Russiancommunity in Hungary and others, enjoyed traditional Russian hospitality.
Kempinski Reception > T H E K E M P I N S K I H O T E L C O R V I N U S B U D A P E S T invited ambassadors accredited to Budapest to visit the newly restored lobby area and restaurant.
Philippines National Day > T H E A M B A S S A D O R of the Philippines to Hungary, Eleanor Lumbes Jaucian held a reception in the MOM Park cultural center in Budapest to celebrate the 115th anniversary of her country’s independence. The guest speaker of the event was Szabolcs Takács of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry.
Indonesian Days at the Millenáris > T H E E M B A S S Y O F I N D O N E S I A , and the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center jointly organized the ‘Indonesian Day Charity Bazaar’ with the aim of raising funds for a children’s foundation in Békés County, southeast Hungary.
Spouses in Pécs > T H E S P O U S E S of ambassadors accredited to Budapest enjoyed a trip to the southern city of Pécs where they visited the Zsolnay Quarters.
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Croatian EU Accession Celebration > T H E P A L A C E O F A R T S in Budapest hosted the Croatian Embassy’s celebration of the country’s National Day and accession to the European Union.
Lázár Todoroff, Péter Lendvai and Tibor Illyés/MTI, Dávid Harangozó
> T H E M U S E U M O F M I L I T A R Y H I S T O R Y was the venue for the celebration of Slovenia’s statehood. In her speech, Ambassador Darja Bavdaz Kuret looked back at the strengthening of bilateral relations in the past four years of her term here.
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> EGYPTIAN AMBASSADOR Ashraf Mohsen invited guests to the Ram Colosseum theater in Budapest to celebrate the occasion of the ‘23rd of July Revolution’ and enjoy a concert given by the Egyptian Sinfonietta, conducted by Maestro Ahmed El Saedi.
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WITTY
LE A K S
IN OUR SERIES, DIPLOMATS GIVE THEIR PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE EXPERIENCES OF THEIR “EXCURSIONS” TO HUNGARIAN CULTURE, ART, GASTRONOMY AND LANDSCAPE.
Italy Special at ‘Danube’s Woodstock’ PROMOTION OF CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN CULTURE AT THE ‘SZIGET’ BY ITALIAN AMBASSADOR MARIA ASSUNTA ACCILI SABBATINI
> THE EMBASSY OF ITALY IS PLEASED TO SPONSOR THE FORTHCOMING EDITION OF THE SZIGET FESTIVAL AS PART OF THE Year of the Italian Culture in Hungary. ‘Woodstock on the Danube’ is indeed one of the biggest multicultural events in Europe and it offers a unique opportunity to reach out to youth with the message of friendship and solidarity that is at the heart of our special program for Hungary in 2013. The festival provides an exciting occasion for a widely international community to meet and enjoy excellent programs with music that ranges from pop/rock and electronic, to metal, folk, jazz, blues, alternative and even classical. We are of the opinion that the promotion of contemporary Italian culture would not be complete if we ignored this kind of music, especially because it is so dear to the young generations. We expect a high level of Italian participation mostly organized with the strategic and financial help of ‘Puglia Sounds’, a special
program of the Apulia Region that supports the music industry. L’Alternativa, the traditional exclusive promoter of the festival in Italy, will manage a multifunctional space, the ‘Area Alternativa’ that includes an upgraded campsite, a stage called ‘Mambo Stage’, and the ‘Mambo Italiano Restaurant’.
This restaurant is a customary feature of the Italian presence and a highly appreciated food corner on the island during the festival. With its genuine cuisine, it was rated the ‘Best Festival Restaurant in Europe’ in 2011 by Rolling Stone magazine. The ‘Mambo Stage’ will host performances by
the best musicians from Apulia, as well as by a number of interesting emerging bands and by well established artists from all over Italy. The up-and-coming groups are selected by the ‘Sziget Sound Fest’, a talent scout contest that L’Alternativa has held for 10 years now, that each year offers an opportunity for young musicians to gain the stage. This year, the Italian participation will also include the ‘Puglia Village’: a showcase of the cultural and culinary traditions of the region, with workshops on cooking, musical instruments and old fashioned folk dances such as the ‘pizzica’ and the ‘taranta’. The line-up of the Festival includes the following Italian artists: Afterhours, Linea 77, Mascarimirì, Figli di madreignota, Mellow Mood, Lnripley, Punkreas, iori's eyes, Crifiu, Dellera, Rezophonic, Kalascima, GliSportivi, UNA, Underdog, Mardi Gras, Rekkiabilly, Red Rum Alone, MunicipaleBalcanica, The Big Ska Swindle Band, Link Quartet, The Hacienda, Dj Henry, Lord CumianaDj, ScannaWigandj, Mr. Bogodj, Goffrydj e TobiaLamare& the Sellers, Bunda Move. We expect many visitors from Italy and we hope to receive many Hungarian guests among the multinational gathering. <
Roma Law Enforcement Project in Hungary
photos by
Károly Árvai/kormany.hu, Dávid Harangozó
INITIATIVE ENJOYS SUPPORT OF EMBASSIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS A LAW ENFORCEMENT FORUM SERIES HAS BEEN LAUNCHED in Hungary aimed at the inclusion of youth living in disadvantaged areas, especially Roma youth, in police work, as well as at the strengthening of trust between police and Roma communities. The program has been endorsed by the American, British and Norwegian embassies in Budapest. The program was presented by Brigadier General József Boda. He said that through recruitment, they wish to increase the number of Roma serving in the police force, which could also increase the trust of the gypsies in law enforcement. In order to achieve that, a six-member team of police officers (most of them Roma themselves) will hold community forums for kids aged 9-14 years as well as grown-ups and talk about career opportunities in the country's 12 disadvantaged counties. The
initiative enjoys the support of local governments. The team is looking for volunteers whose data would be registered in a database of people who may be suitable for law enforcement work. Police Major György Makula, the President of the Fraternal Association of European Roma Law Enforcement Officers (FAERLEO), which is to play an active role in the implementation of these community forums, added that they wou ld also wish to include in the database youngsters who would be suitable for other public service duties. The
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first such forum will be held in a village in north-eastern Hungary with the participation of the British Ambassador. Major Makula, himself a member of the six-strong team, also called for the establishment of grants to encourage the participation of Roma youth in the program. On behalf of the host, the British Embassy, Deputy Head of Mission Theresa Bubbear said that in Britain, diversity within the police has long been encouraged; the employment of those belonging to minorities is supported. United States Ambassador Eleni Tsakopoulos
Kounalakis stressed that her country is committed to promoting the social integration of the Roma, not only in Hungary but also in other European countries. The American government cooperates with a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations to promote social tolerance and combat prejudices. Norway's ambassador in Budapest, Tove Skarstein, pointed out that confidence in the police force is important from the point of view of the majority and of the minorities, as well. He stressed the importance of the participation of the Roma themselves in all the effort being made for their social inclusion. She said that in the coming years, there will be opportunities to apply for programs from the European Economic Area and Norwegian Grants worth a total of HUF 40 billion (appr. EUR 135 million) earmarked to help the most vulnerable people. <
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israel israel.
Sharing Experiences with the World ISRAELI COMPANIES CONTRIBUTE TO BUSINESS LIFE IN HUNGARY IN THE CURRENT ISSUE, THREE COMPANIES INTRODUCE THEMSELVES: Makhteshim Agan is an Israeli company with over 60 years of professional experience, and is now, the world leader in the post-patent pesticide market. The company's extensive product portfolio - which covers land, vine, fruit as well as ‘house and garden’ products -is sold in more than 100 countries. The company established its Hungarian subsidiary, Makhteshim Agan Hungary Ltd., in 2005. Whitefield is an international real estate development company, whose predecessor began operations in Hungary in 2002. Whitefield Management Ltd. represents Profimex, the largest Israeli private equity fund and several private equity investors in Hungary and the CEE region. Casiopea Group was founded in 2001 and has been active in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market ever since. It has an impressive list of completed projects, developments, divided into three groups: commercial, residential and mixed.
photo by
Dávid Harangozó
CONTINUING ON THE THEME OF THE PREVIOUS MONTH, Diplomacy & Trade presents in this issue some more companies that form part of the Israeli business community in Hungary. They come from a country characterized with the expression ‘start-up nation’, which is used in connection with the rapidly growing technological sector that boasts 3,500-4,000 start-up companies. As the Israeli Ambassador, Ilan Mor says, these companies are not only profitable but also contribute to the development of the world in order to make it a better place. “In Israel, necessity has become a driving force – we don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. We think out of the box. Since we are lacking natural resources, we have to rely on the only resource that we have, which is the human being. Human resources – like in Hungary – have great potential.” He says “bilateral economic relations are good but are never good enough! The sky is the limit.” In 2012, bilateral trade volume reached USD 600 million, which is good, but not good enough. That is why he pushed for the reconvening of the IsraelHungary joint economic committee this May in Jerusalem with a high-ranking delegation from Budapest attending and signing a protocol on how economic relations can be further enhanced, be it high-tech, agriculture, water management or other issues that the two countries have excellent experience and where joining forces can create further achievements, a ‘win-win’ situation. “We hope that we can share our experiences with other nations of the world. You can find Israeli water management experts in Africa, South America or the Far East – these are also regions where Hungarians and Israelis can work together to the benefit of a third party that is less developed in these fields,” he points out.
