Diplomacy & Trade 2017 July

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INACTION IS NO OPTION

WITH ISSUES LIKE THE BREXIT AND ITS RELATIONS TOWARDS THE US AND CHINA AS WELL AS INTERNAL DISPUTES AND DISAGREEMENTS, THE EUROPEAN UNION MUST MAKE A DECISION ABOUT ITS FUTURE. SEE OUR ANALYSIS

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"There are positive relations between Malta and Hungary, and we intend to progress these relations through maintaining an open dialogue between the nations", the Prime Minister of the Mediterranean island country, Joseph Muscat tells Diplomacy&Trade.

He also discusses his government’s achievements in the past four years that earned him another term as prime minister, the priorities of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union as well as the issue of illegal migration faced by the EU. see articles on pages 8-14

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Worldwide known Italian actor Franco Nero has a very impressive list of movies (over 200) to his belt. While filming in Hungary, he talked to Diplomacy&Trade about his decades-long career; how he was selected for the 'Django' movies half a century ago; whom he admires in Italian filmmaking and how he became the idol of Quentin Tarantino. see page 23

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Brexit, the Trump administration’s new stance towards Europe, eastwest and north-south divisions, the EU’s role in the world vis-à-vis the United States and China – these are just some of the issues that pressure EU leaders to realize that the future of the European Union is at stake and they need to do something about it. One option, our international analyst perceives, is an EU led by Germany and France and joined by countries whose leaders adhere to the core European values.

The country in focus in this issue of Diplomacy&Trade is Malta, the country that has just completed its Presidency of the Council of the European Union it held during the first half of 2017. The section includes an extensive interview with the recently re-elected Prime Minister of the Mediterranean country, Joseph Muscat. Bilateral economic relations are relatively modest due to the size differences and the geographical distance between the two countries but they show an increasing tendency, especially in the field of tourism.

Therefore, the section has an interview with the representative of the Malta Tourism Authority in Hungary and a preview to Valletta as the Cultural Capital of Europe in 2018. Not forgetting about hospitality and gastronomy, the Focus also features two Maltese-owned businesses in Budapest: the Corinthia Hotel and the new Caviar&Bull restaurant.

As Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of its Confederation this year, we have an interview with the general manager of the Budapest member of the Canadian-founded Four Seasons hotel chain as well as an introduction to Canadian performances during the circus element of this year’s Sziget Festival.

Our business pages feature a recent investment forum by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary and a podium event by the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary.

In our culture section, we focus on cinema. We caught up with worldrenowned Italian actor, Franco Nero in Budapest in an exclusive interview.

Of interest was the visit of French movie director Philippe de Chauveron, here for the Hungarian premier of his new film ‘With open arms’.

This month’s WittyLeaks article is authored by the Ambassador of Croatia: a farewell remembrance at the close to five-year period of his posting in Budapest.

Of course, we also have the usual culinary and program guides, restaurant offers and Society picture compilations.

PUBLISHER

AND DON’T FORGET

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www.dteurope.com

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contents Budapest Bistro: a laid-back experience

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05 ON THE RECORD 19 BUSINESS Made in - and Made with - Italy; AmCham podium 06-07COMPANY BRIEFS 20-21SOCIETY 08-14 MALTA FOCUS Interview with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat; Valletta, Cultural Capital 22-23 CINEMA of Europe in 2018; Malta Tourism 'With open arms';

Authority; Corinthia Hotel Budapest; Marvin Gauci/Caviar&Bull

15 ANALYSIS A grown-up Europe, after all?

Peter Freed

Baja fish soup - a simple recipe

French director Philippe de Chauveron

Tarantino's idol: Franco Nero

24-25 WHAT’S ON Concerts, festivals, events and

exhibitions in and out of Budapest

16-17 CANADA Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace

26 GASTRONOMY Baja fish soup; Café Restaurant Vogue

18 WITTYLEAKS by the Ambassador of Croatia

Bistro; Riso Ristorante & Terrace

Budapest; Cirque de Sziget

27 TERRACE ÉS Bistro; ARAZ Restaurant; Budapest

PUBLISHER: Peter Freed EDITOR: Tamás Varga 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, Ágnes Weninger, Tamás Varga, Gordan Grlic-Radman PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS: 123RF.com (Cover), Government of Malta (Cover), Pixabay.com, István Király-Fotográfus/kiralyfotografus.com, Dénes

