Diplomacy & Trade 2018 February

FEBRUARY 2018 HUF 1710

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TRUTH OR DARE

FIRST YEAR OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY THE WORST FEARS ABOUT THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY HAVE NOT MATERIALIZED, YET. THE HIGH EXPECTATIONS BY OTHER QUARTERS HAVE NOT BEEN FULFILLED, EITHER. SEE ANALYSIS

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Latvia

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Maintaining an active political dialog, strengthening economic cooperation and promoting cultural ties, especially people-to-people contacts; these are the goals of the Ambassador of Latvia to Hungary, Vilmārs Heniņš. In an extensive interview with Diplomacy&Trade, he discusses political, economic and cultural ties with Hungary, including the development of tourism because it facilitates people-to-people contacts between the two nations.

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The Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steven Ciobo was in Hungary in the middle of January, conducting 18001 18007 bilateral talks with Hungarian officials and meeting with the trade ministers of the countries of the Visegrád Four Group. One of the 9 771558 980700free trade agreement main topics of discussion was the possible between the EU and Australia.

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letter from the publisher

British animation expert in Budapest jury

Valletta – Europe’s Cultural Capital in 2018

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Despite many predictions, Donald Trump survived his first year as President of the United States. The President’s performance has been a mixed bag of successes and failures, endearing his base and outraging everyone else. Our analyst suggests his first year’s balance sheet is “not that bad” but a lot depends on the outcome of the investigation by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller that will be concluded in the near future. Until then, the world will remain riveted to this modern day soap opera.

The country in focus in this issue of Diplomacy&Trade is the Baltic state of Latvia that celebrates a hundred years as an independent state. We talk to Ambassador Vilmārs Heniņš about the very intensive political dialogue between Hungary and Latvia, Hungary’s participation in NATO patrolling Baltic air space as deterrence against possible Russian invasion, the stable growth in bilateral trade, Latvia’s positive experience in adopting the euro and developing cultural relations between our two countries.

Sirha Budapest is the Hungarian capital’s biannual premium international HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, Catering and Retail) show which will be held February 7-9 at Hungexpo. The country with the largest exhibition stand is Italy whose participation is organized by the Italian Trade Agency ICE. Our WittyLeaks column is authored by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan who is saying good-bye to the Hungarian capital by drawing several parallels between Hungary and his country. In culture, we cover the Maltese capital, Valletta, Europe’s cultural capital for 2018 and feature an interview with a well-known British animation expert.

The Italian Trade Promotion Agency ICE at SIRHA Budapest

­­ contents

Our wine feature this month presents Hungary’s best red wine and Furmint February, while the gastro page features two of Budapest’s must tries!.

As we go to press, our Budapest weather is more like spring than winter which, according to ancient wisdom, will lead to a late winter through the end of March. We’ll see.

Peter Freed PUBLISHER

AND DON’T FORGET

monthly in print - daily on the web

www.dteurope.com

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05 ON THE RECORD 06 COMPANY BRIEFS 08-12 LATVIAN FOCUS

24 SOCIETY 25 WITTYLEAKS

Interview with Ambassador Vilmārs Heniņš; Latvia 100; Back to nature; airBaltic 13 BUSINESS UNICEO European Congress; Business index 14-16 AUSTRALIA Interview with Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo; Singapore Airlines; Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest 17 DIPLOMACY - Bulgaria's EU Presidency 18 ANALYSIS First year of the Trump Presidency

20-23 SIRHA 2018

ICE; SIRHA Budapest; Bocelli wines

by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan

26 CULTURE

Valletta, Europe's Cultural Capital

27 CINEMA

British animation expert Shelley Page

28-29 WHAT’S ON

Concerts, festivals, events and exhibitions in and out of Budapest

30 WINE

Hungary’s best red wine; Furmint February

31 GASTRONOMY Costes downtown; Borssó Bistro

PUBLISHER: Peter Freed EDITOR: Sándor Laczkó COPY EDITOR: Joyce Freed PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Tibor Ocsenás ADMINISTRATION: Judit Ludányi ASSISTANT: Ágnes Rapaport CONTRIBUTORS: Sándor Laczkó, Tamás Magyarics, Réka A. Francisck, Nurbakh Rustemov, Simon Skottowe PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS: Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian (Cover), Pixabay.com, 123RF.com, Shutterstock.com, Can Stock Photo

KOREAN FOCUS - COMING SOON

Inc., Zarb Adami, Qatar Airways, Zsolt Lengyel Photography, AImotive, Hansueli Krapf/Wikipedia, Budapest Airport, Aleksandrs Kendenkovs, Latvia Travel, Live Riga, Ilmars Zuotins/The Latvian Institute, Animals.lv, airBaltic, Singapore Airlines, Plamen Stoimenov/EU2018BG, Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks, Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ICE, Alberto Campanile, Vinificando, Mihály Majtényi, Matt Hush, Broadway Event, Joyce Kim, Müpa, Emese Hegedűs, Museum of Fine Arts, Depositphotos.com, Ethan Russell, Furmint Photo, Ferenc Mészáros/www.derulato.hu, Olivér Hargitay, MTI Photos: Tamás Kovács, Szilárd Koszticsák, Zoltán Balogh, Zoltán Máthé, Noémi Bruzák

Diplomacy&Trade will present a special Focus on Korean-Hungarian relations on the occasion of the South Korean city of PyeongChang holding the 2018 Olympic Winter Games this February. Full-fledged diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Hungary were established on February 1, 1989. With the new Korean Ambassador, we will discuss political economic and cultural ties as well as scientific and technological cooperation. Korea’s Deputy Foreign Minister Soon-ku Yoon will talk about security situation on the Korean Peninsula. We also cover the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and the Korean Cultural Center in Budapest as well as talk to important Korean companies operating in Hungary.

Copyright 2004-2017 Duax Kft., all rights reserved | ISSN 1589-8075 This magazine is produced by Duax Kft. The opinions published in the magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Duax Kft.

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COPIES ARE AVAILABLE AT SELECTED RELAY AND INMEDIO OUTLETS IN MAJOR HUNGARIAN CITIES.

DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, ZARB ADAMI, PIXABAY.COM

We continue our coverage from the previous issue on AustralianHungarian ties featuring an exclusive interview with the Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.

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on the record

HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT SETS ELECTION DATE

RETURN OF THE HUNGARIAN CROWN: 40-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

It was forty years ago, in January 1978, that the United States returned to Hungary what is thought to be the crown of Hungary's first king, Stephen I (St. Stephen) and the Hungarian Coronation Regalia. On this occasion, a conference was organized at the Pázmány Péter University in Budapest. The Hungarian news agency MTI quoted Justice Minister László Trócsányi as saying that the crown was “a symbol of national independence, as well as a source of the power of the public and individual freedom rights.” The Chargé d’Affaires at the US embassy in Budapest, David John Kostelancik, called his country’s returning the crown in 1978 a milestone in bilateral relations. He said the strength of those ties lay in shared values and institutions and in the friendship between the two nations.

The crown and the regalia were taken to Austria in 1944 by its guards retreating from Soviet invasion, and then handed over to the US Army. Since 2000, the Holy Crown has been on display in the central Domed Hall of the Hungarian Parliament Building.

Hungarian President János Áder has announced that the parliamentary elections in Hungary will be held on Sunday, April 8. According to the law, passed by the currently governing parties in 2011, eligible voters will elect 199 members of the national assembly in one round: 106 from single-member constituencies and 93 from national lists of political parties. Over a million people with Hungarian citizenship but no residence in Hungary are eligible to vote for candidates on the party lists only. They are allowed to vote by mail, while those with residence in Hungary cast their ballots either in Hungary or at embassies in foreign countries. The electoral threshold is set at 5%, although, this is raised to 10% for coalitions of two parties and 15% for coalitions of three or more parties.

2017, A RECORD YEAR IN HUNGARIAN APARTMENT SALES

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123RF.COM, TAMÁS KOVÁCS/MTI, SZILÁRD KOSZTICSÁK/MTI, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, ZOLTÁN BALOGH/MTI

In December 2017, a total of 9,787 real estate transactions took place in Hungary, which is a decrease compared to November, but still higher than in the last month of the previous year, according to the real estate company Duna House's latest transaction estimate.

POLISH AND IRISH PRIME MINISTERS IN BUDAPEST

On January 3, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who took office on December 11, 2017, paid his first official visit abroad to Hungary where he held talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and was also received

by President János Áder.

At a press conference held jointly by the two prime ministers, Viktor Orbán maintained that the Central European economic models work and the countries of the region are playing a stabilizing role in the European Union; therefore, they want that role to be reflected in their impact on EU affairs.

According to the Hungarian government's website, Mr. Orbán highlighted that cooperation in large projects will be at the center of relations between the two countries in the future.

From among these, he mentioned the importance of NorthSouth energy and transport infrastructure connections.

Prime Minister Morawiecki agreed that the Visegrád countries are an important part of the EU, contributing to economic growth and stability. "We believe in the EU, in the values of the European Union, we want to build the EU together," he stressed.

He explained that Eastern European countries are doing a lot to reduce the tension caused by the crisis. He mentioned, for example, that 1.5 million refugees were admitted by Poland due to the Ukrainian crisis.

A day later, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar paid a short working visit to Budapest. Meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, he discussed the state of the EU, fiscal, migration and agricultural policy issues and Brexit.

The Hungarian Prime Minister held that Hungary and Ireland share similar views on important questions that determine the future of Europe.

Leo Varadkar said both countries bitterly regretted the UK's decision to quit the EU bloc and agreed the EU would be "lessened without the UK's distinctive contribution."

But in a hint that Ireland and Hungary could become supporters of Britain during the next stage of the negotiations, he also called for a deal to be struck which would not restrict trade in goods and services after Brexit, the British daily ‘The Telegraph’ notes. "We are both committed to working constructively to ensure that the agreement on both the terms of [the UK's] withdrawal and the nature of its future relationship with the EU are favorable," Mr. Varadkar said. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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Portfolio.hu reports that according to annual seasonality, the number of real estate sales decreased by the end of the year, but growth was still up 6% compared to December 2016.

Comparing the last quarter of the two years, the estimated number of transactions increased by 10% compared to 2016.

The decrease in the second half of 2016 did not recur in 2017, the figures showed a much more balanced picture during the year.

Duna House estimates that there was a total of 148,896 transactions in 2017, which is not really short of the 154,000 figure in 2008. According to Central Statistical Office data, 146 302 real estate transactions took place in 2016, but the degree of uncertainty regarding the estimation is higher than usual, as there is insufficient data on the amount of new construction transfers.

According to the latest housing market report by the National Bank of Hungary, house prices in Budapest have already reached the level of equilibrium, and thus – despite the fact that there is still no significant overvaluation – it is essential to closely monitor the market in the capital. On the whole, the Hungarian housing market is characterized by a strong demand environment and a gradual adjustment in supply. Despite the dynamic growth observed in recent years, house prices remain below the level justified by the macroeconomic fundamentals. However, the regional discrepancies in the housing market and the strengthening role of lending underline the need for the close monitoring of the market.

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UPCOMING NATIONAL DAYS February

March

April

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New Zealand

National day

15

Serbia

National day

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Lithuania

National day

24

Estonia

National day

25

Kuwait

National day

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Egypt

Independence day

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Bosnia&Hercegovina

National day

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Bulgaria

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Ghana

Independence day

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Hungary

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Ireland

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Tunesia

Independence day

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Namibia

Independence day

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Morocco

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Greece

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Georgia

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Syria

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Zimbabwe

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Netherlands

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HUNGARIAN EXIMBANK CEO PASSES AWAY ON SKI SLOPE

Zoltán Urbán, the CEO of the state-owned Hungarian Export ImportBank Plc. (Exim Bank) died of heart failure on a ski slope in Salzburg Pongau, Austria on December 30, 2017. Still on the slope, rescue workers tried to revive the 57-year-old banker, but without success. The cause of death was originally not clear but an autopsy determined that he died of an aortic tear. Zoltán Urbán started his banking career in 1990 at the Industrial Bank House and later joined OTP Bank, Hungary’s leading financial institution.

He specialized in export lending and bank services related to foreign trade and broadened his experience in large corporate lending, structured financing and treasury operations.

After leaving OTP Bank, he worked at the Hypo Vereinsbank Hungaria and then acted as the Deputy CEO and Member of the Board of Directors at the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB). He assumed the Managing Director position at Dresdner Bank Hungaria from 2003 to 2004. After positions at the Budapest Office of Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW) and Südleasing, again at MFB and at Garantiqua Creditguarantee Co. Ltd., Zoltán Urbán was appointed CEO of Exim Bank in 2015. As a government delegate, he was a Member of the Board of the European Investment Bank (EIB).

HUNGARIAN PRESIDENT’S NEW YEAR DIPLOMATIC RECEPTION

Hungarian President János Áder held his traditional new-year reception in the Palace of Arts for diplomats accredited in Budapest. In his speech, he concentrated on this year’s parliamentary elections and assured his guests that whatever the results, Hungary will stay in the European Union. He stressed that from the point of view of international stability, Hungary will consider the North Atlantic cooperation and the role of NATO matters of the utmost importance in the future, as well. Also, the country will continue to strive to build closer cooperation with the countries of the region.

The President highlighted that all Hungarian political actors are committed to continuing and strengthening the country’s contribution to countering terrorism, extremism and those obsessed with destruction. He also stated, “we all agree that we are responsible for the next generations. In the future, we will be honored to take part in the work that we must do together for sustainability. The preservation of our waters, of our lands, maintaining our natural values, securing the live chances of our children and grandchildren cannot be the subject of political bargaining in the future.”

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­company briefs QATAR AIRWAYS EXPANDS WIDE-BODY AIRCRAFT SERVICE TO HUNGARY

on one of the double daily flights between Budapest and Doha.

Qatar Airways’ seat capacity from the Hungarian capital to Doha on this flight will nearly double from 144 seats on the A320 to 272 seats on the Airbus A330 aircraft, bringing an additional capacity in light of enhanced passenger demand for this popular destination.

According to Qatar Airways Country Manager Eastern Europe - Central, Grisha Jenkov, “we are delighted to introduce Qatar Airways’ Airbus A330 to Budapest, which will not only offer an increase in capacity to the route, but will also redefine the in-flight experience of our passengers travelling to Doha and beyond.”

Business Class seats on the A330 recline into a 180-degree true lie-flat bed, providing superior sleep

Qatar Airways will introduce the Airbus A330 on the Budapest-Doha route in summer 2018. The addition of this aircraft will increase seat capacity by more than 53% over the A320 aircraft that currently operates both of the double daily frequencies. A press release by the airline says that the increase in demand for travel to and from Hungary and the airline’s steadfast commitment to the Hungarian market will result in the introduction of the 272-seat aircraft

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AImotive, a Hungarian startup developing selfdriving car technology that relies on cameras, instead of Lidar laser sensors, to detect cars, obstacles, and signs, has received funding, led by B Capital Group and Prime Ventures, that will be used to increase global scale and accelerate autonomous driving software via simulation technology.

AImotive, the full-stack autonomous vehicle technology company, has announced the closing of its USD 38 million (EUR 32 million) Series C funding round, led by B Capital Group and Prime Ventures, with participation from Cisco Investments, Samsung Catalyst Fund, and Series A and B investors Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Inventure, Draper Associates and Day One Capital.

A statement by the company says it will use this new round of funding to continue developing its proprietary autonomous driving technology, which relies primarily on affordable, off-the-shelf camera sensors and artificial intelligence-based vision processing. AImotive's technology is inherently scalable,

due to its low cost modularity and flexibility, while also open to the fusion of non-vision based sensors for additional safety in poor visibility conditions. With relatively little additional cost, AImotive's software can be ported into various car models, driving in diverse locations around the world.

According to the founder and CEO of AImotive László Kishonti, “we want to reach similar levels of safety on the roads as have been reached in the skies. The aviation industry, which is 10,000 times less dangerous per mile than road transport, relies heavily on simulation. We are applying that methodology to develop safe autonomous software systems, and our team has already realized astonishing time and cost benefits, allowing us to quickly bring new features to road testing.”

AImotive’s solution is designed for automotive OEMs, mobility service providers and other mobility players; the company is working extensively with established automotive players including Groupe PSA, SAIC, and Volvo.