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Israeli Crop Protection for Hungarian Farmers CEO SAYS DOING BUSINESS IN HUNGARY PROVED EXCELLENT DECISION MAKHTESHIM AGAN IS AN ISRAELI COMPANY WITH OVER 60 YEARS OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, and is now, the world leader in the post-patent pesticide market. The company's extensive product portfolio – which covers land, vine, fruit as well as ‘house and garden’ products – is sold in more than 100 countries. The company established its Hungarian subsidiary, Makhteshim Agan Hungary Ltd., in 2005 with the aim of broadening the product line and widening cooperation with other manufacturers in the domestic market. As Ronen Golan, the firm’s Country Manager and CEO explains to Diplomacy & Trade, the move involved the purchasing of the company that acted as a Hungarian distributor of their products. “We are here to stay for long term and our decision to come here in 2005 has proven to be an excellent one!” Since Makhteshim Agan is involved in agriculture, Golan says “Hungary – with its great agricultural traditions and assets – is an important market for us, the first country where we established a foothold in East Central Europe.” Now, they also have a subsidiary in Serbia, the Ukraine and in the Czech Republic. “Having sophisticated agronomists, the Hungarian market requires very high quality products. It is good to work with them but it is also a challenge because Hungarian law requires that only qualified professionals can recommend cropprotection products to farmers. We are happy to fulfill these demands,” he adds. Makhteshim Agan Hungary Ltd. has 24 employees. Nine of them are agronomists
working out in the fields. “Ours is a much regulated business as it involves both food and environment. We are among the four biggest companies in our field in Hungary. We are satisfied with our activity here but there is always room to grow the business. We are a producer that imports products to Hungary where we sell to dozens of distributors all over the country. We know well the different crops of Hungary, especially the ‘big four’ crops (corn, cereals,
rapeseed and sunflower),” Golan points out. The vast majority of the company’s products sold in Hungary are manufactured in Israel but “we also produce in Poland and in Spain. This year, our parent company started a pilot project in Hungary to use a local company to package our products here for distribution all over the continent. Our products must be – and are – in line with very strict EU regulations.”Ronen Golan is of the view that “nowadays, agriculture cannot exist and
supply food in proper quantities without crop protection. There would be product loss of 40-60% if agro-chemicals were not used, which means we cannot feed the Earth’s population without crop protection. On the other hand, any usage of chemicals is changing the environment and if we do it wrong, it is going to do harm to the environment. In the past decades, we have a learned a lot in this respect to protect the natural and human environment. Basically, today, we don’t have any food whose production chain has never been in contact with a crop protection product – not even the ‘organic’ ones. Farming is changing nature but we have strict rules of how to use each of these products (e.g. close to water) to minimize this harm.” Ronen Golan has been in Hungary for three years, accompanied by his wife and two children. “Budapest is a beautiful city to live in. We enjoy being here, public transport is great, although, our Hungarian staff does not agree with me on that.” Regarding the company’s future, he says “we are still growing and we’re planning to grow more. We feel we have a strong market and have not been affected by the world economic crisis as much as other fields. Globally, people in the developing world eat more and more as they have not yet reached the level we are used to in the Western world in quantity and quality of calories. Thus, the worldwide demand is growing and thus, farmers are willing to invest more. We feel that our customers have not reached their full potential, yet. They are growing and we are growing with them.” <
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An Optimistic Real Estate Developer LIVING ON ‘YIELDING PILLARS’ AND EXPECTING BETTER TIMES WHITEFIELD IS AN INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, whose predecessor began operations in Hungary in 2002. “It was my partner, Modi [Gross] who established the company as a family business, I myself joined this firm in 2007 and it was also then that the name was changed to Whitefield,” Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Asaf Samet recalls to Diplomacy & Trade. Currently, Gross and Samet are the owners of Whitefield Management Ltd. that represents Profimex, the largest Israeli private equity fund and several private equity investors in Hungary and the CEE region. The required equity to finance the projects is invested jointly by Profimex and Whitefield. It is Whitefield that carries out the responsibility and management tasks of these projects. The company established a constant market presence in the area of newly built real estate, in cooperation with the sophisticated and lead performers of the local market. “Our company has achieved a lot of successful investments, such as in the residential development Futó Ház and the Mátyás Udvar residential developments in the 8th district and logistic facilities in the
Törökbálint industrial park, Kerepesi Street in the 10th district as well as investments in the 18th, 20th and 23rd districts for future residential development,” Asaf Samet points out. Services and conceptions being offered by Whitefield reflect the company’s innovative approach. “Our professional skills and work extend beyond the planning or the implementing of the projects.
Finance, organization, implementation, sales and marketing and also management activities make up our portfolio. We are committed to serve our customers’ demands with continuous position reports and technical expertise. The company’s aim is to operate as a professional real estate developer that is able to offer full service in real estate development, but also able to offer reliability, transparency and professional execution to the customers,” he adds. Asaf Samet, who has an MBA in Business Management, came to Hungary in 2001 when KPMG, the large multinational professional services firm, looked for Israeli accountants for their Israeli clients (mainly real estate developers) here. That is where he saw the business opportunities in real estate. In addition, “working in auditing can become quite boring after a while,” he mentions another ‘motivation’. Up until the world economic crisis struck, the company was doing well. “We already had three residential projects planned in the 13th District, even with a few flats pre-sold. We were really optimistic – until the end of 2008…” Luckily for Whitefield, they did not only invest in residential development but they also had ‘yielding pillars’ in their
business: their properties generate income as they are used by tenants like the furniture store IKEA and the Aldi discount store chain and a parking facility in the 13th district. Following the success of Whitefield’s activity, its financial investors appreciate the project achievements and support new investments. Currently, Whitefield focuses on purchasing yielding distress assets mainly in Budapest as well as on maintaining and operating its properties. “We have tenants we take care of, we also have a lot renovation works going on in our residential projects where we have some flats to finish and sell,” Samet says. Over these years in Hungary, he has learned enough Hungarian to communicate with the company staff and he is still taking lessons to improve his Hungarian. He has travelled in Hungary extensively with Hévíz and other spa towns being his favorite places. He believes that “within 2-3 years, the real estate market is going to get moving,” and adds that “every crisis also brings opportunities – in this case, cheaper properties. Now, we are trying to focus on this opportunity to buy properties at low prices with a view to better years. And the better years will come – it is only the question of time!” <
Casiopea, the Queen of Architectural Design
> AERIAL PLAZA VIEW: Aréna Plaza was constructed in an area that was a horserace course before. Casiopea’s project pays respect to the past.