SPANISH FOCUS - COMING SOON

Szilágyi/NKE, Márton Kovács/MFAT, GE, Zsolt Burger/MFAT, Mihály Nagy, Malta Tourism Authorithy, Andy Hunt/andy.hunt@rcluk.co.uk, Government of Malta, Mario Galea, Gregory Iron Photography/Gergely Vas, viewingmalta.com, Pixeltaster, Jean Marc Zerafa, Guido Bergmann/Bundesregierung, kremlin.ru, Cirque Alfonse, Nathan Paternotte, Norbi Whitney, CCIU, Lázár Todoroff, Nicolas Schul, Andrew Cooper-SMPSP/The Weinstein Company, Tamás Kaunitz/afstudio.hu, Balázs Grósz/megapixel.hu, Szilas/Wikipedia, Veszprémfest, Művészetek Völgye, Foto Studio Colombo/Pirelli Media, Iván Jaksity, MTI Photos: Szilárd Koszticsák, Tamás Kovács, Boglárka Bodnár, Zoltán Máthé

In our August issue, Diplomacy&Trade will present a special Focus on Spanish-Hungarian relations in recognition of 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Our Focus will feature an interview with Spanish Ambassador José Ángel López Jorrín, covering a wide range of themes, from bilateral political and economic relations (including trade and investment), to cultural ties between the two countries. We also plan an interview with the Spanish Minister of Economic and Industrial Affairs and the trade commissioner of the Spanish Embassy in Budapest. Other topics that will be covered include culture (with the presentation of the Cervantes Institute in Budapest), tourism, gastronomy, wine and much more.

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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on the record

Following the signing of the memorandum, the Hungarian Foreign Minister highlighted the fact that the territory of the Midwestern U.S. state and Hungary are almost identical in size, in addition to which there are numerous similarities between their economic policy goals. As an example, the Minister said that both regard job creation as the engine of economic growth, they both place significant emphasis on education and training, have low rates of tax and, from a logistics perspective, both parties occupy a determining place in their respective regions. The Minister also told the press that there are currently three enterprises from Indiana operating in Hungary, a pharmaceutical company and two automotive industry companies, which together employ some 800 people. “Economic relations are expanding dynamically with trade flow between Indiana and Hungary around USD 100 million last year, and doubled proportionally during the first quarter of this year. This contributed to trade flow between Hungary and the United States increasing by 11 percent during the first quarter”, Mr. Szijjártó explained.

With regard to the future of economic cooperation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the parties would be placing the greatest emphasis on the high quality processing industry and the activities of the agriculture sector. “There is a good chance that Hungarian water management technologies will also be showcased and applied in Indiana”, he indicated, adding that cooperation already exists between universities and researchers from Indiana and Hungary, and the parties have agreed to further tighten this cooperation. Governor Eric Holcomb told reporters that the conclusion of the agreement will enable closer cooperation, and the parties will be in regular contact to ensure that mutual opportunities for economic development are suitably exploited.

HUNGARY TAKES OVER V4 PRESIDENCY

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SZILÁRD KOSZTICSÁK/MTI, DÉNES SZILÁGYI/NKE, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

The prime ministers of the Visegrád (V4) Group, comprised of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, met their counterparts from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in Warsaw in June at the invitation of Polish PM Beata Szydło. Following the meeting, the prime ministers of the Visegrád countries made their way to the Royal Castle in Warsaw for a ceremony at which Poland officially handed over the presidency of the V4 group to Hungary.

In his speech at the event, Viktor Orbán asked his fellow prime ministers that – in addition to encouraging economic cooperation, building diplomatic relations and increasing the standing of the four countries – they should also place emphasis on the younger generation, establish scholarships and organize apprenticeship programs.

“Let us enable the younger generation to also experience what we call being Central European”, the Prime Minister urged, adding that, in the long term, Central Europe could remain Europe’s most rapidly developing region. “We will devote Hungary’s one-year presidency of the V4 to this goal”, he said in closing.