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LOW-COST CARRIER WIZZ AIR ANNOUNCES AUSTRIAN BASE IN VIENNA Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, and one of Europe’s fastest growing airlines, today announced that it would add Austria as the 44th country in its network, by establishing base operations at Vienna Airport. Wizz Air will open its Austrian base with one Airbus A320 aircraft in June, which will be followed by the deployment of two additional Airbus A321 aircraft in November. This fast growth of Wizz Air’s Vienna base will see Wizz Air operate a total of 17 new routes from the Austrian capital in 2018.

The base establishment represents an investment by Wizz Air of USD 331 million and 120 new direct jobs with the airline will be created. The airline’s operations will also contribute to the local economy, supporting jobs in the aviation, transportation, hospitality and tourism industries.

Providing an extensive offer to both business and leisure travelers, the newest Wizz Air services will connect Vienna with Gdansk, Tuzla and Varna from April, with Bari, Malta, Rome, Valencia and Tel Aviv from June and with Billund, Bergen, Dortmund, Kutaisi, Larnaca, Nis, Ohrid, Tenerife and Thessaloniki from November.

The airline’s Chief Executive Officer, József Váradi, pointed out that “Wizz Air’s Austrian customers now have the opportunity to travel from Vienna on an extensive network of routes to Europe and beyond at the lowest prices and experience Wizz Air’s great service onboard one of Europe’s youngest fleets. The new routes will also allow Wizz Air’s customers from other countries to experience for themselves the beauty of Austria’s cities and mountains. Our new colleagues in Vienna will have the opportunity to develop their careers with one of the fastest-growing airlines in Europe and our Vienna operation will also create and support additional jobs in the local aviation, transportation and hospitality industries. We are confident that our excellent value service and extensive route network will make Wizz Air the airline of choice for travelers to and from Austria.”

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QATAR AIRWAYS, ZSOLT LENGYEL PHOTOGRAPHY, AIMOTIVE, HANSUELI KRAPF/WIKIPEDIA

The starter motor and generator division of the Bosch Group has completed its transition to an independent company: it will operate in Hungary under the name of Starters E-Components Generators Automotive Hungary (SEG Automotive).

A press release by SEG Automotive says the new name is testimony to over a century of history in the development and production of starter motors and generators as well as a future-oriented focus on e-mobility. The company will continue its success story under a new owner (and the leadership) of Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machinery Group Co. Ltd. (ZMJ) and an investment group. Starters E-Components Generators Automotive Hungary is an integral part of the global growth and production strategy.

Günter Schulze (pictured), responsible for Starters E-Components Generators Automotive Hungary, says "the name is new, but we are committed to continuity, especially in terms of location strategy and our employees.

Their many years of experience in the company, competence and commitment contribute significantly to our success. In the future, our location in Miskolc will play an even more important role in the worldwide business of our company and continue to be an attractive employer in the region."

From the outset, the new company will be one of the most significant suppliers in the market. With 16 locations worldwide, over 8,000 employees and a powerful product range, the supplier is strongly positioned across the world to meet the current and future challenges of automobile manufacturers. At the crucial points, the company goes for continuity: all locations will be retained; the focus remains on highest product quality and innovation through powerful engineering.

The new company is committed to further expanding its contribution to the reduction of CO2 emissions from passenger cars and commercial vehicles in order to address the challenge of climate protection – globally and across all drive technologies.

Setting the new name in the context of the corporate strategy, the CEO of SEG Automotive, Ulrich Kirschner says that "together with the new owner ZMJ, we have great potential for innovations and further global growth, particularly in the significant Chinese market."

AIMOTIVE RECEIVES FUNDING TO FURTHER SELF-DRIVING TECHNOLOGY

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SALE OF BOSCH DIVISION FOR STARTER MOTORS AND GENERATORS COMPLETED

comfort and greater consistency with the Qatar Airways long-haul wide-body fleet. The seats feature six-way adjustable headrests, four-way adjustable lumbar support, a variety of personal stowage compartments, privacy dividers and fresh contemporary styling. The Business Class cabin has 15.4” smart monitors and touch screen remote controller handsets, which also allow dual screen mode. The seats also offer PC Power, USB ports and connectivity for smart devices. The A330 aircraft is fitted with onboard connectivity, providing the capability of internet use and the sending and receiving of SMS and MMS messages. Economy Class seating will also provide greater comfort and more personal space, with individual 10.6” monitors and handsets.

­company briefs HOTEL OPENS NEXT TO BUDAPEST AIRPORT Hungary’s first airport hotel with direct terminal connection opened in early January. The ibis Styles Budapest Airport Hotel, built by the Hungarian company WING Co. Ltd. for HUF 3.2 billion, in less than 18 months has 145 rooms, a restaurant, a bar and ample conference facilities, and is able to accommodate 300 guests.

WING Chairman and CEO Noah Steinberg said, at a press conference, in Budapest, that it was an important development in terms of tourism because in Europe there are airport hotels in almost every capital city.

The new three star+ category hotel is operated by the Accorhotels group, under the ‘ibis Styles’ brand. The hotel offers convenient overnight accommodation to passengers who have early morning flights, and come from distant corners of the country or from beyond the border, e.g. from Eastern Slovakia or Romania. Due to the proximity of Terminal 2, the hotel is also ideal for pilots and flight crews spending the night in Budapest, since more and more airlines have late evening flights to Hungary which return the next morning.

The hotel offers elegant dining facilities and a bar, with a carefully selected wine and spirits list. It also boasts a kids’ play corner for young guests and free Wi-Fi for all guests.

As the CEO of Budapest Airport, Jost Lammers said after the opening, “we are proud to welcome the ibis Styles Budapest Airport Hotel and its staff, as new members of the 10 000-strong airport community, offering quality services to travelers.” He added that “with the dynamic growth of passenger numbers in Budapest, I am sure that the hotel will be a commercial success and it will offer high class services to business travelers and tourists alike.”

According to Gergely Kollin, Area General Manager Eco brands of Accorhotels Hungary, “we are very proud to be trusted to operate the very first hotel that is directly linked to the airport. Ibis Styles is well known for its exceptional design and comfort with service, delivered internationally.”

AUSTRIAN FURNITURE COMPANY INCREASES ITS PRESENCE IN HUNGARY

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BUDAPEST AIRPORT, ZOLTÁN MÁTHÉ/MTI, NOÉMI BRUZÁK/MTI, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The ADA Group is expanding its furniture manufacturing capacities in Western Hungary under a project that includes technological developments and the construction of hall buildings. The Austrian company’s goal, with the over EUR 17 million investment, is to meet the continuously increasing market demand for its products. The project, implemented with the participation of the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), will create 100 new jobs at the Körmend, Zalaegerszeg and Nova factories. The Hungarian government is providing 20% of the total cost of the project in non-returnable funding, ADA established the Körmend-based ADA Hungária Bútorgyártó Ltd. as its first foreign subsidiary in 1992, followed by NOVA BÚTOR Ltd., its second foreign subsidiary, which operates at two locations, Nova and Zalaegerszeg.

ADA makes about 41,000 pieces of furniture in Hungary every year, which has made it one of the largest domestic furniture companies and the largest upholstered furniture manufacturer in the country. Product development is also carried out at ADA Hungária and, with a smaller staff, at NOVA Bútor. The high value added research and development process begins with planning, which they bring into line with technical and electronics solutions, and finally series production may begin.

JAPANESE BATTERY PRODUCTION FACILITY IN HUNGARY Japan's GS Yuasa Corporation, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange has announced it will establish a manufacturing subsidiary company, GS Yuasa Hungary Ltd. in Hungary to construct a new plant for lithium-ion batteries.

A news release by the company says lithium-ion batteries will be assembled in the new plant with lithiumion cells made in Japan. These batteries will be used for SLI (Starting, Lighting, and Ignition) applications, which are expected to be expanded in the European market.

According to the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA), the Japanese company, which is a major supplier for the hybrid and electric cars of its automotive industry partners, is investing EUR 28 million (5% of which is paid by the Hungarian government in the form of a non-repayable grant) creating 51 new jobs and helping to support the progress of the Hungarian vehicle industry, as electromobility will be one of the most important areas of development in the near future. GS Yuasa Corporation develops, produces and distributes lead acid batteries primarily for the automobile and motorcycle industries. As the result of a 2016 agreement, GS Yuasa is also the representative for Panasonic lead acid batteries, which opens up the possibility for the two companies to acquire the majority of the lead acid battery market. The company has more than 15,000 employees at 37 sites across 17 countries and recently began the switch-over from lead acid to lithium-ion batteries, making major investments in the new area, with the goal of contributing to the production of environmentally-friendly vehicles and to the protection of the environment. The company chose Miskolc because of the existence of a workforce, its developed infrastructure, accessibility to the capital city, and availability of renewable energy sources (mainly geothermal heating). As a result of this investment, production of 12V lithium-ion batteries is expected to begin in 2020 but, depending on demand and technology developments, the expansion of capacity can be foreseen in the short term.

B. BRAUN MEDICAL EXPANDS IN HUNGARY WITH EUR 100 MN INVESTMENT The German-owned B. Braun Medical, Ltd. has begun capacity expansion in Gyöngyös, NE Hungary. 407 new jobs will be created by the EUR 100 million investment in collaboration with the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA). When the project is complete, the Gyöngyös factory will double its manufacture of medical devices. In addition to the expansion, research and development activities and technological developments at the Gyöngyös plant will also increase the value of the products manufactured for export. The 180-year-old B. Braun Group is one of the world's leading providers and manufacturers of healthcare solutions, with more than 58,000 employees across 64 countries. Its 2016 revenues were EUR 6,471 billion. According to a report by HIPA, the group is represented in Hungary by three firms: B. Braun Medical Ltd., B. Braun Avitum Hungary Co. Ltd., and B. Braun Trading Ltd. These companies employ 2,000 people in Hungary and the group, with combined revenues of HUF 40 billion (about EUR 130 mn), is one of the largest players in the Hungarian healthcare market. The group serves many segments within healthcare, including the manufacture and distribution of medical devices, operation of the national dialysis network, development of medical software, and provision of medical training. B. Braun has invested more than HUF 60 billion in Hungary over the past 25 years. B. Braun Medical Ltd. employs more than 1,000 people at its Gyöngyös factory alone, making it one of the area's largest employers, where it manufactures 800 different types of disposable medical products for international and Hungarian healthcare institutions.

B. Braun Medicals development division is particularly important, as this is where the design of hardware and software for dialysis fittings and software for infusion pumps takes place. 100 Hungarian design engineers are employed in the Budapest office that functions as B. Braun's international medical software development center. Outside of Germany, Hungary is the only location where B. Braun Group carries out R&D. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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RECORD-BREAKING TRAFFIC GROWTH AT BUDAPEST AIRPORT IN 2017

Traffic at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport in 2017 grew at an unprecedented pace: 13.1 million passengers used the airport last year and the volume of air cargo broke a record with more than 127.000 tons in total. Budapest Airport continued its dynamic development program called BUD2020 earmarking HUF 50 billion (EURO 160 mn) for upgrading and extending the airport.

A statement by the airport management company says 2017 was an excellent year for aviation, in all respects.

125 destinations in 45 countries were directly accessible from Budapest with 44 airlines. Not only new flights were launched, but seat capacity was also increased on existing routes. New service providers entered the market, and existing providers introduced larger aircraft or increased their flight frequencies.

Budapest Airport managed a number of development projects in 2017, including one of the flagship projects of the BUD 2020 development program, the new Pier B. Physical construction of the pier commenced at the beginning of last year, and it is scheduled for completion during the summer season this year. Next to Terminal 1, two new logistics centers were handed over to TNT and DHL Express.

A thousand new parking spaces were added to airport car parks which now have a combined capacity of 4,700 cars.

After terminal 2A, the number of check-in desks was also increased in terminal 2B where 11 new desks were installed with a 400-square-meter additional passenger area. The reconstruction also affected the airside area of the terminal, as most of the shops and passenger flow had to be redesigned there. New equipment for security screening was introduced, including brand new body scanners.

Areas used by aircraft were also improved: a new taxiway was built, and 900 meters of pavement was refurbished on Runway 1. One of the most modern airport crashtenders, a new Rosenbauer Panther fire truck was commissioned (with a price tag of HUF 250 million/EUR 800,000), joining the already impressive fleet of fire engines at the airport.

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HISTORICAL SIMILARITIES AND STRONG WILLPOWER INTERVIEW WITH VILMĀRS HENIŅŠ, LATVIAN AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY

Ten years in Budapest The Latvian Embassy in Budapest celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. According to the Ambassador, there were several reasons for the establishment of the embassy in 2007.

“We decided to open an embassy here because Hungary was and is a very important regional

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month, the Speaker of Latvian Parliament visited Hungary. Of course, there is also cooperation in the framework of the 16+1 group (of China and Eastern Europe): the Hungarian Prime Minister visited Latvia in November 2016, participating 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 F E B R U A R Y

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in the 16 Plus One conference while the Latvian Prime Minister was here in Budapest for the same purpose in November 2017. So, I would say we have a very intensive political dialogue. We also have plenty of cooperation on the ministerial HUNGARY

LATVIA

93,028 sq km 110 9,874,784 (July 2016 est.)

91 -0.24% (2016 est.)

216 9.1 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)

207 75.9 years 92 1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)

57 USD 26,200 (2015 est.)

70 6.8% (2015 est.)

79 11.786 million 76 41 (2013) 104

64,589 sq km 125 1,944,643 (July 2017 est.)

149 -1.08% (2017 est.)

228 9.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

198 74.7 years 121 -6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population 199 $25,700 (2016 est.)

74 9.6% (2016 est.)

128 2,650,273 145 42 (2013) 101

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Vilmārs Heniņš took up his position as the Latvian Ambassador to Hungary in September 2016. He tells Diplomacy&Trade about the objectives he set for himself at that time. “It was not very difficult because I had an excellent legacy from previous ambassadors who created a very good background for my job. Like my predecessors, my activities here are based on three main principles: to maintain active political dialog, to strengthen economic cooperation and to promote cultural ties, especially people-to-people contacts.”

player with huge and historical experience. It was also taken into consideration that Latvia and Hungary are like-minded countries in various matters, for example, supporting and promoting the EU Eastern Partnership policy and the EU enlargement policy towards Western Balkans.

Latvia and Hungary share many historical and present similarities and we have always had strong willpower to overcome all difficulties and challenges."

As for Latvian-Hungarian political relations, Ambassador Heniņš points out that they are excellent. “Looking back on the last two years, we have seen quite intensive political cooperation including visits and meetings. In 2016, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of re-establishing diplomatic relations that were originally signed in 1921 (and then again in 1991). It was after my arrival that the Latvian foreign minister visited Hungary, while from the Hungarian side the head of the Hungarian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and – last June – the Hungarian foreign minister went to Latvia. The same

photo by

BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ

latvian focus with high quality services for tourists. Of course, we have to mention the direct flight connection between Riga and Budapest, by our national airliner company Air Baltic, three times per week.

They will put into service their newly bought Bombardier C300 aircraft on this route.”

Euro recommended

level, consultations either on EU affairs of mutual interests or security policy issues.”

A good example of regional cooperation mentioned by the Ambassador is the one between the NB 8 (Nordic - Baltic) Group and the Visegrád Four – these are regular foreign ministers’ meetings held annually, which are useful forums for the exchange of views on different matters.

Air policing

Stable growth in trade The former Latvian ambassador to Hungary, Imants Liegis told Diplomacy&Trade four years

photos by

ALEKSANDRS KENDENKOVS, LATVIA.TRAVEL, LIVE RIGA

Latvia and Hungary cooperate in the area of defense, as well. The two countries have signed a number of cooperation documents between the Ministries of Defense. There have been a number of visits, including that of the Commander of the National Armed Forces to Budapest. Hungary has given a significant contribution to strengthening regional security in the Baltic region. Hungarian air force jets took part in the Baltic Air Policing Mission in the second half of 2015 and are scheduled to do it again in 2019. “We highly appreciate Hungary's participation in this mission of deterrence that strengthens NATO'S eastern flank. I believe it is a strong demonstration of solidarity by Hungary towards Latvia, towards the Baltic States,” the Ambassador points out.