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in Eastern Europe (mainly Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic) where there was a lack of commercial centers at that time. “We brought the expertise, the knowledge to the region,” she adds. Ms. Argaman became acquainted with the CEE region in 1996, traveling the area extensively before establishing the company’s headquarters in Hungary, a country of central location and good infrastructure. “I love Budapest, it is one of the greatest cities in the world” she says, “it is convenient, not too huge and not too small, of the right proportions and of constant development.” Casiopea Group has an impressive list of completed projects – developments, which are divided into three groups: commercial, residential and mixed projects. Among the commercial centers, Yael Argaman is very proud of Aréna Plaza in the Hungarian capital. “It was a horserace course before and we studied the history of the place to be able to come up with a commercial center solution worthy of the spirit of the place, one that pays respect to its past. Until recently, it was – with its appr. 200,000 sqm ground space – the big gest shopping center of the region but that does not really show, there’s a sense of human scale, giving visitors a comfortable
feeling,” she explains. Her other favorite project in this category is the Atrium Center in Arad, Romania, close to the Hungarian border. “For that, we got the prize ‘Best Shopping Center Design’ and also the title ‘Best Shopping Center in Romania’. We’ve managed to create space t hat people can enjoy,” Ms. Argaman points out. As for the residential projects, she especially likes the Menthapark Residential Park in the 8th District of Budapest. It is very close to the medical university with small apartments in this modest but modern building that students can afford. The Mandarin Garden project of 450 apartments has been built close to train
tracks in the 11th District “but we managed to find a solution to the acoustic challenge with stylish design. Both projects turned out to be a success as all the apartments were sold in a short time,” she adds. No doubt, the most ‘interesting’ project in the mixed category is ‘Dream Island’ – “a very sensitive project,” she says with an ambiguous smile. It is a complex of entertainment, leisure, recreational, educational and resort functions planned on Óbuda Island in the 3rd District, with its story dragging on since 2004. The current government objects to the casino in the plans, which means yet another change in the long history of the project. What makes Casiopea unique is that all project designs at are driven by three equally important principles Yael Argaman demands from the 12 employees and the contractors: (1) aesthetic and nice, (2) functional and (3) cost-efficient, therefore economical. While the crisis hit Casiopea, as well, there are quite a few ongoing projects – like the re-design of Új Udvar in Óbuda, a boutique hotel downtown, a luxury residential building in the 1st District, numerous renovations, interior and furniture design – that will keep Casiopea staff busy in the coming years. <
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m | D I P L O M A C Y & T R A D E | 2013 JULY - AUGUST
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CASIOPEA GROUP WAS FOUNDED IN 2001 AND HAS BEEN ACTIVE in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) market ever since. It is owned by Israeli architects Yael Argaman, managing partner since 2006, and Michael Israeli. “We had a successful architectural design office in Israel working mainly on public facilities as well as commercial centers for the private sector,” Yael Argaman, a specialist of commercial centers, tells Diplomacy & Trade. On behalf of investors ‘Plaza Centers’, the company began to look for opportunities
Dávid Harangozó, Courtesy picture
ISRAELI PIONEERS OF SHOPPING MALL DESIGN IN EASTERN EUROPE
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Hungary to Urge Projects of ‘Citizen-Proximity’
V4 and the EU “During the Hungarian Presidency of the European Council the V4 was chaired by Slovakia and it provided us with a great support. The same happened during the Polish EU and the parallel Czech V4 Presidency. It showed how important the EU is in the life of V4 group. It is a very important dimension that there are common
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interests and a common destiny shared by all four countries, which definitely facilitates the enforcing of our common stance in Europe.” Even in hindsight, these developments refute voices from 2004 onwards that since all four Visegrád countries are now members of the European Union, there is no need for their separate cooperation. “There were views – especially from bigger EU member states – that these four countries would not always cooperate for the common European interests but would rather form a community of interests that would go against the common European development. This is something that has spectacularly been contradicted in the recent years. I believe that the meeting of V4 leaders with the German Chancellor and the French President during the Polish V4 Presidency earlier this year is proof that there cannot be any doubt as regards the European commitment of these four countries,” he points out.
to bring the countries of the region of East and East Central Europe closer to European integration. The share of EU member states within the Central European Initiative is about 50% and it is a further advantage of the CEI that it both involves the countries of the West Balkans and some of the Eastern Partnership. Both of these areas are partner regions of the European Union in the spirit of the European neighborhood policy and both
CEI and the V4 The Hungarian V4 presidency overlaps the country’s presidency (throughout 2013) of the Central European Initiative (CEI). The Deputy State Secretary explains that “these are two very different multilateral regional groupings. I have already mentioned the quality of cooperation between the Visegrád countries. The CEI, I would say, is a much looser cooperation. It dates back to around the same time as the Visegrád Group. It is a fundamental aim for both the CEI and the V4
> MINISTERS AT FISHERMAN’S BASTION: Hungarian Foreign Minister János Martonyi (on the right) showing the Budapest panorama to his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski who came to Hungary to hand over the V4 Presidency.
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m | D I P L O M A C Y & T R A D E | 2013 JULY - AUGUST
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AS OF JULY 1ST, HUNGARY TOOK OVER THE ROTATING PRESIDENCY of the Visegrád Four (V4) group for one year. The V4 is comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. As Deputy State Secretary Gergely Prôhle of the Hungarian Foreign Ministry tells Diplomacy & Trade, “the importance of the cooperation of the four Visegrád countries is growing year by year. This Visegrád community has been in existence for over 20 years, and has become a well-known European brand. It is a credit to the Polish V4 Presidency that this image, this brand has been further improved.” He is of the view that the presidencies of this group always provide a special atmosphere, an input that characterizes each particular presidency. “Ultimately, the good thing in the V4 cooperation – just like in the EU presidencies – is that continuity is deeply rooted in the system. You cannot really improvise, most of the priorities are selected on a consensual basis. Obviously, the country holding the given presidency has the possibility to have its own agenda taken into consideration.”
are important areas for the Visegrád cooperation, as well. Our CEI position gave us the possibility even in the first half of this year to have a sort of preparation period for the V4 Presidency with these topics in mind.” Aims of the Hungarian V4 Presidency “We consider the issues of energy security, development of traffic and transport infrastructure and a common stance on foreign policy, including the establishment of joint ‘Visegrád Houses’ and eventually, that of common diplomatic missions to be of high importance. In the economic dimension, we call for deeper cooperation between countries that would also indicate that in the region, small and medium-size enterprises provide the backbone of economic development – in addition to foreign direct investments, of course. Also, there is a security policy dimension. It is not our initiative but I believe that this also has a very citizen-friendly appearance,” Gergely Prôhle says. As for the Visegrád House concept, there is already one operating in Cape Town, South Africa and there is one to be opened in Ho-Chi-Minh City in Vietnam. This concept serves the purpose of rationalizing diplomatic missions of the four countries by better utilizing their resources to serve the citizens in a given country. Last but not least, the importance of the parliamentary dimension is also a priority. “We would like to give it a more human aspect for better social acceptance. It means that we would like to bring the V4 idea to the members of parliament, to the people in their constituencies,” the Deputy State Secretary explains. He acknowledges that “the development of transport infrastructure is an old ‘debt’ of ours. Looking at our foreign trade indicators, you can clearly see that in our trade with Poland, it is a fairly big disadvantage that we have poor transport infrastructure between the two countries. It seems quite absurd in the 21st century that the guy who won the recent V4 bicycle race rode from Budapest to Krakow in nearly in the same time as if he had taken a train…” He believes that good foreign policy projects are the ones whose ‘citizenproximity’ does not need to be explained much. “When serving earlier as ambassador, I was always of the view that a diplomat representing the Visegrád Group Presidency acts in the right way if he/she asks the question: how does this project make people’s lives better? Be it energy, transport or other things about this, still, there is only one common institution of the V4 group, the Visegrád Fund that helps primarily cultural and civilian groups. I would very much like to see more such institutions that can assist in carrying out worthy common projects to improve the quality of life in the countries of the Visegrád Cooperation,” Gergely Prôhle concludes. <
Dávid Harangozó, Balázs Mohai/MTI
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE HUNGARIAN V4 PRESIDENCY
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V4 Countries: Development in the EU V4 SHARE IN POLISH TRADE CLOSE TO THAT OF FRANCE, ITALY COMBINED AFTER MORE THAN 20 YEARS of its effective co-operation, the Visegrád Group has become a recognizable symbol of successful political and economic transformation. It is also perceived as a model solution as far as regional cooperation is concerned. Within the European Communities, the most significant testament to the meaning of V4 is its economic achievements, particularly during the last eight years of membership in the EU and in comparison to the EU15, as well as its short and long term development possibilities. Overall GDP of the V4 countries increased from some USD 511 billion (EUR 387 bn) in 2004 to some USD 900 billion (EUR 683 bn) in 2012 (an increase by 43%, while the GDP of EU15 countries increased by 15% during this time). It means the V4 economies were developing at a visibly faster pace than old EU member countries.
The relatively fast GDP growth of the V4 was accompanied by an increase in its foreign trade level. This, in turn, resulted in wider opening of these economies to the world and their growth in international jobs share. POLISH FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER WITH V4 COUNTRIES (EUR BLN)
Since the EU accession, Poland’s trade with its three partners from V4 was developing at a faster pace than the average growth rate of total turnover. This dynamic economic cooperation between V4 countries has been influenced by the following factors: • a long term tradition of economic cooperation and mutual experiences as far as the economic and structural transformation is concerned, • convergence in economic interests and development strategies which were previously aimed at pre-accession activities and nowadays on further deepening of economic integration within EU, • geographical and cultural proximity, • relative complementarity of economies and trade flows in mutual trade, • real and equal partnership in mutual economic relations, based on mutual economic interests.