As regards the program and priorities of the Hungarian Presidency, István Mikola, State Secretary for Security Policy and International Cooperation in the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs, shed some light on these issues at the ‘Visegrád Four and Germany’ conference organized in Berlin last May by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). There, the State Secretary underlined that the most important task of Central Europe is to preserve the security and stability of the region "in an increasingly less stable environment" and to ensure economic competitiveness with "innovative" solutions.

This also defines the program of the Hungarian V4 Presidency, the first key element of which is the common, Central European contribution to the strategic debate on the future of Europe.

The second element of the V4 Presidency program is to strengthen security and stability through the management of the migration crisis, István Mikola said, stressing that Germany is still a very important partner for achieving the goals of the V4 Group. The third major point of the program is a joint contribution to improving the interconnection and interconnectivity of transport and energy transmission networks. Another key objective of the Hungarian Presidency is to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the region through the stimulation of digitization and R&D, and to deepen the V4 Group's contacts with European and global partners through continuing political dialogue and projects based on common interests.

RUSSIAN HYBRID WARFARE IN UKRAINE UNACCEPTABLE 'Threats and Challenges of Hybrid Warfare for European Security' was the title of a panel discussion at the National University of Public Service in Budapest in late June, opened by the American Chargé d’Affaires and the Ukrainian Ambassador.

Speaking before the panel discussion, organized in partnership with the British, Canadian, Ukrainian and American embassies as part of a program series focusing on Ukraine, the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Budapest, David J. Kostelancik stressed that "Ukraine is under attack. We come together today to explore and understand the unique blend of traditional, indirect, and cyber warfare that Russia currently deploys against the people of Eastern Ukraine."

He added that "Russia trains, funds, and arms violent separatists; increases its arsenal of heavy weapons to intimidate and to bully; wields energy as a geostrategic weapon; launches cyberattacks and malicious intrusions against public and governmental networks; and maintains a smokescreen of disinformation and propaganda to mask their actions and foster instability." The Chargé d’Affaires pointed out that "the United States has found and continues to find Russia’s actions illegal and inhumane. We call for the speedy return of the Crimean peninsula, an end to Russia-backed partisan violence, and the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by all parties, particularly Russia. Our stance on Ukraine has not changed: we support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine." In her opening remarks, Ukrainian ambassador Liubov Nepop said her country has been facing unconventional warfare. "Ukraine became the first country which faced in practice all forms of new hybrid war."

Russia employs not only conventional military methods against Ukraine but relies greatly on other tools that include propaganda campaigns and energy policy measures, she added.

"This war includes also other important elements such as information, energy, cyber and other tools," she pointed out, highlighting that the hostility also has the military element as "Russian troops were behind the illegal temporary annexation of Crimea and are acting in the east of Ukraine where we have lost already more than 10,000 citizens." “The only way to counteract Russian aggression and hybrid war threats is to stick to the unity and solidarity principles based on our common values, continuing sanctions, political and practical pressure on Russia to stop its aggression against Ukraine and to restore Ukraine’s territorial integrity and peace,” the Ukrainian Ambassador summed up.

The Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó and the Governor of the U.S. state of Indiana, Eric Holcomb signed a memorandum of understanding on the conclusion of an economic cooperation agreement between the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Indiana Economic Development Association in Budapest this June.

It is the first time that the Hungarian government has entered an economic cooperation agreement with one of the states of the United States of America. Also, Hungary is the first country to conclude an agreement of this nature with the state of Indiana.

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HUNGARY’S E-TAIL SECTOR SHIFTS INTO HIGH GEAR

ECONOMIC COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF INDIANA

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Hungary’s online retail trade closed an excellent year in 2016. According to a report by eNET Internet Research and Consulting Ltd., Hungarian webshops generated HUF 427 billion (about EUR 1.39 billion) in turnover, more than 5% of the total national retail trade volume. The dynamic expansion of the online sector is not surprising as both the number of customers and order values keep increasing, The research results, based on responses from webshop operators, were announced at the 14th Hungarian E-commerce Conference in Visegrád.