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ago that, “there is a lot of scope in increasing the volume of bilateral trade” between Latvia and Hungary. In this regard, Ambassador Heniņš highlights that “we can see a stable growth in the volume of bilateral trade. In 2017, this figure increased by some 40%, although, the growth was not balanced: Latvian exports increased by 7% and a Hungarian exports by over 30%. The most important thing is that we see growth in the volume of trade and in the interests of business people to increase this cooperation.” Many Latvian brands, some that are internationally known, are present in the Hungarian market. Mentioning some examples, he points to the timber company Latvijas Finieris and the cosmetics firm Stenders. “If we are speaking about new technologies, we have the telecommunication and data transmission equipment providers Mikrotikls and SAF Tehnika, while in the food industry, Latvia has a famous company, Kaija whose fish products are widely available in Hungary. So, there is always potential, but it depends on the opportunities business people see in the market. The role of our embassy is to provide the necessary additional support, this is why we are organizing several events for promotion. For instance, at the end of March this year, an economic seminar will be held in Riga with the aim of enhancing our cooperation further,” he adds.

The Ambassador highlights that the embassy – just as he himself – is interested in promoting tourism. “It is because it is not only about business, but also about people-to-people relations, it’s about getting to know each other a bit better. We have organized several trips for Hungarian journalists and tourism operators to Latvia, to explore tourism opportunities and possibilities there. The Hungarian government has policies for opening to the East and to the South. I would suggest for Hungarians to also open to the North regarding tourism. Latvia has 500 kilometers of sandy beaches. We are a safe country and prices are quite friendly by Hungarian standards. We are a green and clean country

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In January 2014, Latvia became the 18th country to replace its national currency with the euro.

With regards to his country’s – and the Latvian people’s – experience with the euro and whether he would recommend it to decision-makers in Hungary, Ambassador Heniņš points out that “in general terms, this decision gave comprehensive stability for the country’s national economy and the financial system. It gives us not only the feeling but also the practical experience that we belong to the core of the EU. If you look at the figures pre-euro and post-euro, one consequence was that our credit rating increased by two levels.

As for the government bond rates, it changed from 3.25% before 2014 to the current 0.71%, which means that over these four years, we saved an amount equivalent to about 0.6% of our GDP. The private sector took advantage of the low interest rate. According to calculations by experts at the Bank of Latvia, introduction of the euro significantly decreased the interest rate for house or apartment purchases (in Latvia this interest rate is about 2.3%, comparing with 6.4 % in Hungary). It significantly reduced interest rates for business deals in the private sector, as well. Banks and private businesses in Latvia have saved EUR 70 million per year due to the fact that there is no need for conversion of currencies.

Investments increased by around 10%, while the rate of unemployment is down around by 10,000.

Joining the euro-zone also eliminated the risks of devaluation. Money transfers to other eurozone countries are faster and cheaper. So, our experience after these four years is definitely positive.”

Retaining the population Emigration to more developed countries within the European Union is not only a Hungarian phenomenon. According to statistics, over 300,000 people have emigrated from Latvia since the year 2000. The Ambassador says “this was characteristic especially during and after the 2008-09 world economic crisis. We really feel the consequences of emigration. First of all, it is about the shortage of the qualified working

force (just like in Hungary). Our government takes this situation seriously, we have a special remigration plan to slow down and reverse this process, but this will take a long time. One impetus for remaining in Latvia would be further improvement of living standards and salary increases. Some experts believe that a monthly salary of EUR 1,000 would be an indicator for people to seriously consider staying instead of moving to Western Europe.”

Cultural relations In March 1997, the Hungarian and Latvian governments signed an agreement in Budapest on cultural, scientific and educational cooperation between the two countries. “Generally speaking, our cultural relations are quite good. The main focus is on music, but, of course, other branches of art are also represented. For example, in 2017, the Latvian chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica gave several concerts with the Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra and they even went on a joint Asian tour! Very soon, they will be in Hungary again as participants of the Budapest Spring Festival, accompanied by Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich. The duo of Latvian pianist Diana Zandberga and Hungarian cellist Ágnes Kállay is also a fruitful cooperation, dating back to 2013, when they interpreted chamber music by Latvian and Hungarian composers.

They will perform at the Embassy’s centennial reception in November this year. Back in 2015, opera singer Elina Garanca performed with the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra and the following year, the Budapest Festival Orchestra went on tour to Riga. Apart from music, the Latvian New Theater also performed in Budapest in 2017 in the framework of the MITEM Festival.

At the exhibition ‘Design without borders’ hosted by the New Budapest Gallery last year, Latvian designer Raimonds Cirulis was an award winner. In late 2017, the Riga Poetic Documentary School participated at the Versio Film Festival here, in Budapest. Just this January, Latvian circus artist Andrejs Fjodorovs received a silver prize at the Budapest International Circus Festival. Finally, it is important to mention the Latvian language teaching activities at the Institute for Baltic and Slavic Languages of Eötvös Loránd University. The embassy’s cooperation with the institute has been long-lasting and always excellent,” Ambassador Vilmārs Heniņš concludes.

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latvian focus

ON THE PATH TO THE NEXT 100 YEARS

and design; artistic, educational, multi-disciplinary interactive projects revealing Latvian identities in the context of regional and global transformations of the 21st century.

The grandest event, undoubtedly, will be the Song and Dance Celebration from June 30 to July 08, 2018 – a tradition since 1873, of the nation coming together once every five years to celebrate its rich and diverse cultural

heritage which goes back thousands of years. During the festival, the entire city of Rīga will become a buzzing stage for music and dance, joy and unity among people, young and old.

On August 11, Latvians will go out into nature to revive the tradition of outdoor dancing parties, so popular with the generation of today’s grandparents. This means vigorous, yet simple dances

accompanied by live performances of local bands, bonfires, singing and socializing. Everyone is included!

Throughout the year, the new building of the National Library of Latvia will be the center of attention. Often called ‘The Castle of Light’, it is home to the nation’s collected wisdom, a lively knowledge center for research, communication and networking.

Therefore, all official guests visiting

Latvia this year, have agreed to bring a book of personal importance to them, to be placed on the People’s Bookshelf, an enormous wall of books on display in the Library’s atrium.

Latvia’s 100th birthday party in November will present a rich and diverse program of events including the annual international festival of light, Staro Rīga, turning the city into a magic wonderland.

festival in September. For adventurous music lovers, there is the city festival ‘Sound Forest’ in October. For more popular music, try the Positivus festival, with 30 000+ visitors last July, the biggest live music event in the Baltics – and also the Summer Sound Festival. Riga is launching its first art biennale – similar to the one in Venice – taking place during

the high-season in many intriguing locations around the city, with more than 70 renowned top class artists.

One of the greatest treasures of Latvia is its organic, untouched nature along with forest food. Although, only around 20% of Hungarians visiting Latvia go there for recreation and leisure activities only, it is highly recommended they get lost in the ‘nature spas’ – the woods.

The forests cover more than 50 % of the country with many of them around the sea, lakes, rivers, and bogs that are naturally accessible and have active tourism services – visitors can rent boats, SUPs, hiking equipment, bog and snow shoes, skis etc. As for forest food, from a Latvian perspective, there is nothing wrong with picking berries and mushrooms (of course, if you recognize them) – in Latvia, it’s almost like a human right. Latvian cuisine honors simple, local and timeless ingredients that have long existed such as birch sap, quince, venison, catfish, rye, and sea buckthorn.

BACK TO NATURE

LATVIA PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TOURISM CHOICE FOR HUNGARIAN VISITORS Last year, there were some 6,000 Hungarian visitors in Latvia. It is not a lot, but the number is constant now and the desire to visit the Baltic country has been slowly growing almost every year, since first gathering statistics, in 1998. More than a half the Hungarian visitors went to Latvia to meet friends or relatives, while the other half is evenly distributed between recreation and business purposes.

What is it that attracts Hungarians in Latvia? The most active months there are from June to September; it is the time when weather is the warmest in Latvia but it simply isn’t as hot as in Hungary. Therefore, tourism experts say, it is an opportunity to spend a vacation by visiting a Hungary-like

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country in the European Union with reasonable prices and ‘natural air conditioning’. The latter is provided by the Baltic Sea whose clear, 500-kmlong and accessible yellow sand beach might not be the warmest, but is the least polluted, populated and calmest coastline tourists can visit during the high-season. It provides an alternative for people from Hungary where there is no sea and the closest shore is that of the Mediterranean with mass tourism and high prices. What people visiting Latvia look for is the opposite – peace and quiet. The political situation is stable, the country is safe, and Latvians are said to be reserved, yet warm and welcoming.

The celebration of Latvia’s Centenary offers a lot of programs but locals say one must also visit Latvia during the

midsummer celebration when the night is just around five hours long and the whole of July and August offers daylight longer than Hungary would ever have!

Apart from the national celebration.

The country offers several large, contemporary cultural and art forums this year such as the ‘White Night’, ‘Survival Kit’ or ‘Cēsis Art festival’, and the famous International Riga Film F E B R U A R Y

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In 2018, Latvia celebrates a hundred years of being an independent state, along with other new nations that emerged after World War I. With festivities at home and all around the world, Latvia presents the best it can offer in culture, lifestyle and innovation.

The Centenary celebrations started in 2017 and will last until 2021, year by year marking centenaries of different stages of Latvia’s path to statehood – from the historic decision of the three ethno-cultural regions, Latgale, Kurzeme and Vidzeme, to unite and strive together for an independent Latvian state, to the actual proclamation of the Republic of Latvia on November 18, 1918. Those who died in the War of Independence of 1919 are commemorated, and the celebrations reach their peak with the anniversary of Latvia’s international – de jure and de facto – recognition in 1921. Local communities, villages and towns are lending a hand in making the celebration a meaningful experience for everyone whose home is Latvia, to lay a solid foundation for the next 100 years.

The entire year of 2018 is a grand cultural adventure – starting with the joint exhibition by 60 museums, hosted by the Latvian National Museum of History, telling the story of Latvia’s century through design, lifestyle, technologies and innovation; exhibitions by the Latvian National Museum of Art, looking into various periods and genres of Latvian art

ZNOTINS/THE LATVIAN INSTITUTE, LATVIA.TRAVEL

LATVIANS CELEBRATE THEIR CENTENARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND BEYOND

latvian focus

THE BALTIC CONNECTION AIRBALTIC OPERATES FLIGHTS TO AND FROM BUDAPEST THREE TIMES A WEEK Latvia’s flag carrier airBaltic looks back on milestones from a past of almost a quarter of a century. The President & CEO of airBaltic, Martin Gauss tells Diplomacy&Trade that much experience has been gained over this period. “Each year brings new milestones for airBaltic to add to its collection. Generally, airBaltic has been recognized to be one of the most innovative, most punctual airlines globally. For years now, it has offered the best connectivity to and from the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.”

Enumerating the most recent milestones, he adds that “in 2016 airBaltic became the global launch operator of the state-of-art Bombardier CS300 aircraft, which has provided the airline increased efficiency and capacity. In 2017, airBaltic set a new record of transported passengers in the airline’s history, carrying more than 3,500,000 passengers. In the first days of 2018, OAG announced that airBaltic has been ranked No. 1 globally in punctuality in 2017 for the third time in the last four years.”

in the Baltics further improving the connectivity of the region with the rest of the world,” he adds. airBaltic is not a member of any airline alliance but does have codeshare agreements with several Star Alliance member airlines and others, as well as cooperation with long-term partner SAS. “airBaltic works with other carriers on both codeshare and interline agreements as they ensure our passengers the best offers in the market for a wider variety of destinations. Such agreements are basically a win-win-win scenario, as they are beneficial for both of the carriers as well as the passengers and we strive for such approach,” the President and CEO points out.

He also says that the main advantage airBaltic offers its passengers flying from/to Budapest is connectivity. airBaltic operates Budapest service three times a week, linking the capital of Hungary with Riga and over 60 more destinations in Europe, Scandinavia, CIS and the Middle East. In the winter 2017/2018 season, among the most popular transfer destinations from Budapest via Riga have been Tallinn, Helsinki, Vilnius and Stockholm.

photos by ANIMALS.LV,

AIRBALTIC

ReShape business plan As a result of the world financial crisis that began in 2008, airBaltic was forced to take serious measures to avoid possible grounding. It was during that period, in 2011, that Martin Gauss stepped in as CEO. He managed to achieve, in Riga, what he did not succeed in doing in Budapest with Malév: he created one of the most successful airlines in the region – and even in Europe. “When I stepped in, it was apparent that the company needed major restructuring. At that time, airBaltic provided a good service to the passengers and offered as many destinations as today but lacked efficiency in many fields. We developed the ReShape business plan to return the airline to profitability. This plan was precisely and successfully executed between 2012 and 2016. Now, we aim to continue the sustainable growth path the airline has taken, in the upcoming years. Becoming the launch operator of the Bombardier CS300 and being the most punctual airline in the world set us off to a very successful start towards even larger growth and development in the future.”

Well-oiled machine Speaking of successes, airBaltic also has a safety rating of 7/7. As regards the ‘behind-the-scene’ work that makes these achievements possible, w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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A state-of-the-art aircraft the President & CEO explains that “when you are the most punctual airline in the world, all of the processes must work like a well-oiled machine.

There are many involved parties that ensure our punctuality reaches our own targets starting from technicians, crew dispatchers and flight crew to our passengers whom we must also thank for a timely boarding of the aircraft. Such successful milestones are achieved by working in a team of highly skilled aviation professionals who, on daily basis, work towards positioning airBaltic as a competitive and innovative airline worldwide.”

Martin Gauss stresses that airBaltic is a hybrid airline taking the best practices from both traditional and ultra-low cost carriers. “In practice, it means that we offer our passengers affordable flights with various ancillary services that can be booked, in addition to a full business class service that is well recognized by our passengers across Europe.”

offers the best connectivity in and out of the Baltic states, and in our case all Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are our home markets. We will continue working on strengthening our positions as the leading airline

Currently, airBaltic is continuing its fleet modernization plan, “we expect to be an all-Bombardier operator by 2021. By that time, airBaltic will have one of the youngest jet fleets in Europe. As of right now, airBaltic fleet consists of 30 aircraft – 7 Bombardier CS300, 11 Boeing 737

and 12 Bombardier Q400Next Gen. CS300 aircraft will replace our Boeings, and, additionally, enable our growth.

Regarding Q400, we will have to decide which aircraft will sit below the CS300.

We can see replacing the 76-seaters with 100-seaters and therefore, the CS100 is the logical decision, but this depends on us fulfilling the business plan,” Martin Gauss says.

In fact, airBaltic was the first airline in the world to operate the Bombardier CS300, one of the world’s most modern aircraft. The President and CEO is glad to highlight that “the Bombardier CS300 has performed beyond the company’s expectations, delivering better overall performance, fuel efficiency and convenience for both staff and the passengers. The fuel economy of CS300 has reached 21%. Bombardier CS300 is a state-ofthe-art aircraft that offers excellent flying experience with benefits for passengers such as wider seats, larger windows, more hand luggage space and improved lavatories, among others. Our customers are happy, and we are happy. It reduces our costs each time we take off and improves the passenger experience, mainly in terms of carry-on baggage.

The cabin air, light and noise levels are different, so the key changes for passengers are inside the aircraft. It flies higher and faster and burns less fuel, so everything changes. Due to the introduction of CS300 aircraft, airBaltic has been able to launch 13 new routes in 2017 and will add at least 8 more destinations in 2018.”

Codeshare and connectivity Even though airBaltic’s main hub is situated in Riga, the airline offers more than 11 direct flights out of the Estonian and Lithuanian capitals (Tallinn and Vilnius), as well. “airBaltic

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business

UNICEO 2018 EUROPEAN CONGRESS IN BUDAPEST FOCUS ON THE THEME ‘LEADING EVENTS TO THE FUTURE’

The United Networks of International Corporate Event Organizers (UNICEO) is an international association that brings together senior decisionmakers in charge of corporate events that represent major companies and associations internationally. The association’s European Congress will take place in the Hungarian capital on June 28-29, 2018.

The congress will be held at the Kempinski Corvinus Hotel where members of the association, from more than 20 countries, will focus on the theme ‘Leading Events to the Future’. The aim of the congress is to strengthen the positioning of UNICEO members as key players in the communication strategy and business development of their companies.