The role of the V4 countries in Polish foreign trade turnover is constantly increasing. In 2012 Polish foreign trade turnover with V4 countries was almost as high as with France and Italy together. <
POLISH FOREIGN TRADE TURNOVER WITH V4 COUNTRIES IN COMPARISON WITH ITALY AND FRANCE (EUR BLN)
Tuplex, Regional Power in Plastics FOCUS ON QUALITY AND SERVICE
V4-Japan Summit in Warsaw
photos by
Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI, Courtesy picture
JAPAN AND V4 PLEDGE COOPERATION A SUMMIT MEETING OF THE LEADERS OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY, POLAND, SLOVAKIA (members of the group ‘Visegrád Four’) and Japan in the Polish capital on June 16 concluded with the participants promising ongoing cooperation in several fields including nuclear energy. The meeting, attended by the countries' prime ministers (Petr Necas of the Czech Republic, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, Donald Tusk of Poland, Robert Fico of Slovakia and Shinzo Abe of Japan), commemorated the tenth anniversary of V4-Japan cooperation. In a joint statement, the parties expressed their intention to further strengthen their ties in a range of areas, as well as recognizing the "attractive opportunities" represented by the V4's markets for Japanese companies. The participants formally expressed their "great interest in deepening mutual cooperation" in nuclear energy, environment, energy saving and renewable energy, while Japan reaffirmed its "duty" to contribute to worldwide nuclear safety by sharing knowledge and lessons learned from the 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. <
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m | D I P L O M A C Y & T R A D E | 2013 JULY - AUGUST
“TUPLEX – TO BE A LEADER IN SEMI-FINISHED PLASTICS DISTRIBUTION in East Central Europe.” This is the slogan and motto of the Polish Tuplex Group that has been present on the European market for over 20 years. Tuplex was established as a small family firm in a little town near Warsaw. Year after year, it has – by stable growth – become the biggest distributor of semi-finished plastics in this part of Europe with almost 35 warehouses and branch offices in 8 countries. According to Tuplex management, 60,000 square meters of storage capacity and almost 400 employees (with more than 200 in sales departments) is a guarantee of competence and commitment. The company has the most comprehensive range of products among plastics distributors with the largest number of stock items in portfolio, including the advertising, construction and industry sectors. All of this is confirmed by an ISO 9001:2012 certificate, proving that its focus on quality and service has been proven by independent authorities. For advertising, Tuplex offers media for digital printing: PVC textiles, self-adhesive films, LED displays and lightings, PMMA and PVC foamed; for the constructions segment: XPS and mineral wool, noise barriers, different polycarbonate models; while for industry sectors, it is PVC coated technical textiles, ABS/PMMA and Polypropylene and Polyethylene and many more. Tuplex Hungary is headquartered in Budapest where the Tuplex Group opened an office in 2007. It is now one of most rapidly growing offices within the group. With an exceptional and harmonious team of 8 employees, the Hungarian branch realizes an annual turnover of more than EUR 2 million. The management believes this is clear evidence of a brilliant future for the company and a perfect reason for business partners to collaborate with Tuplex Hungary. <
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"we have created for investors a secure environment from political and institutional aspects, which makes Brazil more attractive." As he explained, the Brazilian boom was made possible by two key factors. One was the introduction of more freedom in society and in the economy "in 1988 we created the legal foundations of the democratic state by granting political freedom, freedom of expression and individual freedom rights." The other factor is social inclusion and combating poverty, he said, enumerating programs that help the poor: housing and education among others. His view was that these two elements have been successfully coordinated in the interest of creating a fair investment environment. The Brazilian Vice President stressed that 40 million Brazilians have been lifted up from
THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL, MICHEL TERMER visited the Hungarian capital this June. In an interview with Diplomacy & Trade and the Hungarian news agency MTI, he pointed out that although Hungary is a small country by Brazilian standards, it is a country of quality. “It is not by chance that Hungary has had 13 Nobel laureates,” he said. Brazil is most interested in the technological developments of Hungary, especially in the fields of agriculture and fisheries where bilateral agreements were signed in recent years by high-ranking officials from Brazil and their Hungarian counterparts. He also spoke about the key elements of Brazil’s success in past decades. Vice President Temer said that an important reason for the significant progress that has taken place in Brazil in recent years is that
The Ambassador Bids Farewell BILATERAL RELATIONS IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PAST YEARS BY SÉRGIO EDUARDO MOREIRA LIMA
I ARRIVED AT A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR HUNGARY, when it was presiding over the Council of the European Union. As I prepared to leave, Hungary was facing a challenge of a different nature, the dramatic flooding of the Danube, and displayed competence and solidarity once again. As a diplomat, I feel proud of what Brazil and Hungary have accomplished. Our links are stronger and we are closer today, visiting each other, cooperating in a number of areas, developing common projects and planning future activities. Both countries converge on international governance and on global challenges. I am also proud of the Brazilians living in Hungary. Vice President Temer was impressed by the enthusiasm of our thriving community, which will double this semester, as 449 Brazilian students come to Hungarian universities. They represent an investment in the future of our bilateral relations, with education and science at the center. The 6th World Science Forum, in November in Rio de Janeiro, is also a reference that results from our Academies of Sciences’ collaboration. Relations between Brazil and Hungary have changed significantly during my ambassadorial term. I am proud of several initiatives. One of these is the exchanges of high level governmental, parliamentarian and business visits, as they contribute to broaden our bilateral and multilateral cooperation; as exhibited by President János Áder leading Hungary’s delegation to the Rio+20 (UN Conference on Sustainable
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>
THE AMBASSADOR’S FAREWELL PARTY: Sérgio Eduardo Moreira Lima enjoyed the company of fellow diplomats and the gifts of a Brazilian painter living in Budapest.
Development), where he announced the Budapest Water Summit. Another important development has been the Hungarian government’s decision to prioritize relations with Latin America. It is essential to mention the implementation of agreements on political consultations and on economic cooperation, with the establishment of the Joint Economic Committee; and the signing of bilateral agreements on education (‘Science Without Borders’ program), which
will make our academic institutions partners and our students colleagues and friends. And one should not forget either about the strengthening of the Brazilian lectorate at ELTE and the partnership with that University. A number of delegations have visited Hungary from Brazil in the past few years, most recently the one led by Vice President Michel Temer. The visit of Vice-President Temer symbolizes Brazil’s interest in our relation-
ship with Hungary. It was indeed the culmination of a series of ministerial visits and an enhancement to our high level political dialogue. It promoted greater mutual understanding, which influences our bilateral agenda. In September, Budapest will hold the 2nd Joint Economic Committee meeting and a business forum. The Minister of Environment Izabella Teixeira has confirmed her participation at the Budapest Water Summit in October. The Vice-President brought a letter from President Rousseff and conveyed an invitation to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to visit Brazil. As I mentioned before, several bilateral agreements have been signed recently. They create the conditions for more academic exchanges, cooperation, trade and investments. Brazil has become a fast growing market for Hungary’s exports. Bilateral trade reached a record in 2012 and this trend was enhanced in the first four months of 2013. We can aim at USD one billion in trade in 2014/15. Agreements have been signed between the Brazilian Development Bank BNDES and Hungary’s Eximbank, as well as between the trade promotion agencies APEX and HITA, FIESP (the Sao Paulo Chamber) and the Budapest Chamber of Commerce; and the Hungarian Rectors Conference and the Brazilian higher education system CAPES. Brazil has become the 7th country of origin of foreign students in Hungary and the prospects are encouraging for greater exchanges in 2014. Finally, let me say that I am so grateful to the Hungarians for their warmth in welcoming my wife Ana Maria and myself. We love Budapest and would like to come to Hungary as often as we can to visit our friends and to continue practicing a language “amibe mindent beleadtam” (that I did my best to learn). And, we hope to see you all in Brazil for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016. <
w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m | D I P L O M A C Y & T R A D E | 2013 JULY - AUGUST
Dávid Harangozó
AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES ARE POSSIBLE FIELDS OF COOPERATION
photos by
Brazilian Vice President in Budapest
poverty to join the middle class. This, along with the reduction of business and labor taxes, as well as helping small and medium-size enterprises get credit, all serve economic growth, he said. As a result, Brazil is no longer a debtor, but a creditor of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the country's foreign exchange reserves now exceed USD 370 billion. A consequence of economic and social success is the international recognitio n of the country, he added. Michel Temer said the Brazilian government hopes that Hungary will support Brazil to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council and support Sao Paulo to be awarded the right to host the World Expo in 2020. He also spoke about the role of the Hungarian community in Brazil, the largest one in Latin America, mentioning that he himself went to a Hungarian-founded secondary school. Over a hundred thousand ethnic Hungarians are actively involved in commerce and industry, culture and education in Brazil. He made special mention of the late Pál Rónai, a translator, who played a huge role in Brazilian university life. <
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Budapest Looks at Africa THE JUNE 2013 AFRICA FORUM IN THE HUNGARIAN CAPITAL > PRESIDING THE FORUM: Balázs Bokor (on the left), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Chairperson of the African Union Commission), János Martonyi (Foreign Minister of Hungary) and Szabolcs Takács (Deputy State Secretary in the Hungarian Foreign Ministry).