E-tailers did not rest on their laurels last year. Online retail trade in Hungary increased its share within total domestic retail trade. The most popular product categories were information technology and entertainment electronics, clothes, toys/gifts, and household machinery / white goods. The online trade volume in this last category ousted home equipment from the top 5. It’s not only the size of the market that grew but also cart values. Online shoppers spent HUF 13,000 (some EUR 42) for an average online purchase, HUF 1,700 (appr. EUR 5.5) higher than in 2015. The availability of delivery methods did not change: delivery by courier services remained the most widely offered, followed by personal collection at staffed stores operated by partners, and the seller’s site / office. Cash payment upon delivery dominates, but bank card payment upon delivery could be the future. In line with previous years’ trends, Hungarian webshops primarily offer cash payment upon delivery, bank transfer, or cash payment in a shop, at a site, or in an office. The fastest expansion, by 25 basis points, was exhibited by bank card payment upon delivery. Logistics suppliers are upgrading and expanding their services, so more and more couriers wield a POS terminal. More and more Internet users over 18 years of age have taken up online shopping in recent years; the e-tail boom indicates that that Hungarians have grown accustomed to this buying method. The number of online shoppers has grown by 600,000, from just above four million in 2015. Thus, as many as 84% of adult Internet users now buy goods online, at least once a year. And it’s not only the number of domestic webshops’ customers that has increased in recent years. More and more people also order goods from foreign online stores; their number went up from 1.5 million in 2015 to 2.2 million this year.

SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR PASSES AWAY The staff of Diplomacy&Trade was greatly saddened to hear, on June 20, that the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Hungary, Johann Marx, passed away in Budapest at the age of 69. We knew him as a cheerful and knowledgeable man and one of the kindest and most valued members of the diplomatic corps in the Hungarian capital ever since he presented his credentials to the Hungarian President in May 2013. In an extensive interview for Diplomacy&Trade two years ago, he highlighted that opportunities in cooperation between companies of the two countries could benefit the entire African continent. In the interview, he compared the decades of isolation (for different reasons) of South Africa and Hungary before the two countries established diplomatic relations in the early 1990s. He also mentioned that “as a result of Hungary’s world renowned reputation for academic excellence and technological achievement, some members of the Hungarian diaspora, who emigrated to South Africa after 1956, rose to high academic positions in our country, contributing to a much needed skills transfer to South African citizens and also creating awareness of Hungary and its challenges at the time.”

After his previous posting, which was to Israel, Ambassador Marx found himself “posted in a peaceful place” in Budapest. “I find this one of the nicest places any diplomat could wish for. Hungary is a very enjoyable working environment. We have easy access to important office holders, both in and outside the government. So, for diplomats, operating in Hungary is real pleasure,” he said. However, he enjoyed Hungary not just for work. Whenever his wife and daughter, who were tied to South Africa by work and study, visited the Ambassador in Budapest, he took them to visit towns and cities like Szeged, Pécs or Sopron as well as Lake Balaton, pointing out that “Hungary is a beautiful country, it has a lot to offer tourists and we always greatly enjoy our visits across the land.”

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company briefs

VIESSMANN ESTABLISHES SHARED SERVICE CENTER IN PÉCS As part of Viessmann's expanding cooperation with Hungary, the group is creating a new shared service center (SSC) in Pécs, S Hungary. The third Hungarian unit of the German company will provide customer support mainly in after-sales, in cooperation with the technical services group operating in Allendorf, Germany. The decision made in favor of Pécs was based on the availability of technologically qualified specialists with foreign language skills associated with the university. The Viessmann Group is a leading global manufacturer of heating, refrigeration and industrial heating systems. The family business – established in 1917 – employs 12,000 people and has annual sales revenue of EUR 2.25 billion. Viessmann is an internationally popular and established brand with 23 manufacturing units in 12 countries, companies and representative offices in 74 countries, and 120 commercial branch offices operating around the world. The German company has been in Hungary since 1993. Initially, it operated a sales office in Törökbálint, then implemented a manufacturing plant in 2007 in Dombóvár, where it has created a total of 400 new jobs and realized investments valued at HUF 2.6 billion. Viessmann has also entered into various forms of cooperation with more than 10 Hungarian institutions of secondary and higher education.