During the event, UNICEO members will have the opportunity to discuss

day-to-day issues, the best practices to be implemented to optimize the effectiveness of their events, and to prepare to successfully tackle the challenges of the sector in a world where how people meet and interconnect is continually changing.

The conferences and debates will specifically focus on three major elements: technological innovations and digital usage, the performance measurement indicators (KPIs) that help evaluate Return on Investment (ROI) and the keys to motivating and engaging participants.

Debora Piovesan, Vice President of the Association, is of the view that "our first international congress is marked by the leadership and collective intelligence needed to calmly address changes in our industry; technological developments and

innovations, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and augmented reality, promise us important changes.

Our congress will therefore be an excellent opportunity for our members to find out more about innovations, to strengthen their knowledge and to share best practices with peers.

Their companies will therefore be able to continue to benefit from the best event communication strategies.

According to the president of UNICEO Hungary, Mónika Mantuano, “it is an honor for Hungary to host UNICEO’s European Congress. For Budapest, this is an extraordinary opportunity to show its potential to senior decision-makers for corporate events. Our Hungarian members will work hard to ensure guests attend a memorable event and select Budapest for their forthcoming events.”

MAKE HIM FEEL SPECIAL

Let us make the world revolve around you.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR MAN LOOK LIKE A MILLION DOLLARS ON VALENTINE’S DAY

‘La festa della innamorati’ will soon be with us again. For the guys, the traditional tokens for your beloved are well established: jewelry, perfumes, flowers and chocolates. But, in this liberated age, what can a lady offer to her beau to make him feel similarly special? Here are a few present ideas to show how much you care.

photo by LÁSZLÓ

TYUKODI/TYUKIFOTO.HU

MONOGRAMMING From fine handkerchiefs to luxury luggage, having his initials embedded on the gift is a thoughtful, personal touch, which he is not likely to forget. Be it a set of handkerchiefs, a wallet or a piece of luxury luggage, every time he uses the gift, he will remember who gave it to him.

PERSONALIZED STATIONARY In the fast world of e-communication, a handwritten message penned on your own writing paper is a charming and elegant way to correspond with friends. Creating a matching set of envelopes and paper is a unique process, which creates a story around the gift, itself. From paper qualities and colors to the graphic style, the possibilities are endless.

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expressly for him is the best way to go.

A timeless present, which transcends the shallow consumerism of modern life, created in collaboration with the chosen craftsman. Ties, shoes, gloves, shirts and suits of high international standards are all available, on order, in Budapest.

CREATING A SCENT FOR HIM While commissioning his own perfume from scratch is certainly an extraordinary idea, it is not possible without him being present, and will probably cost a small fortune. However, a few of the best perfumeries in the city offer personalized services where different scents can be combined, in the form of perfumes, diffusers or candles. Masculine and discreet are the accents to look for. Given enough care and skill, the creation of an individual scent says more than words. The memory of smell is one of our strongest emotions, he will never forget you.

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australia

DISTANCE MATTERS VERY LITTLE

Free trade The proposed free trade agreement between Australia and the European Union was one of the most important subjects discussed.

“I had dinner last night with a number of Hungarian businesses as well as some Australian companies operating here in Hungary. There is a high level of interest.

Let's keep in mind that there is a very large diaspora of Hungarians in Australia: 7275,000 people of Hungarian origin. These are people who now call Australia home but still retain very strong ties, of course, back to Hungary,” the Minister said.

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He added that the European Union is Australia’s second biggest trading partner. “If we take aggregate figures, two-way trade volumes reach about AUD 100 billion. The EU is also Australia’s single largest source of inward investment, valued at just over AUD one trillion. Australian investment into Europe is valued at just over AUD 600 billion. So, there is already a broad and deep trade and investment relationship with Europe. I think, though, that what we can certainly achieve with an EU-Australia free trade agreement is the further broadening of this trade relationship. It is frustrating for me that we face unfortunate legacy issues as a consequence of an outdated trade deal concluded decades ago between Australia and Europe. For instance, Australia today imports more agriculture product from Europe with its population of 25 million than Europe does from Australia with its population of 500 million people. This also demonstrates any concerns that a free trade deal with Australia might see European markets swamped with Australian agricultural products are completely unfounded. Australia is unable to even meet demand for its agricultural products from Asia. So, there is simply no way for a mass intrusion of agricultural products from Australia to Europe. Aside from agriculture, the real opportunities from an Australia-EU FTA lie in investment facilitation.

Fast growing, competitive economies like Hungary recognize the future prosperity to be built from businesses dealing with each other - and that is what the FTA would facilitate.”

Distance is no obstacle

Attractive Australia

As for areas of greatest opportunity for development of bilateral relations given the obvious geographic distance between Australia and Hungary, Steven Ciobo explained that “increasingly, geographic distance is becoming less and less important.

In the digital world, geographic distance matters very little for trade in goods and services. I think there are opportunities in several areas: Hungary has a very strong global reputation for high quality when it comes to the automotive industry or when it comes to information and communication technology. I believe Australia can share and collaborate with Hungarian businesses in these sectors and, indeed, this was a focus of our V4 discussion. One of the real opportunities for many Hungarian businesses comes from the fact Hungary has enjoyed strong economic growth in recent years.

As these businesses look to new markets, there is opportunity to use Australia as a launching pad into Asia, which is the fastest growing region globally. My country is very well positioned because we have perhaps the best access in the world to markets like China, Japan or South Korea. Australia has low sovereign risk, it is politically stable, boasts mature capital markets and enjoys a robust legal system. All of these provide confidence for foreign companies interested in the Australian market and as a base when reaching into Asia.”

Australian cities enjoy a positive reputation internationally. For instance, Melbourne has been voted as the most livable city and is ranked as the top Australian city for conferences and conventions. On Australia’s ‘secret for success’, Minister Ciobo emphasized Australia’s way of life and open, tolerant culture. “As people, we are internationally known to be quite relaxed, frequently quite direct and we adopt what we call a ‘no worries’ approach to life. In terms of city planning, in terms of public amenities, in terms of the lifestyle people enjoy, there is a high level of sophisticated policy development to ensure Australian cities are livable. Quality urban infrastructure, including high quality telecommunications are things that matter to people. In addition, the Australian lifestyle suits the outdoors. We are not typically burdened with extreme cold or extreme heat.

This lends itself to a more relaxed lifestyle.”

He also stressed that Australians are particularly committed to environmental sustainability.

“Australia is reducing its CO2 output by more than 50% on a per capita basis to ensure we support environmental goals. Australia is such a big country, it really is varied and diversified.

For example, far north Queensland and cities like Cairns, are ecologically and climatically very different to Tasmania in Australia’s South.

While ecologically and climatically diverse, Australians are united and committed to ensuring Australia remains a great place to live in as sustainable a way as possible.”

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The Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon Steven Ciobo MP paid an official visit to Hungary in the middle of January, conducting bilateral talks with Hungarian officials and participating in a meeting of trade ministers from the countries of the Visegrád Group (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – the V4) and Australia. In an exclusive interview with Diplomacy&Trade, Minister Ciobo highlighted after the talks that “the first ministerial-level meeting between the four countries of the Visegrád Four Group and Australia facilitated a dynamic discussion on a broad range of topics spanning trade, tourism and investment. The mutual benefits to accrue to Australia and the countries of the V4 through the conclusion of an Australia-EU Free Trade Agreement was substantively discussed, as was the opportunity for greater R&D collaboration.

We also shared views on migration policy as well as approaches to managing irregular migration by asylum-seekers. I welcomed the chance to highlight the opportunities that exist for Hungarian and other V4 investment and business activity in Australia – a country now proudly into its 26th year of uninterrupted economic growth, with close links into Asia and home to a large V4 diaspora. Conversely, I was impressed by the terrific opportunities in V4 countries for Australian businesses looking to access the European market”.

Minister Ciobo emphasized that he came to Budapest at the invitation of the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade who visited Australia in 2017. “My visit to Budapest also follows a visit to Hungary by Australia’s Governor-General in September last year.

Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs is also proposing a visit to Hungary in 2018. So, we have seen a real increase in the number of high-level visits between our two countries.

I was particularly grateful that all four V4 trade/economic Ministers came together to meet with me here in Budapest. This provided a chance to emphasize how much we share in terms of heritage, given the sizeable V4 diaspora in Australia, as well as our shared outlook on the importance of liberalizing trade and investment globally. We were able to reflect on the fact that more open trade drives economic growth and creates more jobs. So, I was talking about those issues, as well.”

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AUSTRALIA COULD BE A STEPPING STONE FOR HUNGARIAN FIRMS TO ASIA

australia

A BRIDGE TO AUSTRALIA

THE FLAG CARRIER AIRLINE OF SINGAPORE OFFERS COMFORT AND CULINARY SUSTAINABILITY Singapore Airlines is the air carrier with one of the largest capacities between Europe and the Fifth Continent. Altogether, the airliner flies to six cities (Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney) in Australia.

In fact, Singapore Airlines is the first international airline to operate regularly scheduled international flights to and from the capital, Canberra. September 21, 2016 was a big day in the life of Canberra Airport. Crowds looked on as the terminal erupted into applause when a new Singapore Airlines service, flight SQ291, touched down on the tarmac. The new ‘Capital Express’ route began to provide Australia’s capital with two direct international destination options: Singapore and the capital of New Zealand, Wellington. It is, in fact, a SingaporeWellington flight with a stopover in Canberra. Singapore Airlines is also the first airline with flights between Canberra and Wellington.

According to the airline, flights are operated with 266-seat Boeing 777200 aircraft fitted with 38 Business Class seats and 228 Economy Class seats. Singapore Airlines’ network in Australia and New Zealand is further enhanced through its extensive partnerships with Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand.

we continue to provide them an unparalleled travel experience. The significant investment demonstrates our long-term approach to ensure we continue to lead the industry, and our confidence in the future of premium full-service air travel.”

Sustainability practices

photos by SINGAPORE

AIRLINES

To Sydney in more comfort The latest Australia-related news from Singapore Airlines was dated in December, 2017 when the airliner received its latest Airbus A380 aircraft fitted with all-new cabin products from the Airbus Delivery Center in Toulouse, France. It was put into scheduled service between Singapore and Sydney on December 18. The entry into service of Singapore Airlines’ newest A380 aircraft, equipped with the new seats and in-flight entertainment system, was the outcome of four years of extensive product development, reaffirming the airline’s commitment to product innovation and leadership.

The new cabin products will be initially fitted to five new A380s being acquired from Airbus, following which retrofit work will commence on 14 aircraft that are already in service. Singapore Airlines’ new A380s will be fitted with 471 seats in four classes, with six in Suites, 78 in Business Class, 44 in Premium Economy Class and 343 in Economy Class. In addition to Sydney, the airline’s A380s serve Auckland, Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, New Delhi, New York, Osaka, Shanghai and Zurich. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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ROUTE CHANGES FROM MAY 3

The aircraft has six suites tucked into the front cabin of the upper deck, and they are more akin to five-star hotel digs than airline seats. Singapore Airlines describes them as a ‘personal oasis complete with lavish furnishing and finishes’. Each suite is furnished with a separate full-flat bed with adjustable recline and plush leather chair, enabling customers to lounge comfortably in the chair or rest in bed without the need to convert the bed from a sitting position. For couples travelling together, the beds in the first two suites of each aisle can be converted to form a double bed. When not in use, the bed can be stowed completely, creating even more personal space within each suite.

Each seat is upholstered by worldrenowned Poltrona Frau in fine leather, and is fully adjustable using an electronic control side panel

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Singapore Airlines announced this January that it will introduce a new service that will connect Singapore and Melbourne to New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. The new service will be introduced as part of a restructuring of existing Singapore-Canberra-Wellington flights, which will see the Canberra-Wellington flights de-linked and Canberra served via Sydney on a daily basis, up from the existing four times per week. According to the airline's press statement, the new SingaporeMelbourne-Wellington service will be operated four times per week as SQ247 starting May 3, 2018. Return services will be operated as SQ248 on a WellingtonMelbourne-Singapore routing.“We have seen growth in international travel into and from both Canberra and Wellington since the launch of our new services in 2016.

These new routings will allow us to serve Canberra and Wellington better, and provide Canberra with a step-up in frequency,” Singapore Airlines Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Tan Kai Ping said.

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which can accommodate a variety of sitting and lounging positions.

Each suite also has a 32-inch full HD monitor that can swivel for the different viewing angles in seat and bed modes, a full-sized personal wardrobe, customized handbag stowage compartment, amenity box lined with soft leather, specially designed carpet and a feature wall with mood lighting – ‘all exquisitely crafted to give a touch of luxury and intimacy’.

The newly fitted A380 features a more comfortable business class, as well.

The seats in this class are 25 inches in width, with two side wings for support.

They can be reclined into a 78-inch full-flat bed and customers may also stretch out fully in a ‘sun deck’ position to watch movies on an 18-inch monitor.

There are improvements, too, for those on a budget: with premium economy passengers treated to active noise-cancelling headphones, leather seats and more stowage space for personal items. Economy passengers, meanwhile, will sit in Recaro seats that offer more space and greater comfort through an improved design.

As Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong highlighted, “the Airbus A380 is a favorite among our customers and we are especially proud to be taking the travel experience to the next level with our new cabin products. The new products are being introduced after four years of development work and we are confident they will truly ‘wow’ our customers, ensuring that

In October 2017, Singapore Airlines committed to significantly enhancing sustainability practices in its in-flight food and beverage offerings. Under the new initiative, a ‘From Farm to Plane’ concept is introduced to promote environmental sustainability and support local farmers’ communities.

Efforts in Singapore Airlines’ sustainability strategy already included using fish from fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council for their sustainable fishing practices, and obtaining produce from local farms in countries the Airline serves.

With the ‘From Farm to Plane’ concept, Singapore Airlines intends to use more sustainable and meatless ingredients, as well as local produce, in its inflight meals. The Airline works with partners overseas and in Singapore to source for such ingredients.

In addition, Singapore Airlines’ International Culinary Panel (ICP) of world-renowned chefs will create inflight menus using more sustainable ingredients and local produce from farms at the Airline’s destinations, such as cherry tomatoes, pumpkins, green beans and lettuce. The new menus, first introduced to Suites customers on selected routes, are progressively made available to customers travelling in other classes.

The enhanced sustainability plan for Singapore Airlines’ food & beverage offerings was unveiled at its World Gourmet Forum in Singapore. All eight ICP Chefs were present to share how they are using local produce in their meal creations. Singapore Airlines’ Wine Consultants were also at the event to introduce an organic French Shiraz wine made available to Business Class customers on selected flights from early 2018.

According to Singapore Airlines’ Senior Vice President Product & Services, Marvin Tan, “our food and beverage sustainability efforts will further demonstrate and reinforce Singapore Airlines’ ongoing efforts to help reduce our carbon footprint and ensure a greener environment.

While we continue to deliver a quality in-flight dining experience, we would also like our customers to know that we are playing our part in ensuring sustainability.”

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australia

AUSTRALIAN HOSPITALITY IN HUNGARY ADINA APARTMENT HOTEL BUDAPEST HAS A HISTORY OF TWO DECADES

The Adina Apartment Hotel is also well-known in the world of movie projects. Budapest is well known internationally as a venue for shooting movies. “We have had contacts for many years now with a couple of big companies that organize these projects and they house their international staff in the Adina Apartment Hotel. Our sales activities are built with these opportunities taken into account. So, it is not only our website that provides information on who we are and what we have to offer but also our satisfied clientele,” the Hotel Manager points out.

Adina from Australia

building going on, so people are familiar with the name,” Angéla Gergye notes. The Adina Apartment Hotels are currently located in 21 destinations in Australia and 11 in Europe (nine in Germany and one each in Copenhagen, Denmark and Budapest).

a private residence. We even have a huge garden and a pool, a fitness facility with jacuzzi and sauna/steam cabin – these are things that even many hotels could be proud to boast.” She also says that the size of the facility – 97 apartments – is still one “in which we do not lose touch with our guests; we maintain personal contact. It feels good to read the feedback from people who say they felt at home here. I believe one could much more easily achieve a comfortable, extended stay with the milieu and the staff we have here.”

Feels like at home It is a worldwide trend for hotel chains to create their own apartment hotels. Ms. Gergye says, in the case of four- and five-star hotels, it is the hotel service they provide that is the main profile and – building on this – they created their apartment segment.