BY AMBASSADOR BALÁZS BOKOR
photos by
Dávid Harangozó
CHIEF COORDINATOR OF THE BUDAPEST AFRICA FORUM
MILLIONS ARE GATHERING AROUND THE WORLD this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Organization of African Unity, predecessor of the African Union. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary commemorated this historic date by convening the first Budapest Africa Forum in the capital city of Hungary on June 6-7, 2013. This initiative was also in line with the Hungarian foreign policy strategy of ‘Global Opening’, aimed at reinforcing the ties with those countries that are not included in the Euro-Atlantic region. Africa is the continent of the future. SubSaharan Africa in particular has recorded an economic growth rate in excess of the world average and is one of the most dynamically developing parts of the world with an evergrowing influence in global issues. Because of the region’s huge potential and scope for development, as well as its increased significance in international politics, SubSaharan Africa is among the core regions of Hungary’s Global Opening Strategy. Economic and trade relations between Hungary and the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa have developed remarkably during the past few years. Between 2011 and 2012, trade with the countries of the region grew by more than 17%, reaching EUR 818 million in 2012. In the field of development cooperation, Hungary has contributed EUR 125 million to
the 10th European Development Fund, most of which is used in sub-Saharan Africa, and is engaged in various development projects in the region. Yet, there are still enormous potentials to be exploited. We believe that Hungary and sub-Saharan Africa have a lot more to offer each other in their cooperation. The Budapest Africa Forum had ambitious goals to adapt Hungary’s strategic approach towards Africa to the new realities, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of an advanced partnership and to explore the ways to lay down a solid foundation for Hungary`s cooperation in the political, economic and cultural fields. 2013 is a special year in Hungarian-African relations, as Hungary strives to re-launch this relationship in the spirit of cooperation on the basis of shared values and common interests in the form of a strengthened partnership. The Forum was centered on a plenary political session on June 6, where participants had the opportunity to address political, economic, educational and development issues in four discussion panels. The presence and address of Mme Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission at the Budapest Africa Forum, as well as the participation of a dozen important African political personalities (including the Speaker of the Upper House of the South Sudanese Parliament, the Foreign Minister of Ghana and other ministers from various countries) contributed to the importance of the Forum.
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Chairperson Zuma underlined in her address to the Forum that the African Union welcomes initiatives such as this Forum to explore how Hungary can link up with developments on the African continent. “Hungary and other Central and Eastern European countries have played an important role during anti-colonial struggles and our early years of nation-formation and statebuilding in the development of African human capital, with many of our leaders and professionals graduating from your
> AFRICAN DIPLOMATS IN THE AUDIENCE: The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, Africa-oriented business organizations as well as NGOs.
universities. Over the last two decades or so, the involvement of Hungary and other countries of the region in Africa have been limited. As Africa is defining its future and its partnerships with the world, it is a good time to begin to re-engage and the African Union looks forward to this process. Hungary and other countries have important experiences to share on education and human development, institutional transformation and on agriculture, sciences, industrialization and the development of entrepreneurship,” Mme Zuma stated. The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs János Martonyi underlined that “Africa has irrevocably taken its due place in world politics and it will firmly stay there. This invites the rest of the world, including Hungary, to adjust to this new, welcome reality. As a member of the European Union, we take an active part in shaping the EU’s overall Africa policy – we look forward to the next EU-Africa summit in April 2014 in Brussels.” He expressed his hope that, as a result of the work of the Budapest Africa Forum, ideas, experiences and contributions converge into a new quality of collaboration for the sake of developing Africa, its relations with the international community and with Hungary. The Budapest Africa Forum under the title of “Budapest looks at Africa” was proof in itself of Hungary’s commitment to contribute to the rebirth of Africa. Our pledge is not selective – we do not want merely to benefit from Africa’s ascent but we are also ready to contribute to the solution of the challenges it is facing. The Forum ended successfully and was considered an event of positive outcome. The very first result of the Forum was the decision of the Hungarian Government on June 7 to reopen the Hungarian Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. <
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science science.
CERN Data Center Opens in Budapest HUNGARIAN FACILITY ADDS CAPACITY TO GENEVA DATA CENTER
> CUTTING THE RIBBON: Inaugurating the data center (pictured from left to right): CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer, MTA President József Pálinkás and PM Viktor Orbán.
distributed computing enabled physicists to announce last year the discovery of a new particle, which was later on confirmed as being a Higgs boson. This Budapest extension of CERN’s data center adds up to 2.5 MW capacity to the 3.5 MW IT load of the Geneva data center, which has already reached its capacity limit. The contract with Wigner started in January 2013 and can carry on for
up to seven years. The capacity in Budapest will gradually ramp-up according to CERN’s needs. Operating remotely from CERN, this capacity helps build knowledge, as well as create expertise and solutions with cloud computing to face big data challenges linked to exponential computing needs in all fields of research. The inauguration ceremony was attended – among others – by Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA), József Pálinkás and CERN Director-General Rolf Heuer. The Prime Minister stated in his speech that research and development programs offer a promising future to Hungary. The present and future of Hungarian academic life are also becoming more and more promising, he said, adding that there is a good chance that the education system will be capable of raising young scholars, who will be able to hold their own in the highest level international research programs. He praised Hungary’s researchers such as Ede Teller, Jenô Wigner and János Neumann, adding that even though the country can be proud of their achievements, it is sad that due to the country’s difficult historical circumstances they were unable to realize their careers at home. The Prime Minister highlighted that Hungary won the CERN tender due to the country’s excellent geographical position, stable IT and communications infrastructure and highly qualified workforce. The establishment of this data center is the result of cooperation between the Hungarian Government and the Wigner Research Centre, he added. <
photos by
Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI
CERN, THE EUROPEAN ORGANIZATION FOR NUCLEAR RESEARCH BASED IN GENEVA, Switzerland, inaugurated its data center in Budapest, marking the completion of the facility hosting the extension for CERN computing resources. A press release by CERN points out that about 500 servers, 20,000 computing cores, and 5.5 Petabytes of storage are already operational at the site in the Buda hills. The dedicated and redundant 100 Gbit/s circuits connecting the two sites have been functional since February 2013 and are among the first transnational links at this distance. The new data capacity at the Wigner Research Center will be remotely managed from CERN, substantially extending the capabilities of the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG) and bolstering CERN's infrastructure business continuity. WLCG's mission is to provide global computing resources to store, distribute and analyze more than 25 Petabytes of data annually generated by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva. It is a global system organized in tiers, with the central hub being at CERN. Altogether, the total number of computer centers involved is over 140 in about 40 countries. WLCG serves a global community of 8,000 scientists working on LHC experiments, allowing them to access distributed computing and data storage facilities seamlessly. Every day, WLCG processes more than 1.5 million 'jobs', which is equivalent to a single computer running for more than 600 years. High-performance
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sports sports.