From the autumn of 2017, the new Viessmann SSC will hire 50 employees with solid technical backgrounds and excellent German proficiency, who will be offered attractive career opportunities in the long term. Future staff will receive internal training in the necessary professional skills. According to the Managing Director of Viessmann’s international Service Division, Michael Weber, the new service center in Pécs would provide service support and advice initially to German clients and, in the future, to the company’s international clients. The Managing Director of the Viessmann Group’s local subsidiary, Viessmann Technika Dombóvár Limited, Andor Beck has pointed out that Pécs was chosen because of the presence of over 22,000 university students in the city, the favorable ratio of German speakers in the county, the fact that the city had an excellent industrial park and services, and available the real estate from which the company expects to begin providing its services in the autumn of 2017. He added that the company’s plant in Dombóvár is the exclusive manufacturer of biomass boilers for the Viessmann Group, and 50% of the parts used are supplied by Hungarian small and medium-sizes enterprises.

125-year-old General Electric (GE) is on its way to transform from a traditional industrial company (manufacturing machines and equipment) to a digital industrial company. GE aims to increase its revenue from digital services based on data analysis, by USD 6 billion to 15 billion annually, by 2020. The company has announced that GE Power’s Veresegyház factory enhances its production efficiency using its own digital technologies.

According to Joerg Bauer, President of GE Hungary, “GE’s digital transition has an impact on our company’s divisions, global and local market presence because, in the future, we intend to focus primarily on those industries and products, in which both the production processes and the products themselves can be fully digitalized. GE has invested HUF 33 billion (appr. USD 120 mn), in the past two years, to create 2,500 high-value-added, digitally enabled positions in Hungary, where our purpose is to increase the value we create in the future by Internet of things (IoT) solutions based on data analysis, and support the Hungarian economy in the development of digital solutions.” One of the best examples of GE’s transformation into a digital industrial company is the GE Power Veresegyház factory, operating since 2001, which is GE’s largest plant outside the United States. Employing more than 2,000 professionals, GE Power Veresegyház manufactures small and medium-capacity gas-turbine power plants and their components. The combined capacity of the power plants built in the factory is about 2 GW, equal to the current capacity of the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. This factory alone generates close to 5% of Hungary’s exports. The modernity and value of the manufacturing technology of GE Power Veresegyház is displayed by the fact that 50% of the annual maintenance cost of the entire plant, operating a fleet of 120 pieces of equipment, is accounted for by the continuous maintenance and replacement of the 6 high-value plasma spray equipment alone. Plasma spray blows a ceramic protective layer on the parts of gas turbines exposed to high operating temperature, for which the ceramic powder is heated by the plasma spray equipment to 14,000 degrees Celsius – as hot as the surface of the Sun. “Owing to digitalization, it has become a very low-cost operation to collect, process and analyze the data generated in the course of operating the highly valuable machinery and equipment, which leads to a profound change compared to the earlier, rather inaccurate maintenance practice based on statistical models,” the factory director of GE Power Veresegyház, Gergő Lencsés points out. With the development project completed recently, GE Power Veresegyház measured the operation of the plasma spray equipment by sound analyzers, and from the data derived through the measurements, the sound levels typical of the normal conditions and the conditions predicting failure were determined. Based upon the results of measurements, the factory’s specialists changed the operating parameters (eg. current, volume of nitrogen and argon gas) of the equipment tripling the life cycle of the plasma spray equipment.

As Budapest Airport welcomed Wizz Air’s twiceweekly service to Astana this June, the Hungarian gateway celebrated the addition of its 42nd country market, filling another gap on its route map and expanding its selection of destinations.

Omitting the previous need for connections, the ultra-low-cost carrier’s direct link to Kazakhstan joins Budapest’s existing links in

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the further development of trade and investment between the countries, create opportunities for the leisure travelers to discover new and exciting tourism attractions in both countries.”

At the same press conference in Budapest, the Hungarian Minister of National Economy, Mihály Varga said that a direct air traffic between Hungary and Kazakhstan was resumed after many yers and the launch of the service was preceded by long preparatory work, “Hungary needs this connection,” he added.