“The Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest does not have this hotel background – like in the case of many similar apartment hotels. However, the TFE hotel chain it belongs to does have hotel brands like Vibe Hotels or the Travelodge Hotels in Australia and New Zealand. There are people who deliberately look for a hotels and the services they offer. This Budapest apartment hotel does not have all those services (like that of bell boy or restaurants) but those who once try this apartment hotel will like it because there is much more living space. The sizes of the apartments in our facility range from 30 to 90 square meters and those who stay here have a washing machine, a fully-equipped kitchen, etc. at their disposal, so, they can live here as if they were at home. All this comes with a services they would have to take care of by themselves in

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Favorable location Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest is in an excellent location between the Váci corridor (with many SSCs and other companies) and downtown Budapest. “For us, the corporate segment is the most important and they appreciate our location.

It is true that a lot of large companies have moved into this area of Budapest in the past years and many of them tend to have relocated staff who stay with us,” Angéla Gergye explains. She adds that it is part of the four-star level service that “we provide a buffet breakfast and there are several conference rooms in the building – two 100-sqm and one of 64 sqm – suitable for holding smaller conferences where we also take care of the catering. Even some apartments are used as venues for small group training sessions.”

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HARANGOZÓ, LÁSZLÓ TYUKODI/TYUKIFOTO.HU

Regarding the Australian background of the facility in Budapest, Adina Apartment Hotels is a brand of Toga Far East Hotels (TFE Hotels), a joint venture of the Toga Group in Sydney and Far East Hospitality Holdings in Singapore. TFE is currently the fourth largest hotel operator in Australia with over 50 years of experience in investment, development, design and hotel management. “It helps us that the Adina chain reflects a laid-back Australian lifestyle that is spreading in Europe (especially in Germany), there is a strong brand

photos by DÁVID

“The apartment hotel in the Hungarian capital’s District 13 was established in 1997, so we are already well-known on the market in Hungary as well as abroad,” the Manager of the Adina Apartment Hotel Budapest, Angéla Gergye tells Diplomacy&Trade. She adds that, “we represent a sort of mix clientele: we have corporate guests, businesspeople who just spend one or two nights here and, at the same time, from the same company, we have guests who might live here for weeks or months.

They deliberately choose the Adina when they are here – obviously because they like the place. We have well-established contacts with relocation companies that bring over people from abroad. These people usually stay with us while finding a permanent place to live but our experience is that quite a few of them get to like it here and choose to stay in the Adina Apartment Hotel for the duration of their work in this country. They like it here because there are services available (cleaning, spa facilities, breakfast buffet, technical background, etc.) here that they would have to take02. care by Diplomacy-n-Trade.ai 1 2017.

27. of 11:22:30 themselves if they lived in a rented apartment.”

diplomacy

STABILITY, SECURITY AND SOLIDARITY PRIORITIES OF THE BULGARIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

BY THE BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY, ULYANA SIMEONOVA BOGDANSKA

On January 1, 2018, a decade after its accession to the EU, Bulgaria tооk over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time.

For our country, it is a great honor, but a great responsibility, too.

For six months, Bulgaria will be the main driving force for the tasks on the agenda of the Union; it will perform the functions of an honest mediator, a political leader, a representative and a coordinator. We are prepared for this, we realize it will not be easy, but we know what we want to achieve and we can do it. Our goal is to respond to the real needs of European citizens and turn challenges into opportunities.

The three pillars of our Presidency program are stability, security and solidarity. We plan to achieve these goals by implementing three key principles: consensus, competitiveness, cohesion. We'll work on four main strands: (1) economic growth, social cohesion and youth; (2) security and stability for a stronger and united Europe; (3) the European perspective of the Western Balkans; (4) the digital economy and skills of the future.

Focus on the Western Balkans

photos by PLAMEN

STOIMENOV/EU2018BG

To all this, I would like to add our Presidency motto: ‘United We Stand Strong’. It conveys the message that, in everything we do, we will seek to protect and strengthen European unity.

For Bulgaria, as a Balkan country, the future of the Western Balkans is naturally very important. But let me tell you why it should be important for all of us. There are at least three reasons: • Firstly, it is high time to turn our attention back to our neighbors.

Over the past decade, Europe has been hit by consecutive crises.

This has meant that we have been focused on solving our own problems rather than reaching out to those around us. As a result, many of our partners, and especially those in the Western Balkans, have lost hope that their European perspective is realistic. They have even started looking for growth and development opportunities elsewhere.

• Secondly, now, more than ever, Europe needs to be united. With one of our member states about to leave the EU, and global challenges of increasing frequency and scope, our only chance of moving forward depends on our playing together as a team. We have already said that this team has a few reserve members. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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and four already in trilogues with the European Parliament – the European Asylum Agency, the Qualification Regulation, the Eurodac Regulation and the Resettlement Directive. We are determined to invest our efforts in moving these dossiers forward.

Our Presidency will look for creative solutions to make sure that we move forward together as a union, strengthening friendships rather than breaking existing relationships.

In the area of security, it is a priority for us to improve the interoperability of the EU's information systems and databases. Threats are becoming ever more complex and transnational.

Member states, therefore, need to work together and share information to ensure the safety and security of citizens across the European Union.

Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the EU’s defense pact will need to be made operational.

Why not start training them now, so that they can be an effective part of the A-team once they join the game?

To that end, we are organizing a summit between the EU leaders and the leaders of the Western Balkan countries, in Sofia, on May 17, 2018.

• Thirdly, Bulgaria joined the EU only a decade ago. We have very recent memories of what being a candidate country feels like. We therefore believe that we can be a bridge between the Western Balkans and the EU. A bridge that goes both ways – bringing the EU's messages to the Western Balkans and ensuring that they deliver on the EU's demands.

Let me make this very clear: Bulgaria does not want to raise unrealistic expectations. But we need to be frank with the Western Balkan countries, talk about existing problems and come up with ways to tackle them. Some of our Western Balkan friends are more advanced in the accession process, others – less so. The EU needs to work with all of them to help them move forward, for the benefit of us all.

Other priorities ECONOMIC GROWTH, SOCIAL COHESION AND YOUTH Under this heading, we will work on the policies that provide the foundations of the EU's wellbeing and prosperity.

To boost economic growth, the Bulgarian Presidency will work

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towards strengthening the Economic and Monetary Union. We will prepare the debate on the next Multiannual Financial Framework ahead of the Commission's proposal in May, gather ideas about the future cohesion policy post-2020, and steer the debate on how to modernize and simplify the common agricultural policy after 2020.

Some of these topics have been discussed many times within the Council. Sometimes member states have expressed divergent views. We believe that even when it comes to the most controversial topics, we must stand united to be able to succeed.

This is particularly relevant when it comes to the EU budget and the future of major spending policies like cohesion and agriculture. Our Presidency will work hard to find common ground between our member states, so we can prove that we can hold together even when we have differences.

'future of work' lies in identifying the right skills for the new jobs, and in improving the planning and interaction of policies in the area of education, training and employment, with an emphasis on youth employment and 21st century skills.

SECURITY AND STABILITY IN A STRONG AND UNITED EUROPE The focus of our work in this area will be the reform of the common European asylum system. Four Presidencies before us have worked on this topic.

There are two dossiers which need the agreement of member states in the Council – the Dublin Regulation and the Asylum Procedure Regulation,

FOCUS ON TOPICS THAT MATTER So, what is the main takeaway from this list? We will focus on topics that matter to all our citizens: creating more jobs, further improving the quality of life in Europe, making sure that our borders are well-protected and guaranteeing that our people have the digital skills that the digital economy requires. We will look for solutions that unite, no matter how challenging this may be at times.

There is a lot of work ahead of us.

I hope we will do it in the best way possible, following on from the good work done by the Estonian Presidency and setting the stage for the succeeding Austrian Presidency. Because only united can we stand strong.

DIGITAL ECONOMY AND SKILLS OF THE FUTURE There is no doubt about it – our future is digital and we all need to adapt to the new realities (hopefully, not yet purely virtual!). However, research data show that in certain aspects, Europe is still lagging behind its competitors.

This is why we must, without further delay, complete the work on the Digital Single Market as a source for growth and competitiveness in Europe.

For the Bulgarian Presidency, the

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­­analysis

A MEDIOCRE PERFORMANCE…

…BY AN OUTSIZE PERSONALITY: FIRST YEAR OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY

2018 may be decisive

Campaign promises It should not come as a surprise that Donald J. Trump has not made good on all his campaign trail promises – no president ever has, for that matter.

However, he has done quite a lot, no matter whether one agrees with his decisions or not. Overall, he has adopted a somewhat traditional (neo) liberal approach to economic matters: deregulation, tax cut, and steps to push back some ’big state’ or welfare state measures such as the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). At the same time, he has increased the budget of the Department of Defense (DoD); so far, his policies in this field may even be termed ’pure Reaganomics’.

Moreover, the economy is booming: 1.8 million jobs have been created since December 2016, median income has risen by 1.3%, while the stock exchange index has gone up by 20% since he took office. Donald J. Trump’s career, so far follows the trajectory of the ’Great Communicator’s’: he is at the right place at the right time, and while one may dispute the President’s claim that the good economic figures are attributable to his ’genius,’ the facts (and these are ’real’ facts) speak for themselves. Of course, the big question is how the economy, and the lives of the great majority of the American people, will be affected by the tax cuts (the most dramatic one being the

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corporate tax cut), the promised huge infrastructural investments, as well as preferring bilateral trade agreements instead of multilateral ones (and renegotiating, among others, NAFTA).

For a merit system

Immigration reform has also been one of the central promises of the Trump campaign. The President has done what he is constitutionally allowed, that is, reverse executive orders issued

by Barack Obama in this question; right now, the challenge is to deal with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) before early March, as well as to enact a comprehensive – and bipartisan – immigration reform act.

Despite the harsh rhetoric during the campaign, Donald J. Trump now seems

to be willing to compromise on these issues; in general, he indicates that he wishes to see the introduction of a merit system, which exists in a number of countries. A bipartisan immigration bill (or infrastructure bill) seems to be an uphill battle, considering 2018 is a congressional election year and political posturing on both sides will likely be more extreme than usual. In other words, for instance, very few Democrats who are running for reelection, especially in the so-called marginal seats, will be willing to cooperate with the Republicans on any questions.

Foreign policy President Trump has not really upset the international apple cart, either. He ’forgot’ his wild promises to ’punish’ F E B R U A R Y

the Chinese and others whom he held responsible for the high American current account deficits and has not done anything that would disrupt international trade or finances. It is true that he put the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) on the back burner, but neither of these proposed multilateral agreements enjoyed universal support. In reality, he did not risk losing too much support in the U.S. by taking the country out of the climate change treaties or such UNorganizations as the UNESCO. Many Americans see the former as a tool to make the U.S. less competitive and the emerging countries, and economic competitors, more competitive, 2 0 1 8

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In general, the position of the U.S. has not changed that much in the past year or so. The regrouping of the U.S. resources started under Barack Obama continued. The Trump administration has cut losses in the Middle East, and seems to be demanding a real burden sharing with the allies – this issue, by the way, has been on the agenda of NATO since the early 1950s. The most challenging relations currently is with the Russians. The President has boxed himself into a corner; he cannot make any gestures toward Moscow á la George W. Bush (”I looked into his eyes…”) or Barack Obama (reset) because of the presumed interference of the Russians in the presidential election; on the other hand, adopting a tougher line against Vladimir Putin would be counterproductive in a number of fields, from nonproliferation through counter-terrorist measures to settlement of the Syrian crisis. The wait-and-see game cannot be pursued indefinitely; the conclusion of the Mueller-investigation may as well put an end to this stasis in the bilateral relations. Things may change in 2018 in this respect, and in domestic affairs, as a result of the congressional elections in November.

Donald J. Trump is constrained in his action by the strong opposition on Capitol Hill and the bulk of the media; if the Democrats win either or both of the Houses in the upcoming elections, Donald J. Trump may become a lame-duck president for the latter half of his (first) term in the White House. It may seem to be an exaggeration now, but he may look back to his first years as President with some nostalgia.

Tamás Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

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WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY ANDREA HANKS

The worst fears about the Trump presidency have not materialized, yet. The high expectations by other quarters have not been fulfilled, either. Aside from the verbal antics of Donald J. Trump, no grave mistake has been committed by the 46th President of the U.S. in his first year in office. No matter whether it is because of the prudent and experienced advisers around him, or his gut feelings, the balance sheet is not that bad, at all. It is true that there were some low points in President Trump’s first few months in office, and at least one of them, the firing of FBI Director James Comey may come back to haunt him – in an extreme case, even outside of the White House. Hopefully for the U.S., Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller’s investigation will be concluded in the near future, and if it exonerates the President from any wrongdoing during the campaign and in the White House, attention and efforts can be turned to such outstanding issues as immigration reform and infrastructure development – two long-overdue issues facing the political elite on both sides of the aisle. If, however, Donald J. Trump is found to have violated the law, the country is bound to enter into another national ’nightmare’ similar to the one in the early 1970s.

while the UN is not among the most favored international organizations, either for the average Americans.

At first sight, the announcement to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem seemed to be a real ’bombshell’. Nevertheless, after the initial – and expected – Palestinian response and a routine condemnation by a number of countries, the Middle East situation has not deteriorated recently. Some commentators worry about the prospect of the peace process in the region, while others are wondering whether there is a ’peace process’ at all now (or has been in the past few years) in the region. With regard to the ongoing missile crisis with North Korea, again, the situation can best be described as plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose; the only difference is that Donald J. Trump has demeaned the office of the President of the U.S. by getting into a shouting match with the Korean dictator.

photo by OFFICIAL

BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

italy at sirha 2018

PRESENTING THE SOUTH OF ITALY ITALIAN TRADE AGENCY ORGANIZES PARTICIPATION AT SIRHA BUDAPEST 2018

The Sirha Budapest premium international HoReCa and Retail show welcomes professionals and others interested at the HUNGEXPO Budapest Fair Center this February. The largest community stand at the event will be occupied by Italy. The participation of Italian companies is organized by the Budapest Office of the Italian Trade Agency (ICE-Agenzia). The Agency’s promotional activities include participation at the most important fairs in different sectors where Italian companies are given the opportunity to present themselves as exhibitors. The Director of the Budapest Office, Dr. Marco Bulf, explains to Diplomacy&Trade how Sirha 2018 fits into this effort.

More visibility “The participation at the exhibition is also important because the food industry is one of the most significant branches of Italian exports to Hungary. SIRHA provides a very good opportunity to serve the purpose of further increasing these exports,” he says. Currently, Italy is Hungary's fourth largest trading partner. According to the latest estimates, the volume of bilateral trade amounted to around EUR 9.5 billion in 2017. Hungarian imports of Italian food and beverage products increased significantly from 2016 to 2017, reaching EUR 330 million.

“It is a significant figure that follows the positive trend of the Italian-

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Hungarian trade relations. Our aim is to give more emphasis and more visibility to this growth through our promotional activities. Compared to the past when Hungarian consumers were not likely to distinguish among the various products of the Italian regions, nowadays, we see an increased demand for specific regional products, which is due first of all to Italy’s greater recognition as a tourist destination. Italy is the country with the largest diversity and number of typical products and geographical indications. We are striving to help Italian companies to valorize this diversity and this richness.

One of our main goals is to make it possible for Italian companies to meet with appropriate partners, that is, Hungarian buyers and importers because it is important for the latter to meet the producers directly. However, it is not only about them. The presence of the large retailers is also important so that they get to know these Italian

producers. I hope that the contacts and the meetings with the potential partners can be further deepened, leading to import and distribution agreements on the Hungarian market,” the Director highlights.

Presenting the South At Sirha 2018, the Italian Trade Agency will organize a gastronomy seminar, with the participation of the worldrenowned food critic, Luigi Cremona, to present the foodstuff from five southern Italian regions: Basilicata, Puglia, Calabria, Campania and Sicily – products used in the cuisine of these areas. Marco Bulf points out that “we are considering the five regions that receive the most support from the Italian government. In Southern Italy there are thousands of PMI with an important background in the production of products of excellence.