Budapest Tennis Tournament Saved from Flood DESPITE DIFFICULTIES, THE EVENT TAKES PLACE JULY 8-14
> A HEROIC FLOOD PROTECTION JOB: While the dyke withstood the record water level when the Danube peaked more than two meters above street level (upper right picture), employees at the Tennis Academy had to fight the infiltrating water and restore the facility to be able to hold the tournament.
pumps were operated from large, dieseloperated power generators, burning 30-40 liters of gasoline an hour. The reinforced concrete wall of the nearby Holiday Beach Hotel, the official hotel of the competition, was broken by the extreme water pressure and water flooded the hotel at a
height of 2 meters. 40 people had to be evacuated. “When this happened, the disaster prevention authorities only allowed us to continue our protection efforts after we declared this intention in writing. All the people participating in the protection work could remain on the site at their own risk. When the water level peaked, it was over two meters higher than the ground level of the tennis courts in the facility,” he points out. “Along the 4.5-km section of the river bank in our area, the Római Tennis Academy was the
only property that was able to avoid being flooded. This was due to the hard and dedicated work of hundreds of people and the extremely high material costs,” he adds. Eventually, the dyke that Márky and his team built around the facility to withstand the big flood of 2006 managed to cope with the record water level but water filtering through the dykes still covered all but a few tennis courts, including the Center Court surrounded by a 3,000-seat stadium and the auxiliary establishments. The muddy red clay covering the courts had to be scraped off and replaced, technical equipment and electric wiring was replaced and the entire facility was disinfected so that the authorities would grant the operation permit in time for the tournament. However, the costs of flood protection and restoration, exceeding USD 150,000, have made it very difficult for Jenô Márky (whose own house nearby was covered with half a meter high water) to finance the competition under the current economic conditions. Still, the tournament will go ahead – with some compromise. There is no qualification stage and the doubles field is reduced from 16 to 8. All this saves a lot of money and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) will also help the Hungarian organizers with a 5-year maturity loan. Several of the world’s top 30 players (like Carla SuárezNavarro of Spain, Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic or Alize Cornet of France) – and the best Hungarian ones – are expected to be on court at the Római Tennis Academy to make sure the Hungarian audience continues to be treated to high-level tennis. <
photos by
Courtesy of Római Teniszakadémia
“A LOT HAS BEEN AT STAKE AS I HAVE HELD THIS TOURNAMENT FOR 18 YEARS.” That is how Jenô Márky, the owner of the Római Tennis Academy recalls the flood situation of mid-June that threatened the organization of the traditional Budapest Grand Prix international women’s tournament scheduled for early July. His property, the venue of the tournament, is located on the bank of the Danube and it took heroic efforts from Márky and his team to keep the flood out and maintain his chances to hold an event where the players would not even notice that the court they play on had been threatened by a water level of more than two meters above street level just a month before. “We received the news on June 2 that – as a result of huge rainfalls in Germany – extreme flooding was expected in Budapest. A record water level was reported and we were told that the street that connects our establishment with the city would be closed no later than June 6. Thus, we had to bring in – in a short time, preparing for every eventuality – all the things necessary for the protection of our property,” Márky explains to Diplomacy & Trade. Protection works by the authorities took place outside the Római Tennis Academy – “we were left to our own devices inside the property. It meant financing, on our own, the mobilization of machines and manpower to do what seemed impossible, that is, keep the water outside,” he says. On June 7, the utilities were turned off because of the rapid rise in the water level. From then on, the
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culture culture.
Good Deal! GREAT MARKET HALL ON FÔVÁM SQUARE CHOSEN NUMBER 1 On March 20, CNN Travel named Budapest’s Great Market Hall (Vásárcsarnok) as the best European market. Their top 5 list features the Mercat de San Josep de la Boqueira in Barcelona as the runner-up and Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, as the third best. Indeed, the elegant building in Budapest, with its neo-Gothic stone gateways and colorful Zsolnay ceramic tile roof, looks rather like a museum or a railway-station. A GENUINE TRAVELER CAN BE RECOGNIZED BY HIS SEARCH for something unique instead of guidebook must-sees. For example, a market, which in part presents an experience of smells, colors and bustling hodgepodge, and in part represents a country’s kitchen where in one glance, the visitor can learn everything important about a place and its residents. The Great Market Hall, covering 10,000 square m eters under an enormous iron roof structure in Fôvám Square, only a few steps away from Liberty Bridge on the Pest side, is Hungary in miniature. As with so many ‘city halls’ the market’s story begins with the 1000th anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest and the millennium celebrations. Towards the end of the 19th century, it became clear that the capital’s 44 dirty, infectious street markets no longer met the demands of either Budapest as a metropolis or its cosmopolitan residents. The design tender for the Central Market was won by architect Samu Pecz, whose credo was “a nice building must be harmonious and useful.” For reasons of fire-protection, the tender specification strictly stipulated an ironstructure supporting frame. Yet, a fire broke out ten days before the opening, so severe that Pecz had to redesign the building. The cause of the conflagration could not be discovered, even with an investigation that lasted a year. Nevertheless, by the time of the opening, market construction had become a real epidemic. Simultaneously with the central
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hall, a further four modern markets were opened, at a total cost equaling the central one alone. The market of the metropolis demanded metropolitan behavior a nd displays, which traders more used to haphazard conditions didn’t always accept with great enthusiasm. Nándor Ziegler, the first director of the central market, stipulated strict rules not only about the merchandise but also the traders. It was forbidden, for example, to shout, sing, whistle and curse, or forcefully press goods on passers-by. Then came the wars and Ziegler’s wonderful order, like the cou ntry itself, went to pieces. By the 1960s, the Central Market had begun to look like a collection of street stalls – which it actually replaced a century earlier – a real shanty-town appeared under the iron roof and thus it operated up to the start of the ‘90s when the city took a deep breath and restored the market (by then advanced to the position of a protected monument) to its original splendor. It was even floodlit at night as a functional and beautiful public building. Professionals rejoiced over the edifice in its new clothes, the International Real Estate Federation, for instance, awarded it a Prix d’Excellence. Those who surf architectural sites, seem to go there to look around rather than to shop. Musicians frequent it for the sake of Zoltán Kodály’s “I went to market with little money…,” which sounds hourly. A longer version can be heard at opening, noon and closing – though, the attraction of brightly colored, crisp vegetables, fresh meat and spices of a thousand colors is not negligible, either. No wonder the Central Market has hit the front pages of the world’s media, what its politicians, stars and international celebrities being spotted selecting from hotter than spicy-hot peppers
“…Vast and airy, it's been described as a cathedral in iron, with a canal running through its center so that barges could deliver fresh produce to the traders. The canal is no longer there - it's been replaced by wide elegant thoroughfares between the stalls…” (JO FOLEY, CNN)
GOOD TO KNOW Except for Sunday, the Central Market opens at six every morning and that’s when real market connoisseurs arrive. Everything is still dewy, fresh and crisp, although, late comers won’t miss the essence of the market, either.
and shining apples. Several stall holders still offer their tomatoes under a photo taken together with Margaret Thatcher. Earlier, the market was visited by Emperor Francis Joseph, Kaiser William II and even Sigmund Freud – though, no newsreels were made of them. The Central Market is a must-see with all the beauty of local color. And, a piece of advice, never leave the market without a lángos, fried dough, which is the ‘sweet’, albeit savory, favorite secret of Hungarian markets. < (SOURCE: HORIZON)
Where to find it? 9 Fôvám Square, District 9 OPENING HOURS: Mon: 6 AM– 5 PM, Tue-Fri: 6 AM – 8 PM Saturday 6 AM – 2 PM
VÁSÁRCSARNOK FLASHMOB WITH OPERA SINGERS
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what’son what’s on.
ST. STEPHEN'S DAY ON AUGUST 20 AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS > August 20th is the greatest national holiday for Hungarians, celebrated with day-long festivities followed by spectacular fireworks throughout the country. St. Stephen's Day commemorates the foundation of the Hungarian state, as Stephen I, the first king of Hungary was canonized on this very day. Festivities in Budapest usually start at 8.30 AM with the raising of the Hungarian flag in Kossuth Square and continue all day long, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display over the Danube. The main events include the procession of St. Stephen's Holy Right Hand around the Basilica, the Court of St Stephen, a historical playhouse, archery shows, a water parade and an air show along the embankments of the river Danube. St. Stephen's Day also marks the festival of the new bread celebrated in cities and towns across the country, where traditionally, the first bread from the new harvest is baked on this day. The Bread Blessing ceremony will start at 3.30 PM at Clark Adam Square. Cardinal Péter Erdô will bless the craftsmen's bread at 5 PM in the Basilica.