The Minister also talked about Hungary’s presence at the World Exhibition in Astana that focused on renewable energies, with the participation of 112 countries.

The Hungarian stand at the exhibition introduced novelties developed in recent years, among which, Mihály Varga highlighted, the Hungarian startup which produces solar paving elements, a product that was presented in a separate pavilion. Other products on display were related to environmentally friendly water purification and geothermal energy.

Mihály Varga emphasized that foreign trade is a significant part of the Hungarian economy. For it to remain so, new partners are needed.

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the region to Georgia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan: “We are happy and proud to welcome yet another new Wizz Air destination, launched from Budapest Airport. Astana will be the 111th new airport on our list of destinations this summer,” Budapest Airport CEO Jost Lammers explained at the press conference held at the launch of the new service. He added that “this new flight between the capitals of Hungary and Kazakhstan will contribute to

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Production has officially been launched at Indian automotive supplier SONA's plant in Polgár, NE Hungary. Although smaller runs of higher added-value steel shaft, engine and chassis parts will initially be manufactured by the new plant of the company, it is a clear indication of SONA’s long-term plans that an expansion of the plant is already planned in connection with the processing of semi-finished parts.

SONA BLW Group specializes in the manufacturing and installation of forged precision conical wheels and change wheels, baulk rings, undercarriage parts, engine and power transmission parts and complete differential gears, primarily for the automotive industry. Their customers include a number of renowned light and heavy truck manufacturers, manufacturers of agricultural and heavy machinery and TIER1 suppliers. SONA employs more than 2,300 workers at its seven plants over the world.

Since the start of production at the Polgár plant, SONA BLW Hungary Ltd. has produced semi-finished automotive steel products (gearboxes, clutches, shaft, engine and chassis parts). Currently, the plant has 40 workers but that number is intended to be increased to 130 over the next five years. From 2018, the range of activities may include hot forging and heat treatment of products, while in the long term, the cutting, heat treatment, hard broaching and final quality control of semifinished products forged in Germany may also be transferred to the new plant.

To that end, a further EUR 13.5 million will be invested, over the next five years, into the acquisition of production equipment as well as infrastructure. The intended growth requires expansion of the currently 5,000-square-meter production plant to 10,000 square meters; this expansion is already in progress. By the end of the investment phase, annual turnover is expected to reach EUR 10 million.

GE FACTORY IMPROVES EFFICIENCY

BY OWN DIGITAL SOLUTIONS

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POWER TRANSMISSION PARTS AND HEAVY MACHINERY PRODUCTION IN POLGÁR

company briefs DIEHL AIRCABIN INVESTMENT IN HUNGARY

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ZSOLT BURGER/MFAT, TAMÁS KOVÁCS/MTI, ZOLTÁN MÁTHÉ/MTI, MIHÁLY NAGY

NEW SIEMENS TURBINE BLADE PLANT EXPANSION Siemens is expanding its gas and steam turbine blade plant at its Power and Gas plant facility in Budapest with an investment of EUR 32.5 million (some HUF 10 billion). At the foundation stone laying ceremony, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó was of the view that Siemens has chosen Hungary as the site for its latest state-of-the-art technology investment, which will serve to expand its current production area by 2,500 square meters and construct a new 10,000-square-meter production hall, with which it will create 150 new jobs for technicians.

“The significance of the investment is increased by the fact that the world’s energy industry is changing, with both renewable energy sources and nuclear energy gaining in importance. Siemens of one of the global leaders in realizing power plant projects of this nature, and the company’s investment in Budapest means Hungary will now be among the world’s frontrunners in yet another sector of industry,” the minister said. He claimed that the investment was a joint step towards moving the Hungarian economy and Hungarian industry forwards into a new dimension, a digital era based on research & development and innovation.

“There is huge competition between the world’s international corporations with relation to technological development. Countries are competing for the research, development and innovation-based investment of large corporations that represent the flagships in the transition to the new industrial era, create better paid workplaces and represent higher added value”, the Minister highlighted.