These five regions are high quality wine producers. It is proven by surveys worldwide that the Italian cuisine is F E B R U A R Y

the most appreciated. It is because it can create the widest range of dishes. We thought of inviting Luigi Cremona as he is one of the best eno-gastronomic critics to present these southern Italian products”.

On the first day of the exhibition and fair, February 7, Luigi Cremona will hold a workshop where the products of the invited Italian companies will also be presented. In the evening, the Italian Trade Agency will organize a dinner gala at the Boscolo Hotel for professional experts, where Luigi Cremona will be present among the representatives of media organizations as well as the buyers and importers. The Chef of the evening will be the Michelin-star Chef Giuseppe Guida who will prepare a five course dinner presenting a specialty of each southern region.

Regional attendance Sirha 2018 is going to be a crossborder exhibition attended by 2 0 1 8

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participants and visitors from the neighboring countries. Marco Bulf mentions that “the Italian Trade Agency is the governmental organization that supports the business development of the Italian companies in all five continents with some 70 offices. So, we invited delegations, organized

by ICE, from Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Albania, Poland and Ukraine. Altogether, we expect some 40 buyers and market players to be present at the exhibition. The objective is that they also get to know Italian companies that we have invited to Hungary.”

In January this year the founder of the Bocuse d’Or competition, Paul Bocuse died at the age of 91. The European final of this gastronomy competition was in Budapest during SIRHA 2016 and the next edition will be hosted in Turin in 2018. Marco Bulf says this event is another very good opportunity to give another impetus to Italian exports towards the world.

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photo by DÁVID

“This event is Hungary’s most important food exhibition and fair, therefore, we consider it absolutely necessary to participate with a group of Italian companies. Through Piano Export Sud II – a special Government Export Plan, part of the EU Convergence Program – firms from Southern Italy will have the chance to present their typical products such as olio d’oliva, pasta, wine, special cakes and coffee, which I believe will be appreciated by Hungarian operators and consumers. We participated at the previous Sirha fair here in 2016, with positive feedback both from Italian firms and Hungarian buyers/ importers following the event.” Italy took part at the exhibition with the largest group of firms in a 250-squaremeter stand. Marco Bulf stresses that “as a result of the positive feedback, we decided to organize participation of Italian companies for the 2018 event, increasing our presence: 20 firms on 350 square meters.”

HARANGOZÓ

Positive feedback

italy at sirha 2018 BENVENUTI AL SUD! SOUTHERN ITALY AT SIRHA BUDAPEST 2018

The Italian Foreign Trade Agency (ICE) is preparing for exhibition a variety of gastronomic offerings from Southern Italy at the SIRHA Budapest food industry exhibition and fair. The Italian collective stand will feature food specialties from Campania, Calabria, Sicily and Puglia.

The variety of food presented by the exhibitors is due to the rich history and traditions of the various provinces. Perhaps, there is no other place in the world like the southern regions of Italy that have such a thrilling past: Greeks, Phoenicians, Etruscans, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines, Normans, French, Spaniards, Turks and Venetians conquered not only the people but also their gastronomic culture.

Coming to SIRHA Budapest from among the well-known Italian pasta makers of Calabria is Astorino Pasta, which prepares typical regional products in the agrarian region of Crotone.

The Province of Campania will be

EXHIBITORS

STAND NO.

ASTORINO PASTA

F21/3

AZIENDA AGRICOLA POGGIO CASTELLO DI MICHELE RICCOBONO

F21/6

CAMPO D'ORO VILLA REALE SICILIA

F21/5

CONSORZIO CHIARAMONTE

G21/9-10

DO.DA.CO. SRL

G21/1

FILIERA MADEO

F13/13

GARGANO SAPORI

F13/17

LA FABBRICA DELLA PASTA DI GRAGNANO SRL

F13/15

LATTERIA VESUVIANA

G21/2

MADE FRUIT SRL

F13/16

MASIELLO FOOD

F13/12

PALERMO GIOVANNI BRUCHICELLO

F21/8

SILARUS SRL ITALIAN FOOD SPECIALTIES

F21/4

TIPICO FROZEN FOOD

F21/7

ZAPPALÀ S.P.A.

F13/14

represented by the artisan pasta maker company La Fabbrica della Pasta di Gragnano, which cherishes 500 years of tradition, from Gragnano, a town which faces the Vesuvius volcano. Also from this region is the Latteria Vesuviana cheese factory, which produces dairy products by craft processing in the Vesuvius National Park. Of course, there will be no lack of olive oil at the Italian stands. One of the exhibitors, Michele Riccobono cultivates organic farming with his family in Poggio Castello, Sicily. Additional olive oil producers will offer their products at the Consorzio Chiaramonte stand.

The Sicilian Campo d'Oro Villa Reale Sicilia has been producing a wide range of typical preserves, appetizers, sauces, pies, jams and sweet creams for more than 30 years. Winemaker Giovanni Palermo cultivates grapes in Salaparuta on five hectares of land and brings his Bruchicello Salaparuta DOC (Protected Designation of Origin) wine to the fair. The aim of the consortium, born at the initiative of oil and wine producers, restaurant and hotel owners, is to introduce the excellence of local gastronomy to everyone.

Besides handicraft producers, of course, larger companies are also represented. The Zappalà S.p.A. is one of the most important Italian dairy product manufacturers, in the market of suppliers for hotels and the catering industry. This is the second time that Silarus takes part at this trade fair, to offer almost all typical Italian food items. It sells excellent products that are appreciated all over the world, such as pasta, olive oil, tomatoes, salami, cheeses, dairy products, truffles, coffee and desserts. The Filiera Madeo meat company specializes in the production of calabrese salami

and its products are made from native black pigs. Tipico Frozen Naples manufactures and markets deepfrozen, handicraft gastronomic and confectionery products, mainly for restaurants and hotels. Sicilian Made Fruit specializes in the production of fructose, syrups and fruit concentrates, mainly for confectionery. The company Do.Da.Co. Srl produces purees sold in flexible doypack or cheerpack packaging, as well as smoothie, fruit and vegetable nectars and juices for own-brand manufacturers or distributors. The Gargan'ok handicraft firm produces liqueurs, pasta, confectionery, jams and tarallit (tiny salt bristles) to the lovers of Puglia culinary traditions. Masiello Food, also from Puglia, offers a wide range of canned vegetables and olives.

The stand of the Italian Trade Agency will feature tastings and presentations during the exhibition. Those more seriously interested in this topic will have the opportunity, at 14:30, on February 7, to listen to the lecture ‘Benvenuti al Sud!’ by the renowned Italian critic, writer and culinary expert, Luigi Cremona where the audience will get to know the food culture and specialty foods of the provinces of Campania, Calabria, Sicily, Puglia and Basilicata.

VENUE Hungexpo Exhibition and Fair site, Pavilion A, conference room FOR MORE INFORMATION budapest@ice.it

INDEPENDENT ITALIAN EXHIBITORS Torrefazione Varanini ALBERTO CAMPANILE

DiVella Gestal 2000 Prosciuttificio San Francesco Clai

photos by ICE,

ITALIAN-OWNED COMPANIES FROM HUNGARY Latinum Zrt. Very Italy Kft.

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italy at sirha 2018 TASTING NOTES BOCELLI WINES HAVE ARRIVED IN HUNGARY

WINE MADE IN ITALY

As a longstanding wine producing nation, all the typologies of wine produced in Italy are subject to severe regulations that determine their production, which is controlled in every aspect to safeguard tradition and consumer alike; and the higher in the quality pyramid the stricter the rules. At the base we find the “Vini da Tavola” or table wines. Then there are the IGT (Indicazione Geographica Tipica) which carry an indication of the geographical area where they are produced. Above these come the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) whose origins are carefully controlled, and finally at the top we find the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).

the Tuscan Castiglioni Chianti Frescobaldi or the Andreola Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Sesto Senso - a sparkling wine made from the blend of five different types of DOCG Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore: Millesimato, 26esimo I, Dirupo Brut and Extra Dry and Mas de Fer.

Bocelli Family Wines

HISTORY OF THE BOCELLI FAMILY

Stefano Fumagalli, GM of Vinificando Ltd. initially arrived in Budapest for a long weekend as a tourist. The young signore form Bergamo, Lombardy fell in love with the country (and also one particular woman) so he decided to stay “a wee-bit longer”, and finally decided to move to the Hungarian capital. “It did not take me too long to realize that Italian wines are underrepresented in Hungary.

Of course, Hungarians are very proud

of their great wines, and they tend to choose Hungarian wines over anything else. At the same time, they seem to be fond of Italian cuisine – something I deeply understand, by the way,” Stefano notes. “Everyone in Hungary knows how to concoct a pasta, and has a favorite place to order pizza, but no one knows anything about Italian wines.” That lack of knowledge created a potential business opportunity for Stefano, who decided to teach Hungarians about

photos by COURTESY

OF VINIFICANDO, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

VINIFICANDO LTD is based in Budapest, but ships countrywide, offering ‘Porta a Porta’ (literally Door-todoor) service. The company collaborates with Gustolato, a meeting place, restaurant, bar and confectionery, dedicated to Italian gastronomy in Budapest’s district 5 (in Hercegprímás Street, a few steps from the St. Stephen’s Basilica) that serves as a showroom for the wines distributed by Vinificando.

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For nearly three centuries, the Bocelli family has made classic Italian wines on their small estate in Tuscany. To this day, Edi Bocelli, aka “Mamma”, still enjoys working in the fields, carefully hand-tying vines. Cinzia and Alberto Bocelli manage the azienda, and, with the help of Andrea Bocelli, welcome visitors from around the world to taste their exceptional wines – it is a true family affair.

The family farm was settled in 1730 by Bartolomeo Bocelli. From the beginning, the Bocelli family has been a people of the land, cultivating grains, animals, honey, olive oil, and of course, wine. In the 1930’s, Alcide Bocelli, the grandfather of Alberto and Andrea Bocelli, became increasingly serious about expanding the vineyards and modernizing the operation. This work was continued by his son, Alessandro, and Alessandro’s wife Edi; and today by Alberto and Andrea Bocelli. Both boys grew up on the farm, and learned to raise animals, grow grains, ride horses, and most importantly, make wine. Despite having his sight impaired from birth, and ultimately losing it as a young boy, Andrea threw himself into his family’s estate with a full passion. Alberto, his younger brother and closest friend, was his constant companion, and together, the two young men worked hard, played hard, and learned the ways of their farm.

Italian wines. He founded Vinivicando Ltd. one and a half year ago to import and distribute the best Italian wines to wholesalers, restaurants, hotels, wine shops and retail customers alike. “I started with ten wine labels, and today we represent more than 120 labels which I expect to grow to 500 by the end of 2019. Clearly, we’re growing the business in a purposeful way and have kept realistic growth expectations,” Stefano notes with a wink and a smile. “I’m sure it’s not a far-fetched dream, because, you see, Italian wine isn’t like other drinks. With more than 20 different wine regions, over 100,000 wineries and 700,000 wine labels, Italy is one of the world’s largest wine producing countries, identified by indigenous wines, a priceless heritage and a uniqueness of values,” explains Stefano enthusiastically, true to his company’s motto ‘Italy. Wine. Passion.’

According to him, the particularity of Italian wines is due to the huge number

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of autochthonous vines and grapes - varieties that only exist in a certain region and are native to that area.

“Italians have some 450 of these. For example, Northern Italy produces the famous Nebbiolo, a red wine born in the mountains in the region of Piedmont.

Anoth er example is the Brunello, a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese that most wine critics cite to be the best in all of Italy. Vinificando’s selection includes the famous Brunello di Montalcino, made of this grape.” Vinificando’s repertoire features other treasures, too, such as the Montonale Lugana Orestilla 2015, which was named ‘Best white wine in the world’ in 2017 by the jury of the Decanter World Wine Awards, as well as

The newcomer in the Vinificando portfolio is the Bocelli Family Wines with 6 labels. “Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli's family has grown grapes in Tuscany since 1831,” Stefano reveals, adding that when he visited Lajatico, Valdera, where the Bocelli estate is located, he was amazed to see how deeply the globally renowned singer is involved in the family venture. “Even when on tour, the Maestro acts as perfect ambassador of the Bocelli Family Wines, highlighting that he is a ‘son of the land’, and, with all of the rewards that his musical talents have brought him, there are few things that are as important to him as his family’s wines.” According to Stefano, the winery today makes more than 700,000 bottles of wine that are distributed in 30 countries worldwide. “Bocelli Family Wines are of exceptional provenance.

The fruit is meticulously sourced, hand-harvested, without irrigation, and no pesticides or chemical agents are used. The winery has old vines (well over 70+ years), and has grown classic Tuscan varietals such as Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino, Malvasia, and Trebbiano. Through careful analysis, they found out that their terroir was exceptionally suited for Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet vines were planted 10 years ago, and are now producing exceptional fruit with distinctive elegance and “cool climate” character. The estate’s top wines now contain Sangiovese and Cabernet, and the white wine (primarily Trebbiano) is not exported, but made only for local consumption. In 2011, for the very first time, the Bocelli family expanded its production through partnerships with other exceptional growers, and hand-selected some of the best sites in Italy to produce a fresh, easy-to-drink Sangiovese, and a light and playful Prosecco.”

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society Bulgarian EU Presidency Bulgarian Ambassador Ulyana Bogdanska hosted the official opening ceremony of the First Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2018 at the St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest. The speaker of the event was Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister, Valeri Simeonov. The program also included a classical music concert by the Sofia Soloists Chamber Orchestra.

New Year Reception The Mayor of Budapest, István Tarlós gave a New Year's reception for ambassadors accredited to Hungary at the Mayor's Office. “This city welcomes everyone who comes with friendship”, the Mayor said in his speech.

He emphasized that Budapest has a very good relationship with the capitals of several countries. The reception was attended by the representatives of about 60 countries.

India National Day The Ambassador of the Republic of India, Rahul Chhabra, welcomed guests to a reception and dinner, in the Grand Ball Room, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest, to celebrate the 67th Anniversary of the Republic Day of India.

Indian Dance Evening The Ambassador of India, Rahul Chhabra hosted the dance performance ‘Kathak Sandhya’, an evening of Kathak performance

by Padmashri Shovana Narayan with accompanying artists Ustad Shakeel, Ahmed Khan (Tabla) and Shri. Madho Prasad (Vocal & Harmonium), at the Amrita Sher-Gil Cultural Center in Budapest.

The event was followed by a cocktail reception.

New Ambassadors

photos by DÁVID

HARANGOZÓ, MIHÁLY MAJTÉNYI

Five new ambassadors accredited to Hungary presented their credentials to Hungarian President János Áder at the Sándor Palace in the Buda Castle (pictured from left to right): Alicia Elvira Corredera Morales from Cuba, Joanna Maria Azzi from Lebanon, Ahmet Akif Oktay from Turkey, Lucía Rosella Magdalena Badía de Funes from Salvador and Nguyen TienThuc from Vietnam.

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witty leaks WITTY

IN THIS SERIES, DIPLOMATS SHARE PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF THEIR EXPERIENCES ON “EXCURSIONS” into Hungarian culture, art, gastronomy & scenery.

LE A K S

THE STEPPE IN MY HEART!

DEPARTING WITH A SACRED MEMORY OF A FRIENDLY HUNGARY

BY THE AMBASSADOR OF KAZAKHSTAN, NURBAKH RUSTEMOV

It was back in April of 2013 when my mission as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hungary began.

I remember that warm spring day when I arrived in Budapest. The weather was beautiful; cheerful residents of the capital surrounded me. From the first days of my stay, I managed to establish close relations with my Hungarian friends.

During my years in Hungary, I visited almost all regions of this beautiful country, where history and the present, traditions and new trends intertwine. This country is dominated by beautiful architecture, stunning natural landscape, delicious, exotic and rich gastronomy, and famous Hungarian wines. The charming Lake Balaton and Tihany will always remain in my memory.

photos by COURTESY

OF THE EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN, PIXABAY.COM

Pearl of the Danube Apart from this, I would like to mention the pearl of the Danube: the city of Budapest. I'm just enchanted by the beautiful scenery, beautiful nature and magnificent architecture. I love to take a stroll in the Royal Palace, on Mount Gellért, along the central streets of Pest and next to the majestic Parliament building.