HUNGARIAN STATE FOLK ENSEMBLE: HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY JULY 9 – AUG 15 AT THE HUNGARIAN HERITAGE HOUSE
> As a musical genre, the rhapsody is characterized by its tumultuous rhythms, strong emotion, impassioned surges of thought, and freedom of expression. The Hungarian State Folk Ensemble’s dance performance Hungarian Rhapsody incorporates all the marks of the genre, while both relying on, and taking inspiration from folk music and folk dance tradition to create its own unique dance rhapsody. The performance includes images of the peasant traditions of Hungarians and other national groups of the region in dynamic succession, offering a compelling look into this singular, kaleidoscopic, yet oddly unified thousand-year-old culture as expressed in the acrobatics of the men’s dances, the lyricism of the girls’, and the virtuosity of couples’ dances. Hungarian Rhapsody is a journey through time. The production’s message is that even in the midst of homogenized, superficial ‘global culture’, we, Hungarians still have a culture that is uniquely our own and is vital to our existence. Another key message is that culture itself is one of the principal sources of identity, not merely for Hungarians, but for all nations. www.heritagehouse.hu
NOMAD GENERATION EXHIBITION JUNE 14 - AUGUST 3 AT THE HUNGARIAN APPLIED FOLK ART MUSEUM
AFFINITIES AND TRANSFORMATION THRU TO JULY 21 AT THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM > This is a joint exhibition of KOGART and the Hungarian National Museum, offering an extensive view of 18th and 19th century Hungarian paintings. The paintings, borrowed from private collections, celebrate a rare momentum of cultural history when hidden treasures of private collections leave their homes for a few months before becoming invisible again to the public eye. The nearly 120 paintings on display include outstanding works such as large mythological compositions by Károly Markó the Elder, the father of Hungarian landscape painting. Works of Miklós Barabás, who portrayed almost every important person of 19th-century Hungary, are also on display, as well as historical works by Bertalan Székely, Viktor Madarász, Mihály Munkácsy, Ádám Mányoki, János Donáth, Károly Telepy, László Paál, Géza Mészöly, Gyula Benczúr, Pál Szinyei Merse, László Mednyánszky, Károly Ferenczy, and fifty other notable Hungarian painters. www.mnm.hu
> The Nomad Generation exhibition was created to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Youth’s Folk Art Studio. It aims to present the past four decades to those who are interested in the work of the art studio, presenting the most original objects created by contemporary artists, using old folk techniques.
photos by
Tamás Kovács/MTI, Dávid Harangozó, Courtesy pictures
ESZTER CSURKA ON THE SHORE
FORMULA ONE HUNGARIAN GP JULY 26-28 > The Hungarian Formula One Grand Prix 2013 will take place at Hungaroring (often referred to as the citadel of motor sports), just east of Budapest. The F1 Grand Prix in Budapest has been organized every year since 1986, and each year, hotels, apartments and restaurants are filled with people coming to Hungary to see and experience the spectacular event. www.hungaroring.hu
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THRU TO JULY 28 AT KUNSTHALLE (ART HALL) > This show is about the sea, the incarnated sea that lies down on the beach. The artist, Eszter Csurka (1969) is a vibrantly exciting, versatile representative of the contemporary Hungarian art scene. Though, she is primarily known as a painter, she has also created significant artworks as theatrical director, cameraman, photographer and performer in the past two decades. The main theme of her work is the body in constant motion: the human body. She often ventures to the very frontiers of this immense topic: her pictures put the laws of physics in a new perspective, they find new paths for the material, and eliminate the trivial boundaries of anatomy. Sometimes the flesh-bodies of her canvases transform into something dissimilar, as if in another dimension, in a different time and a different place. The center of this universe is the heart, which may cast a shadow the same way as the sun. Csurka’s new show is an unconventional tour in this flowing shadow world – mostly following new works on the way. www.mucsarnok.hu
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Just as there are those who want to relax, there are those who like to be active, even on the hottest summer days. Both Budapest and the countryside turn exciting this summer, offering a huge range of cultural entertainment. There are festivals and concerts every day, featuring Hungarian artists and guests from all over the world.
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27TH FESTIVAL OF FOLK ARTS (MESTERSÉGEK ÜNNEPE)
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AUG 17-20 IN THE CASTLE DISTRICT
This festival is the most significant forum for living folk culture in Hungary. The most renowned Hungarian artists and craftsmen from different regions of the country will introduce skills handed down from many generations. In the archaic atmosphere of the Buda Castle, visitors are welcomed by leatherworkers, candle makers, beading masters, potters, woodcarvers, egg painters, gingerbread makers. Get acquainted with aspects of the village women's everyday life in olden times such as feather cleaning, corn harvesting and embroidering. This year’s edition will also introduce stove and oven builders, furniture painters, bookbinders, rope makers, coopers and soap makers. The special guest country this year is Kyrgyzstan, while the special theme in focus is wool. Besides the workshops and fair there are folk dances and folk music concerts. Gastronomy of the Hungarian countryside will also be introduced. The Festival of Folk Arts is an ideal family program. www.mestersegekunnepe.hu
SZIGET FESTIVAL 2013 AUGUST 5-12 AT HAJÓGYÁRI SZIGET
Sziget Festival is one of the largest music fests in the world and certainly the best party-filled week of the year in Hungary. Around 400,000 people come every August to the 'Sziget' for a week of music and entertainment. Organizers are preparing a memorable Day 0 program: Sziget will become a „wonderland”, where the most well-known alternative rock band from Hungary, Quimby, will create a once in a lifetime atmosphere on the Main Stage with a special concert dreamt for Sziget only. Meanwhile the OTP Bank World Music Party Main Stage will host Muzsikás, an internationally wellknown Hungarian folk band, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. International stars invited this year include Deichkind, Die Ärzte, Seeed, Bad Religion, Blur, Mika, David Guetta and Underdog. For more info and a fully detailed program, visit the website www.sziget.hu
JEWISH SUMMER FESTIVAL AUG 25 AND SEP 2
Organized annually by the Jewish Tourism and Cultural Centre, the Jewish Summer Festival in Budapest is a great opportunity to find out everything about Hungarian Jewish culture. Klezmer music, cantor concerts, classical music concerts and light music concerts are on the list of programs every year. Performers in 2013 include the Budapest Ragtime Band, the Molnár Dixieland Band, along with Tamás Berki and Gabi Szûcs. For detailed programs and venues, check out the festival's website at www.zsidonyarifesztival.hu
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VAJDAHUNYADVÁR SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 11 - AUGUST 8 AT VAJDAHUNYAD CASTLE IN CITY PARK
Enjoy a great selection of classical, gipsy, swing and Klezmer music, world hits and bar mood pop music, in the very heart of Budapest. Performers include the King Saint Stephen Symphony Orchestra, the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, the 100-member Gypsy Orchestra, the Hungarian Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, the Budapest Klezmer Band and the Budapest Bar. www.vajdahunyad.hu
2013 MASTERCARD BALATON SOUND BETWEEN JULY 11-14 AT ZAMÁRDI, LAKE BALATON
This festival is to be held for the seventh time in 2013 at Hungary's fanciest beach, Zamárdi, along the shore of Lake Balaton. Here, festivalgoers can dance on the beach to the sounds of The Prodigy, Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Baskerville, Slam and Jan Blomqvist, or chill out to smooth jazz. A wide choice of musical programs also includes hip-hop, electronic music and dubstep concerts. www.sziget.hu/balatonsound
VOLT FESTIVAL JULY 3-6 IN SOPRON
The Volt Festival, in which both foreign and Hungarian groups participate, is one of Hungary's largest annual summer music festivals, organized by the same company as Sziget and Balaton Sound. Hosted by the town of Sopron, the event has been held in the first week of July every year since 1993. Hungarian performers this year include Quimby, Tankcsapda and Ákos, while Billy Talent, Papa Roach, Queens of the Stone Age, Thirty Seconds to Mars and Fritz Kalkbrenner will add to the international stars’ list. www.sziget.hu
the natural scene of events. Main programs start at 9 pm, featuring classical music, blues and jazz performed by Hungarian groups such as the Dresch Quartet, Szalóki Ági Trio and Gereben Zita Quintet. The main attractions in the evenings will be Marcus Miller, Diana Krall, Paco de Lucía, The Nigel Kennedy Quintet and Craig David. www.veszpremfest.hu
VALLEY OF ARTS JULY 26 - AUGUST 4, IN KÁLI-MEDENCE (SOME 150 KM FROM BUDAPEST)
Mıvészetek Völgye (Valley of Arts) takes place near the northern shore of Lake Balaton in a number of tiny villages such as Kapolcs, Apáti, Dörögd and Petend. It will feature fairs and family programs, in addition to a number of blues, folk and jazz concerts by artists including Dresch Quartet, Bea Pálya and Veronika Harcsa. www.muveszetekvolgye.hu