“Both Germany and Siemens are Hungary’s strategic partners; the German company employs 3 thousand people in Hungary. The Budapest investment further reinforces Hungarian-German economic relations, and according to figures for the first quarter of this year, last year’s record level of trade flow between the two countries has been successfully surpassed by a further 10%,” he added.

At the ceremony, President and CEO of Siemens Co. Ltd. Dale A. Martin highlighted the fact that continuity, innovation and expertise play and important role in the company’s success in Hungary.

“50 Hungarian colleagues are currently studying in the Siemens plant in Berlin so they can become in involved in the high quality task of manufacturing turbine blades, and they will soon be joined by another 9 staff,” he told reporters.

Chief Financial Officer of the Siemens Power and Gas plant in Budapest, Árpád Goszták, said the realization of the new facilities had been entrusted to Hungarian contractors because they had submitted the most favorable offer during tendering.

According to information provided by Siemens Co. Ltd., production of the new products at the Power and Gas plant in Budapest will begin in 2019.

German aviation industry supplier Diehl Aircabin is expanding its existing capacities in Nyírbátor, NE Hungary with an investment of EUR 120 million (appr. HUF 37 billion). As in many such cases in the past couple of years, the Hungarian government is contributing a proportion of the investment, providing HUF 1.38 billion in funding. According to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, the investment by the company, which was founded in 1902 and is still a family-owned business to this day, “will enable the creation of 230 new jobs and involve the construction of new buildings and the procurement of new machinery.”

According to a report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister also mentioned that “If there exists a sector of industry in which precision plays a leading role, it is aero plane manufacturing. The number of people travelling by air has been increasing by 5.4% a year, meaning demand for new aero planes on the part of airlines is also increasing, requiring new suppliers and new production capacities.”

Last year, the performance of Hungary’s aviation industry increased by 11% above HUF 34 billion, and increased a further 6% in the first four months of this year. There are 16,000 people currently working in the sector, 18% more than last year.

The Diehl Group has interests in some 80 countries worldwide and employs 16,000 people. The CEO of Diehl Aerosystems Rainer von Borstel (see pictured) told the press that Airbus is the company’s largest contractor, and the plant in Nyírbátor manufactures cabin elements for the new A350 model. He recalled that the company’s subsidiary in Nyírbátor was established six years ago and was the company’s first production unit outside Germany. “Operations were launched with just a few employees, but the company now employs over 500 people and the whole economy of Nyírbátor benefits from the company’s presence since the company relies on local enterprises in several areas”, he added. “The company and the Hungarian government have developed an excellent level of cooperation”, he highlighted. The region’s Member of Parliament, Miklós Simon said “hundreds and thousands of families in the region will profit from this agreement”.

According to publically available company data, Diehl Aircabin Hungary Ltd realized 22.4 million in sales turnover in 2016, following the figure of EUR 16.2 million in the previous year.

Last year, the company posted after-tax profits of EUR 670.700.00

UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES LAUNCHES NONSTOP FLIGHT TO BUDAPEST As of this summer, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) enhances its international route network by launching non-stop scheduled services between Kiev and Budapest. Effective June 15, 2017, the new daily flights, connecting the capitals of Ukraine and Hungary, are on Boeing 737-800 aircraft with two-class cabin configuration – Business Class and Economy Class. The flights from Budapest are scheduled to provide convenient connections with UIA services to Almaty, Amman, Astana, Bangkok, Dubai, Helsinki, Kutaisi, Riga, Stockholm, Tbilisi, Tehran, Vilnius, and Yerevan. “Hungary and its capital are increasingly popular with tourists from Ukraine,” noted Evgeniya Satska, UIA Corporate Press Secretary. “The launch of non-stop daily flights between Kiev and Budapest is feasible as we keep developing our network model by taking full advantage of the transit potential of Kiev`s Boryspil International Airport.”

As UIA President Yuri Miroshnikov pointed out, “we are convinced that a visa free regime between Ukraine and the EU will boost transit passenger traffic via our hub, Boryspil. Therefore, we make every effort to provide our international clients with the widest possible selection of travel opportunities both within Ukraine and beyond across our extensive route network in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the CIS countries and the US. It is our primary goal to enhance flight geography and intensify operations. Currently, UIA operates over 1,000 weekly flights to 80+ capitals and key cities worldwide. We are really glad that, from now on, passengers from Hungary will be able to share our travel passion and gain in-flight experience aboard the leading Ukrainian carrier’s aircraft.”