I visited the famous museums, and of course, the famous thermal springs. What impresses me in this country is that there are a large number of festivals where guests can get acquainted with the Hungarian culture and traditions. In particular, Kazakh people like the ‘Spring and Autumn Festival’, the ‘Opera and Ballet Festival’ and the ‘Budapest International Wine Festival’. During winter, you can enjoy the bustle of the Christmas markets.

Feeling at home While I was working here, I felt like I was in Kazakhstan because, between our countries, there is close historical proximity. Also, there is a desire to revive national culture and traditions and a mutual interest to study common historical roots.

As you know, the descendants of the Kipchak tribes reside in Hungary. They came from the Turgai steppes in the first half of the 13th century. It should be noted that in 2007, our Head of State Nursultan Nazarbayev was elected as honorary leader of the Hungarian Kipchaks.

So, what do we have in common? Kazakhs and Hungarians were nomadic peoples: they lived in yurts, were engaged in breeding cattle and w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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were belligerent. Being nomads, Hungarians, like Kazakhs, especially venerated horses. In Hungarian language, there are many words that are similar to Kazakh words: ‘Anya’ – mother, ‘alma’ – apple, ‘kerek (kérek)’ – I need it, ‘alacsony’ – low, ‘kicsi’ – small, ‘keshik (késik)’ – late, ‘balta’ – an axe, ‘sakal (szakáll)’ – beard. For me, it was amazing to see that in the town of Karcag traditional competition for cooking a dish of mutton ‘pörkölt’ (stew) is held annually, which is, according to taste and the method of cooking, no different from the Kazakh dish called ‘kuyrdak’.

Warm and trustful relationship I am pleased that my official mission was in a timeframe that included such a significant date as the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.

After all, a warm and trustful relationship was developed and a strategic partnership has been established between Kazakhstan and Hungary in this – by historical standards – short period.

It should be noted that in 1992, Hungary became one of the first states to recognize Kazakhstan as an independent state, and in 1993, it was in Budapest that we opened our first diplomatic mission in Central and Eastern Europe.

A powerful impetus to the expansion of the bilateral dialogue was provided by the visits to Hungary of the President of our country Nursultan Nazarbayev in 1994 and 2007, as well as the visits to Kazakhstan by Presidents of Hungary Árpád Göncz in 1997 and Pál Schmitt in 2010 and by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in 2012 and 2015. In recent years, there have also been a number of official visits at the level of heads of governments and foreign ministries. Today, our countries have solid legal bases, successfully working intergovernmental commissions on trade, economic and legal cooperation, and an inter-parliamentary friendship group.

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In recent years, all our efforts have been focused on the implementation of a number of joint economic projects: • in 2016, the Kazakh-Hungarian Agricultural Private Equity Fund was established with an authorized capital of USD 40 million.

Currently, there is an active implementation of projects in Kazakhstan for which we wish to get advanced Hungarian technologies; • the opening of direct air service between Astana and Budapest in June 2017 was the result of years of scrupulous routine work; the Hungarian company Wizz Air became an official carrier. This flight is very popular among Kazakh people and our Hungarian friends.

• the Hungarian side allocated 200 grants for Kazakh students who are already studying in almost all Hungarian cities with universities (Budapest, Pécs, Debrecen, etc.). We are certain that they contribute to our friendly and strategic relations.

Along with this, cultural cooperation is the ‘core’ of bilateral interaction. In recent years, famous Kazakh creative groups (Astana Opera, Astana Ballet, etc.) performed in the best concert halls in Hungary.

Also in 2014, an ‘Astana street’ was officially inaugurated in Budapest, where a bust of the Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbayev was installed. In turn, in our capital, Astana, a street was named after Budapest.

We support Hungarian youth who show an increased interest in learning the Kazakh language. For example, Kazakh language and literature are lectured at the University of Szeged and the People's University of Lakitelek.

Former students of these universities are already working for the benefit of our countries.

Opened in 2014, the honorary department "The

Kazakh Way and Nursultan Nazarbayev" at the Kodolányi János University of Applied Sciences and the center of Kazakh literature and culture at the Hungarian National Széchényi Library evoke particular interest among our Hungarian friends.

Saying good-bye In summary, I would like to note that it was an honor for me to be a part of the intensification of relations on a whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda. I am sure that the next Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Hungary will do everything possible to strengthen and expand diplomatic relations between Astana and Budapest.

These are the last days of my stay in Hungary as a diplomat. While collecting personal belongings and books, I unwittingly leaf through the collections of poems by Sándor Petőfi. As one of them ‘Hazámban’ (In my homeland) says: “The steppe expanse in golden wheat, Where the mirage conjures in summer heat With play of foggy, ghost paintings are done!

Look at me! Recognized? I'm your son!” (free translation)

This verse immediately brings to my mind parallels with the text of the anthem of Kazakhstan, which begins with the lines: “In her sky, is the golden sun, In its steppes, is the golden grain...” (free translation)

I feel that longing for home is starting to show.

Soon, I will return to my native steppe expanse, whose son I was born to be. However, in my heart, I will always keep a sacred memory of a friendly Hungary.

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culture

VALLETTA

EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE MALTA PROVIDES HISTORY AND CULTURE AS BACKDROP TO THE EVENTS It was back in 1985 that the Greek minister of culture Melina Mercouri and her French counterpart Jack Lang came up with the idea of designating an annual Capital of Culture to bring Europeans closer together by highlighting the richness and diversity of European cultures and raising awareness of their common history and values. 2018 is the 34th year European cities host a series of events under the title ‘European capital of Culture’. This year, it is the Maltese capital, Valletta – along with Leeuwarden in the Netherlands – that welcomes visitors with a series of programs.

Malta officially received this prestigious title at an official opening ceremony on January 20th.

Prior to that, as part of the opening festivities that kicked off on January 14th, numerous dynamic shows were using Valletta’s open spaces, namely the Triton Fountain, Castille Square, St. John’s Square and St. George’s Square, as the backdrop for their performance.

Valletta’s four main squares were filled with joy, music and reverie with the Catalan group La Fura dels Baus (pictured) blurring the line between audience and performer with their outdoor acrobatics, and ZfinMalta with contemporary dance performances, digital projections, video art, choral symphony and much more. All over Valletta, performers and traveling bands took the festivities to the streets, drawing residents and visitors all over the Maltese Islands to participate.

Organically developed projects

Themes Valletta 2018 has three main themes: ‘Island stories’, ‘Future baroque’ and ‘Voyages’. The Foundation says the narratives that ‘Island stories’ “seeks to draw out portray vivid, timely pictures of life on our shores. They are stories about its realities, its communities and the spaces they use, of how old spaces are – or could be – used for new things, and of how to create new spaces inside which one may appreciate tradition.”

Telling stories about Maltese history and culture as a backdrop “even when the hustle and bustle of daily activity won’t stop to listen” is the capital, Valletta, “Baroque at heart and layered with a succession of diverse stylistic interventions across time.”

museum, the first of its kind, which shares a common vision with the Foundation’s objectives in promoting art and museums as a tool for social transformation. It will be housed at the Auberge d’Italie, a historic building originally dating to the late sixteenth century and used as the seat and residence of the Italian knights of the Order of St John.

According to the Foundation, “contemporary Valletta speaks the language of the Baroque as loudly as does its architecture. Today, communities engage with the fabric of the city as it is developed and rethought across time, making it a stage where life and ideas are constantly evolving, settling and re-shaping themselves.”

The theme ‘Voyages’ needs no special explanation if you consider Malta’s ancient heritage, combined with its strategic geographic location that places it right between Europe and Africa. Thanks to its harbors, Valletta is a unique capital city that has always been a melting pot of different cultures. It is a space that’s able to host meaningful encounters with and between its close neighbors, both in and beyond the Mediterranean.

One example of a program that began prior to the January 20th official opening is a creative competition with theme and motto ‘Create Your World’ that is open to youths aged 19 and under, and whose work may take any shape: from digital art to mechanics, technology, music, a social project or even an innovative futuristic idea about the world we live in.

Cultural scene The series of cultural programs feature a collection of over 140 projects and 400 events taking place throughout the European Capital of Culture year with the involvement of around a thousand local and international artists, curators, artist collectives, performers, workshop leaders, writers, designers, choirs and film-makers.

The Foundation says that while a number of international artists are collaborating with locals throughout the 2018 program, Maltese artists are travelling to its twin European Capital of Culture, Leeuwarden in the Netherlands, as well as cities in Cyprus, Japan, Poland and Greece.

Valletta 2018 promises an island-wide festa, a 360-degree exploration of contemporary Maltese and Gozitan life that draws inspiration from home while looking out to its neighbors across the sea.

As Valletta 2018 Foundation Chairman Jason Micallef puts it: “we want to entertain, challenge and provoke – but above all, we want to inspire! This is a program that encourages participation and co-creation for all, and we want to use this year to build and nurture meaningful interactions. The arts open doors where there are walls; cultural activity promotes creative dialogue and exchange among diverse communities, proving an antidote to the division and prejudice that shape a large part of contemporary discourse. This yearlong program is a celebration of our past, our present and, above all, our future.”

Infrastructure The Valletta 2018 Foundation is working on a series of infrastructure projects which include, for example, the regeneration and conservation of a number of Valletta’s forgotten architectural treasures like that of the covered market (is-Suq l-Antik tal-Belt) and the old civil abattoir (il-Biċċerija), where the Valletta Design Cluster will be established.

Projects are in line with the vision that a visit to Valletta should be a unique experience.

The flagship project for the Valletta European Capital of Culture in 2018 is MUŻA, the chosen name for Malta’s new museum of art. The community-oriented project is a national

photos by ZARB

ADAMI, MATT HUSH

The European Capital of Culture program – the responsibility of the Valletta 2018 Foundation – consists of events and projects developed organically with various local and international communities. In fact, the series of events began during the 2017 festive season. The annual Christmas Digital Projections, lighting up the

Grandmaster’s Palace on St. George Square, promoted Valletta 2018 on December 22-31, 2017. The projections were launched by the President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca along with Valletta 2018 Chairman Jason Micallef and Parliamentary Secretary for Consumer Protection and Valletta 2018, Deo Debattista.

New Year’s Eve festivities also ushered in the European Capital of Culture activities.

On January 4, 2018, Valletta 2018 launched the first national sustainability policy for events in Malta.

This policy will cover Valletta 2018 events and guide collaborators towards conscious practices. Key initiatives will be promoted per event to inform the public how they can contribute to the sustainability policy. Valletta 2018 has been advancing sustainability since its conception, focusing strongly on the social aspect, engaging local communities, choosing small local venues and coming up with an inclusive and diverse cultural program.

The policy takes this further with community building initiatives, using a strong volunteer team, and asking suppliers, venues and participants to embrace the initiatives to enact change.

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cinema

NO LIMITATION! BRITISH ANIMATION EXPERT LOOKING FOR TALENT WITH HUMOR

Shelley Page trained in the UK as an illustrator and has been working in the field of feature animation since 1986.

She was in the first group of artists hired to establish DreamWorks Animation in Los Angeles in 1995. As Co-Head of Artistic Development, she was responsible for setting up artistic training programs for the animation artists. Her present responsibilities at DreamWorks Animation include building relationships with schools and events worldwide and sourcing new talent for future projects. Recently, she was on the jury of the 15th Anilogue International Animation Festival in Budapest. When asked by Diplomacy&Trade what her favorite movie she helped create was, she said “it is like asking which one is your favorite child. I have been so fortunate to have been involved with so many movies that are very special to whole generations. The first one for me was ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ (1988) while more recent favorites include ‘Shrek’, ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and ‘Kung Fu Panda’. These are films that whole generations of children might say were the first films they ever saw.”

The 1988 ‘Who framed Roger Rabbit?’ was a partly animated movie with animated characters integrated into a ‘normal’ movie. “I had not worked on animations in previous feature films. That was my first experience but my boss, Richard Williams had won Oscars for traditional animations. So, when he met the director of this movie, Robert Zemeckis, he told him ‘tell us anything you like and we will make it work with the animation’. That was a very inspiring experience for me because it wasn’t like ‘tell me what the limitations are’, it was like ‘tell me what to do and we will find the solution’. So, I think that film was a very good example of a way that you can throw yourself into this world and discover solutions –and I still work that way today,’ she added.

photo by DÁVID

HARANGOZÓ

Technology and ideas “I think that ‘Who framed Roger Rabbit?’ looked fresh because it had been many, many years since anybody tried to do this integration of animated characters. However, in recent years, there has been an enormous blockbuster series of superhero films, which are absolutely full of animation. Nobody thinks of them as animated movies but they really are. So, I think the same process happens there: a scene is being shot, say, in a Los Angeles football stadium and suddenly a 90-foot robot appears. In my experience, and I think my producers would say the same thing, the more technology you give a director to make life easy, the more difficult ideas he, then, feels able to talk about.

For instance, let's do the whole movie under water! 50 years ago that would have been an impossibility. Now, it's like ‘no problem, we'll just use the computer’. So, I think we just have w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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bigger problems with more technology to help us solve them,” the animation expert pointed out.

Managing the pipeline “I work with Aardman Studio in the United Kingdom, which still makes puppets and everything is manipulated by hand – the computer has less of a role to play. I think the area where computers can make the biggest difference is in managing the pipeline. Managing these different elements comes out of the assets, as we call them. Now, we have equipment that tells where exactly we are in production instead of 20 people running around with clipboards saying ‘have you finished that scene, yet?’

So, I think the computer is tremendously helpful in many, many ways. In animation, itself, I think the big divide probably comes earlier: at the student stage, when students make a choice whether they want to get involved with the technology side or what they call the artistic side. I think that probably is the moment when people separate traditional animation from digital filmmaking. However, I think it's a false separation. For me, it is all about storytelling and using the most appropriate equipment to tell the story,” she highlights.

Expansion to Asia DreamWorks Animation began expanding into Asia a decade ago, especially India and China.

As Shelley Page explains, the two expansion

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situations were different. “With India, we reached the situation where the studio was intending to produce three films a year and we needed to expand. We needed to expand all different elements of the pipeline and it was just not possible to do this in America – financially and also to find the number of people was impossible at that time. So, it was decided. We set up operations in India, which has a highly-skilled, English-speaking, available workforce. It was an extremely successful process – not an outsourcing situation, it was a separate part of the main studio. China was very different.

Oriental DreamWorks was the studio established in Shanghai in partnership with Chinese firms and with the movies intended for a Chinese audience.

In the jury In Budapest, Shelley Page was recently a member of the Anilogue Festival jury. “I have been on many, many juries over the years. My impression is always that you have to choose the same reasons as anybody else: do I like this movie, why do I like this movie, do I like the characters, do I like the environment or do I not like this movie, at all and it is putting me to sleep.

So, if the film fits one of those areas, then, I think it makes the deliberation purely subjective. It is emotional, you respond to it,” she pointed out.

As for how much she knows about Hungarian animated movies, she said she is very familiar with the schools. “Normally, when I go into a new environment, I try to find connections to the schools and if I am at a festival I try to see as many films as possible. I would very much like to see more films from Hungary because those that I have seen have struck me as being funny, some

of them sexy, some crazy and there is a different personality that comes out of the films that I have seen. But I haven't seen that many, I have to say.”

Changes and talents Being involved with European animation, Shelley Page said she noticed that are many more companies in this field than before and there is much more support for co-productions, for different kinds of regional funding to encourage the industry to grow. “There are events that I attend where I see something like 500-600 participants, all of whom are actively involved in different feature animations, which is enormous. There are 300-350 feature animations developed in Europe every year. 20 years ago, I could have probably named five.”

Her job as Head of International Outreach at DreamWorks Animation involves discovering new talent for the industry. As an example, she refers to ‘Zombillenium’, a film in competition at the Anilogue Film Festival, a FrenchBelgian animated movie directed by Arthur de Pins “whom I first met at his graduation show where he had a wonderful, hilarious graduation film. I immediately recognized the tremendous talent and have been friends with him ever since. In talent search, I am looking for someone whose work has a special voice, particularly with humor. It is extremely difficult to find directors who are capable of telling a humorous story, which is ultimately the most effective way of communicating. Communicating through humor is completely international and not everybody has that skill. So, humorous directors are pretty high on my list of talented people,” Shelley Page concluded.