ÖRDÖGKATLAN FESTIVAL JULY 30 - AUGUST 3, NEAR PÉCS
This pan-art festival has selected several locations for its events, namely Nagyharsány, Kisharsány, Palkonya and Vylyan. Its 6th edition, as usual, will present all kinds of arts from basket weaving to music, theater, literary and fine art. The fest’s open-air concerts are attended by thousands of people. www.ordogkatlan.hu
10TH VESZPRÉM FESTIVAL
BUDAPEST SUMMER FESTIVAL
JULY 16-20, VESZPRÉM
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER OF 2013
The Veszprém Festival takes place in the historical surroundings of the Castle of Veszprém. The impressive baroque buildings of the Archbishop's Palace will be the backgrounds and
Budapest's annual open-air summer festival of opera, music and dance is staged at two open-air theatres, one on Margaret Island and one in Városmajor Park, on the Buda side of
NEW ORLEANS SWING FESTIVAL HUNGARIAN SWING COMPANY & JOHN ALLRED August 30, 7.30 PM at Palace of Arts > The ninth New Orleans Swing Festival will be all about swing. We suggest visiting the first evening of the three-day fest: this concert will feature a long-awaited guest, John Allred, who’s often referred to simply as ‘monster’ due to his awe-inspiring and inimitable technique on the trombone. John Allred learned to play from his father, Bill Allred, who was also a famous trombone player. Allred is a master of several brass instruments, including the euphonium. His unsurpassed technical abilities and knowledge of sty les has earned him invitations to take part in shows alongside performers as renowned as Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Paul Anka and the vocal group ‘The Temptations’. Allred’s back-up band for the August 30 concert is the Hungarian Swing Company, which previously gave an enormously successful joint concert with guest pianist Ted Rosenthal at the 2009 New Orleans Swing Festival. www.mupa.hu
FEZEN JULY 31 - AUGUST 3, SZÉKESFEHÉRVÁR
This fest in Székesfehérvár is a hardcore event, with Deep Purple, Fear Factory, Amorphis, Dragonforce and Moonspell as well as Ákos and Paddy and the Rats stepping on stage. It is being held for the 17th time this year. (The name Fezen is an acronym of Fehérvári Zenei Napok, which translates as Music Days of Fehérvár.) www.fezen.hu
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Viktor Gálos, Mark Seliger, Sándor Csudai, Papp Schneider
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the city. The varied repertoire of the fest includes Verdi & Wagner 200 (concert), Spartacus (ballet), Puccini: Madame Butterfly (opera), Oliver (musical), James Bond 60 (concert show) and much more. Visitors can get to Margaret Island by a special Theater Boat Service before the theater shows, and a standard scheduled boat service operates 5 times a day. Visitors to the island and audience members can enjoy the unique sights of Margaret Island, including the 102 year-old Water Tower and the 75 year-old Open-air Theater located in the triangle of the several hundred year-old giant Platanus tree, the Saint Margaret Ruins as well as the monument of the Premontre Monastery. www.szabadter.hu
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gastronomy gastronomy.
EXHIBITION
Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism 1036 Budapest, Korona tér 1.
A Good Merchant is the Benefactor of the World AFTER A TEN YEAR INTERVAL, THE HUNGARIAN MUSEUM OF TRADE AND TOURISM has just opened a new permanent exhibition on the history of trade. This exhibition presents two centuries of the development and the history of Hungarian trade, including measurements, fairs and markets. Objects representing vocational trade education in the past will be shown, and the atmosphere of old shops and shop windows can also be experienced. <
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NOW THERE'S ONE LESS reason to travel all the way to Provence. Budapest’s Le Biscuit Bistro is a casual French bistro where you are treated as a regular on your first visit. The restaurant’s stylish rustic interior, along with handpicked chansons as background music, provides the ambience of the French countryside. The menu fits into this theme perfectly. Your palette will be pleased by an array of standard bistro fare. Using the freshest quality ingredients only, the French chef adds seasonal dishes to the menu daily. Ooo-la-la!
recommendations
Pheasant broth with smoked cheese and avocado Breast of wild duck in white wine with Le Biscuit salad Vegetable roll filled with Roquefort cheese with truffle and white sauce Pikifou Paris (Fresh fruits in a cake basket with chocolate fondu) Pear simmered in champagne with vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate cream
information
1023 Budapest, Frankel Leó út 72. TEL.: (+361) 326-0854 E-MAIL: lebiscuitbistro@gmail.com • www.lbb.hu
BBQ PACKAGES FOR TAKEAWAY DURING SUMMERTIME Too busy or not experienced enough? Chef Burbach has carefully composed four different grill boxes for you to take away. This is the most convenient way to prepare and enjoy a barbecue with your family and friends. You can also rent one of our barbecue specialist chefs to prepare the meal at your place, so you can relax and have a worry-free evening. • “EASY TO GO” GRILL BOX • “HAVE FUN” GRILL BOX • “BEST CUTS” GRILL BOX • “GRILL MOBILE” GRILL BOX
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For further information please call our Corso Restaurant at +36 1 327 6392 or send us an e-mail at corso.restaurant@ihg.com.
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hospitality hospitality.
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Hotel Azúr information . információ
8600 Siófok, Erkel F. u. 2/c TEL/FAX: (+3684) 501-400 E-MAIL: info@hotelazur.hu • www.hotelazur.hu Conference | Konferencia – Fitness – SPA – Wellness – à la carte Restaurant Étterem – Parking | Parkolás – WIFI
THE EXCLUSIVE WING OF HOTEL AZÚR, the Hotel Azúr Premium, offers an exceptional opportunity for guests seeking recreation and calmness in a unique atmosphere on the shore of Lake Balaton. The beautiful natural surroundings of Balaton, the modern design of the hotel, the customized wellness services and the harmony of the special gastronomy create a magic world which ensures enjoyment. The hotel’s Premium Wellness Centre built on 1,800 square meters of floor space with its whirlpool, swimming and experience pools, and sauna park overlooking the Balaton, offers an excellent opportunity for total relaxation. The special interior design solutions of the hotel’s rooms and suites offer comfortable accommodation. The 26 square meter standard room features extra size bed, balcony, bathtub and minibar, multifunctional TV and internet access while the luxury suites have large balconies with an extraordinary view of Lake Balaton. The 36 square meter suites are packed with extras such as a large Jacuzzi, sauna and the most up-to-date audiovisual equipment. The Opus restaurant of the hotel offers special pleasures to lovers of gastronomy. The luxury experience of the Premium wing is completed by an opulent buffet breakfast and the exquisite taste of the five-course dinner menus made from fresh local raw materials and using state-of-the-art technology. The 70 seat gourmet restaurant, with delicacies from both Hungarian and international cuisine, serves as an excellent venue for both family or corporate events.
PLANETSUSHI A place to enjoy the traditions of Japan INTERVIEW WITH VIKTOR KHINE, AWARD WINNER PLANET SUSHI KITCHEN MANAGER
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> What makes Planet Sushi different from the other Sushi restaurants? Planet Sushi Restaurants have a traditional design that makes for a friendly environment. The original Japanese decoration, small tables, the separated tatamies and the beautiful food presentation creates a pleasing ambience in the restaurant. Food is served by geishas whose traditional attitude and traditional costumes all add to the authenticity of the restaurant. Our mission is to give the best service to our guests to make them feel honored. Do you have special dishes on your menu that can only be found only in Planet Sushi? Sushi is now a widely known food in Hungary. We are proud of our wide range of cold and hot sushi. It's easy to tell the difference between our restaurant and other Sushi restaurants. Hot sushi is very popular and serving it makes us special. Our exciting desserts are also loved by guests. Our dessert, Domino is a special chocolate maki stuffed with fruits and served with vanilla sauce. We receive very good feedback from our customers and they love coming back to our restaurants.
What does Planet Sushi do to have the same quality every day? We focus on providing the best quality dishes and traditional drinks. All Planet Sushi employees receive strict and lenghty training and all managers attend regular courses. Cooks are trained to make all the dishes of the menu.For quality insurance we organize an international competition for our cooks every year. It has a theoretical part and a practical part focused on the recipes, food safety, preparation and presentation of dishes.
How can you provide top quality sushi? The most important thing is the quality of the ingredients used. Our managers adh ere to very strict quality control of the products we use. To get the highest quality we work closely with our suppliers to make sure they can meet the Planet Sushi specifications and standards.
Where can we find Planet Sushi Restaurants in Budapest? There are two Planet Sushi Restaurants in the Heart of Budapest. One is located on the Oktogon and the other one is on the Deák Ferenc tér next to the red metro station. We await our guest from 11 AM to 12 PM every day with our traditional Japanese atmosphere. <
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