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EMELI SANDÉ CONCERT

ELECTRIFY VOL 15.: JAMES FERRARO

SUSANNE SUNDFØR CONCERT

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé arrives in Budapest, in February to perform her first concert in the Hungarian capital. Sandé wrote her first song at the age of 11 for her primaryschool talent show (and later became a highly sought-after writer for a wide array of international acts including Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Katy Perry.) As a singer, she first became prominent after she was featured on the track ‘Diamond Rings’ by the rapper Chipmunk (2009). It was their first top 10 single on the UK Singles Chart. The multi-instrumentalist artist released her first solo single ‘Heaven’ in August 2011. On July 27, 2012 she sang ‘Abide with Me’ at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics and, in the same year, received the Brit Awards' Critics' Choice Award. The soul and R&B singer’s record’ Our Version Of Events’ was an instant success, becoming the biggest selling album of 2012 and second biggest selling album of 2013, selling over 4.6 million copies worldwide.

Her latest studio album entitled ‘Long Live The Angels’ is a mesmerizing journey through the triumphs and tragedies of the last four years of her extraordinary life. www.broadway.hu

James Ferraro closely studies and replicates the sounds embodying the illusion of glamor, beauty and happiness of our society. As Ferraro puts it, these sounds are social lube for capitalist transactions. By imitating ringtones, notifications, on-hold music, the sounds of operating systems, bleeps and noises of ATMs and GPSs, James Ferraro amplifies the contradictions characterizing the sounds filling up our everyday lives. In his music, the seductive but dehumanized sounds undergo deconstruction and a modern day psychedelia is born. Ferraro previously made trap, noise music, ambient, rnb, pop, even blues, one could argue, and with one of his records accidentally started vaporwave. He works with labels that release music from artists such as Grimes, Dean Blunt, Arca or Laurel Halo, has recorded concept albums about the ’92 Los Angeles riots, the 9/11 catastrophe, composed elevator music and on-hold music for MoMA PS1 and was involved in a myriad of other engaging projects using more than thirty aliases. Looking through his work, we can safely say that there are very few musicians capable of what James Ferraro is capable of: seeing the world as a whole with his art within it. Following years of planning, James Ferraro comes to Hungary for the first time to perform at the 15th edition of Trafó’s Electrify series. www.trafo.hu

The voice of Norwegian keyboard player, producer, composer and singer Susanne Sundfør can be heard in several songs by the group Röyksopp, on M83's latest album and the theme tune for the sci-film, Oblivion. Her first ever concert in Hungary will also feature older songs from her discography - tuned to the finely-balanced, delicate and intimate sound of her latest album. Born in 1986, Susanne Sundfør wrote her first, untitled album of piano-based pop songs as a teenager. It was initally released in 2007 but she recorded a new, toned-down acoustic version of the album with the title Take One a year later, though she would find her true sound even later when she turned to electronic music and synthesisers. Her 2010 album, The Brothel, was created in this spirit and made her Norway's most successful performer. Her studio albums released since have all topped the charts in her home country.

She attracted worldwide attention with the international release of her 2012/2013 album The Silicone Veil, as well as her work with M83 and Röyksopp. Her collaboration with M83 came when they worked on the theme tune for the film Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise, while she recorded a cover of the Depeche Mode song Ice Machine with Röyksopp. Both collaborations feature on the latest albums by the two groups, as well as on Sundfør's own 2015 album, Ten Love Songs. Her most recent album, Music for People in Trouble, released in the summer of 2017 was inspired by her travels around the world.

A more artistic and complex piece of work than her earlier albums, it provides "a mix of innocent romantic vocals and a really industrial, dry sound sound”, featuring a duet with the American singer songwriter John Grant. She also appeared with Grant at the Royal Albert Hall in an orchestral BBC concert in tribute to Scott Walker, where Susanne was the only female star performer. www.mupa.hu

FEBRUARY 18 PAPP LÁSZLÓ BUDAPEST SPORTARÉNA

FEBRUARY 17 TRAFÓ

MARCH 2 MÜPA

BUDAPEST BOAT SHOW 2017

BROADWAY EVENT, JOYCE KIM, MÜPA, EMESE HEGEDŰS, PIXABAY.COM, MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS

FEBRUARY 22-25 HUNGEXPO BUDAPEST FAIR CENTER It is the greatest Hungarian boat exhibition, the opening event of the sailing, boating and water sport season. The annual exhibition attracted 60,000 people last year. During the four days of this year’s show, up to 80 exhibitors will present their sail, electronic and motor boats, countless accessories, sail brands and services, along with the latest developments in boat engineering and boating accessories. The main theme of the exhibition in 2018 is river cruising. www.hungexpo.hu

BUSÓJÁRÁS (MARCH OF THE BUSÓS)

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UNTIL FEBRUARY 8-13 MOHÁCS, 160 KM SOUTH OF BUDAPEST Busójárás, a pagan Hungarian heritage, is the symbolic ‘burying’ of winter and the welcoming of spring. The annual, six-day fest involves folk music, dance and parades featuring the Busós, that is, people wearing traditional masks and sheepskin vests or jackets as costumes resembling monsters from Hungarian folk tale heritage. They usually carry large wooden noisemakers or cowbells, and make quite a racket. As a highlight of the march, the Busós make their way to the bank of the River Danube where they set afloat a coffin, containing a Busó costume. On the very last day of the festival, they burn another coffin on the main square of the town. The festival’s roots are based in legend, many soldiers and locals allegedly escaped to Mohács Island after the defeat of the Hungarian army in 1526. They decided to drive the invading Turks away from their new home by dressing up in Busó costumes and masks; the Turks ran away in panic and fear. Busójárás has gone through changes in past years, losing some of these traditional elements. Yet, it has managed to preserve its basic symbolism. “The municipality of Mohács does everything to preserve these traditions for future generations, and not to let the festival turn into some wacky old bazaar,” organizers say. www.mohacsibusojaras.hu

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JACQUES OFFENBACH: DIE RHEINNIXEN

FEBRUARY 24-25 AND MARCH 1-2 THE ERKEL THEATER In original German languages, with Hungarian and English subtitles Offenbach is frequently considered a composer merely of operettas and other light musicals who produced only one truly serious piece: Les contes d'Hoffmann. The French composer, however, composed more than 650 works altogether, and his first opera, Die Rheinnixen (which includes the famous Barcarolle theme familiar to the later Hoffmann) has been unjustly forgotten. The piece depicts a country shattered by internal warfare through an unusual love story. Composed with astonishing richness, this sparkling and glittering work combines poetry and politics, dreams and reality and the supernatural and the realistic. The work is being given its Hungarian premiere in a production by Ferenc Anger. www.opera.hu

ROLLING STONES: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 1976 (OFFICIAL MOVIE) MARCH 2 URÁNIA FILM THEATER

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DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ, ETHAN RUSSELL

In 1972, the Stones bring their Exile on Main Street tour to Texas: 15 songs, with five from the Exile album. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman on a small stage with three other musicians. Until the lights come up near the end, we see the Stones against a black background. The camera stays mostly on Jagger, with a few shots of Taylor. Richards is on screen for his duets and for some guitar work on the final two songs. It's music from start to finish: hard rock (All Down the Line), the blues (Love in Vain and Midnight Rambler), a tribute to Chuck Berry (Bye Bye Johnny) and Satisfaction.

WITHIN FRAMES - THE ART OF THE SIXTIES IN HUNGARY, SHADOW ON STONE (1958-1968) UNTIL FEBRUARY 18 THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL GALLERY

CARNIVAL IN SZENTENDRE

Within Frames is the first exhibition staged by the Hungarian National Gallery that presents a comprehensive picture of Hungarian art between 1958 and 1968. A significant part of those 350 items on show (paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings, books, posters and works of applied art) have never been included in permanent exhibitions and many of them had been concealed from the public for decades. The show encompasses a period bracketed by two major historic events: the defeat of the 1956 Revolution in Hungary and the Prague Spring of 1968. Underlying this period was the notorious system of classifying cultural works (books, films, etc.), known as the ‘Three Ts’, standing for the Hungarian words (Tiltott, Tűrt, Támogatott) for “Forbidden”, “Tolerated” and “Supported”. This system, imposed on art and artists by the cultural policy of the time, permeated every aspect of cultural life, including arts events, exhibitions and the publication of books alike. The exhibition reveals how artists continued to experiment, in many ways, to find forms of contemporary artistic expression - despite the frames defined by banned themes such as the ’56 Revolution, the Soviet occupation, the dictatorial nature of the political regime. www.mng.hu

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Organized second time this year, Szentendre, this picturesque little town on the Danube, sends winter off with a spectacular carnival. Join the two-day parade, traditionally full of magic, with a variety entertainers, including jugglers, fire shows, magicians and marching bands strolling down the streets in colorful and fancy dresses. The main square in the historical downtown named Fő tér will become the epicenter of the events, hosting concerts (Hungarian bands Holdviola and Besh’O’Drom will step on stage) and an eye-catching light-painting show. The carnival is complete with a gastro-fair offering a wide choice of street food along with ’carnival specialties’ such as the ‘farsangi fánk’ (a type of doughnut). www.szentendre.hu

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wine

HUNGARY’S BEST RED IN 2017

Csaba Koch’s 2012 Villány Csanád cuvée is Hungary’s best red wine according to the Circle of Hungarian Wine Writers. In the journalists’ Super 12 competition, the best white wine title goes to Imre Györgykovács’s 2015 Nagy-Somló Furmint.

Somló has knocked Tokaj off its perch in the latest ‘Super 12’: experts felt that the best white wine was Imre Györgykovács’s Nagy-Somló 2015 Furmint (previously the victor was the 2013 Szent Tamás Furmint from the Mád Szent Tamás Winery).

As for reds, while last year an Eger wine scooped up the prize (namely the Thummerer Winery’s Egri Bikavér Grand Superior from the 2012 vintage), the best of the best in 2017 comes from Villány, and the award goes to someone who originally began making wine in the Alföld (Great Plain): Csaba Koch. In the 2000s, many praised his Irsai and Cserszegi wines as outstanding, then came his wonderful rosé, Cabernet and Kadarka. His professional work has rendered numerous accolades, his wines bringing home golds from the world’s largest competitions. Thrilled with his success, Koch opened towards a very different terroir, and settled in Villány about a decade ago: he started to cultivate vines in the Diósviszló Imre Valley and those wines, from that particular valley, quickly made their way into the big book of full-bodied red wines. His Cabernet Sauvignons have received a number of international awards and his 2012 Bordeaux blend Csanád cuvée, named after his son, also gained huge successes. In addition to this latest prize from the Circle of Hungarian Wine Writers, the cuvée was honored with a gold medal and the special press prize in Bergamo, followed by the Top Gold prize (with 96 points) at the Düsseldorf PAR Wine Award International Competition.

Last year his winery won Hungary’s Most Beautiful Estate award, following the Winery of the Year 2014 prize.

9th FURMINT FEBRUARY

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PICTURES, FURMINT PHOTO

Furmint February is a campaign running in Hungary with the aim to get people more familiar with this specific white grape variety.

Special wine dinners and furmint tasting packages are offered to wine lovers countrywide, following the main tasting event held on February 1, which is the official date of the International Furmint Day. While the world seems to be awash with Chardonnay, Furmint also has every potential to attract serious consumer interest with its wide spectrum of flavors. The name Furmint is taken from the word "froment" for the wheat-gold color of the wine it produces. While it is possible that it is native to Hungary, the grape was likely brought to Hungary in the 13th century. Luckily, the Carpathian Basin proved to be the most ideal home for this variety, which is resistant against winter freezes and illnesses, and it can stand both the strong sunlight and rainy but warm autumns.

There are variable types, but white is dominant. Furmint is rarely seen outside of Hungary, except for Germany and those countries surrounding the Hungarian borders.

Within Hungary, Furmint is also cultivated in Somló, but mainly in the Tokaj region. By tradition, the harvest of Furmint starts on Oct 28. During the long ripening period, the thin skinned berries concentrate a very high level of sugars, making them particularly susceptible to 'Botrytis', the noble rot. These grapes possess excellent acidity.

To find out more on the furmint-focused events, visit the campaign’s FB page.

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FOUR-HANDED DINNER AT COSTES DOWNTOWN

Two passionate chefs will be cooking together in an exclusive, one-night only, four-handed dinner at Budapest’s Michelin-star resturant Costes Downtown. Host chef Tiago Sabarigo has invited his friend Chef Tomas Lidakevicius to concoct a memorable tasting menu, on February 10.

ABOUT TIAGO

Portugese Chef Tiago Sabarigo has worked in the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, Petrus by Gordon Ramsay London and Texture, London. The perfectionist, hard-working chef names Aggi Sverrisson as his biggest influence ’food wise’, and Gordan Ramsay for standards and mentality. He worked together with Tomas in Texture – where the idea of presenting a four-hand dinner together was born.

ABOUT TOMAS

PRICE 40.000 HUF +12% Service Charge without wine or 64.000 HUF +12% Service Charge with the wines.

BOOK YOUR TABLE Send an e-mail to reservation@costesdowntown.hu.

Please note that full payment is required in order to secure your reservation.

THE MENU

Born in Lithuania, Tomas lived in the UK for the past ten years where he trained in some of London’s best Michelinstar restaurants, such as Galvin at Windows, Corrigan’s Mayfair and City Social. Currently, he is Head Chef at the Peninsula Restaurant at InterContinental London – The O2. Fun fact: He enjoys Rap music - he has even released an own album.

• Amuse Bouche • Poached Quail Egg, Parsley Mayo • Poached scallops, crosnes, sweet and sour dashi • Szóló Puro Furmint 2016, Tokaj • Torched monkfish, celariac, salicornia • Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne Chardonnay Vielles Vignes 2015 • Grilled quail, spinach, red lentils • Roberto Voerzio Dolcetto d’Alba Priavino 2016, Piemonte • Roasted mangalica saddle, jerusalem artichoke, buckwheat • Marrenon Gigondas 2015, Rhone valley • Carrots & amp; Citrus • Chocolate, praline, parsnips • Lenkey 6 puttonyos Aszú 2000, Tokaj

Borssó Bistro TAKE A PERFECTIONIST CHEF, give him the highest-quality ingredients, add a pinch of original Hungarian hospitality and a hint of French charm, pepper and salt (bors and só in Hungarian) to taste: this is Borssó, a cosy place that opened in 2008 at the corner of Királyi Pál and Képíró streets to evoke the atmosphere of an authentic French bistro in Budapest. Guests enjoy live jazz music on summer weekends and relax on the terrace lit by colorful lanterns.

Just like in Paris. Oh, and their bourguignon is especially tasteful. Even according to the French.

photos by FERENC

MÉSZÁROS/WWW.DERULATO.HU, OLIVÉR HARGITAY

1053 Budapest, Királyi Pál utca 14. +36 1 789 0975 www.borsso.hu • info@borsso.hu

DISZNÓKŐ IS A LEADING WINERY, a trendsetter, in the Tokaj Wine Region. The historic estate with 104 hectares of vineyards is set at the south-western gate to the Tokaj Wine Region. The buildings are regarded as some of the most attractive winery buildings in the world.

OUR GUIDES LEAD TOURS in English, Hungarian and French to show visitors more about the creation of the great Tokaji wines from the harvest to the bottling.

DURING THE ESTATE VISIT VISITORS: take a walk in the vineyards, enjoy the stunning view over the wine region and the Estate, tour the winery and learn more about the processing of the grapes and wine-making, visit the underground ageing cellar containing oak barrels and bottles, can taste the great Disznókő wines in the cellar of the old winery (Sárga Borház).

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• Rocamadour with "lecsó" quinoa • Beefcheek bourguignon with tarhonya • Chestnut stuffed quail with jerusalem artichoke and parsnip • Gilthead seabream with beetroot risotto, fennel and prawn • French lemon tart

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Great art should never be rushed. This piece took millions of years.

They’re called the 12 Apostles. Limestone monoliths sculpted by the wind, rain and tides. Amazing natural works of art like the Apostles can be found right across Australia and New Zealand, leading some to say that they’re the greatest open-air galleries on earth. Entry is always free, so come and take a tour soon. We fly to 11 destinations in Australia and New Zealand over 140 times a week.

Singapore Airlines :

ADELAIDE BRISBANE CANBERRA MELBOURNE PERTH SYDNEY AUCKLAND CHRISTCHURCH WELLINGTON

SilkAir:

CAIRNS DARWIN