At the flight-launching ceremony, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Hungary, Luibov Nepop and the Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine, Ernő Keskeny were joined by Budapest Airport CEO Jost Lammers to cut the ribbon. Although, this airport pairing will not face direct competition, Budapest is already connected to the Ukrainian capital with Wizz Air offering a daily service between Kiev’s Zhulyany International Airport and the Hungarian capital. With this launch, Ukraine International Airlines now serves 45 destinations in Europe from Boryspil on over 480 weekly flights.

VÁCI GREENS HEALTHCARE CENTER OPENED This June, Affidea Diagnosztika and Főnix-Med held the opening ceremony of their new private clinic, Váci Greens Medical Center. The new center has modern diagnostic imaging and a wide range of medical specialists in one of Budapest’s most developing business quarters, which is also home for General Electric (GE).

Besides GE employees, the clinic is easily accessible for the inhabitants of the district and the neighboring areas, as well. Although, its location is favorable as a regional reference center, its mission is more far-reaching.

According to a press release, Váci Greens Medical Center is one of the jewels of the Hungarian private healthcare sector. It is the development of an exceptional cooperation of significant companies within the framework of an HUF 1.2 billion (close to EUR 4 mn) investment. As one of the biggest clients of GE ordering diagnostic equipment, Affidea has a long-standing relationship with GE, while Főnix-Med works with the global company in the field of occupational medicine.

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Minister of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Dr. László Szabó pointed out in his introduction that he appreciated the concept of the new healthcare center.

“The fact that these two participants of the market can overcome competition and found a partnership is not only beneficial for the companies concerned and the private patients, but also for the development of the healthcare industry. The engine of economic growth is the use of high value-added, innovative solutions, and the medical center, which provides the most modern GE technology, is a great example for this.”

The clinic's available services currently include several areas of medicine: internal medicine, orthopedics, cardiology, dermatology, gynecology, urology, heart ultrasound, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, dentistry (dentistry and dental panorama, RTG), and physiotherapy.

Later in the year, the Center will expand its range with other specializations (allergology, diabetology, endocrinology, rheumatology, neurology, sports medicine, aviation medicine). Besides these, the Váci Greens Medical

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Center provides a wide range of preventive screening tests to their corporate and private clients.

György Leitner, the CEO of Affidea Diagnostic emphasized the importance of their education center.

“We have established an education center on the

first floor of the Center, where we plan to share the secrets of modern diagnostic procedures during training programs. Beside the theoretical education, professionals can observe the different equipment in operation.”

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INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER JOSEPH MUSCAT

This June, the Labour Party won the general elections in Malta with 55% of the popular vote. On election night, after being given a mandate to head the government for a second term, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said "it is clear that the people have chosen to stay the course." As to what the ‘course’ is that Maltese voters have approved, the Prime Minister explains to Diplomacy&Trade that “at the start of the last legislature, we presented a roadmap to the Maltese people.

This was a plan through which we aimed to build strong foundations for our economy to flourish, providing it a sound footing for prolonged and sustained success. We have managed to do this – exceeding expectations in many cases. In just four years, we saw Malta going from a sluggish economy to a vibrant one, growing at double the rate of the Euro zone. Malta’s economy has become one of the best performing economies in Europe, seeing unprecedented job creation and career opportunities, halving the rate of people living in materially deprived conditions

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and attracting the highest levels of foreign direct investment in recent decades.”

He adds that staying the course for the next legislature means that “the Maltese want us to sustain that growth. As a re-elected government, we pledge to do this via further tax reform providing all a tax bonus, and by ambitiously upgrading the country's infrastructure. We will also carry forward, into this legislature, our probusiness attitude and continue to distribute the wealth of our economic success where it is needed most, whilst ensuring our workers and families maintain a positive work life balance.

Presidency priorities The apropos for Diplomacy&Trade publishing a special section on Maltese-Hungarian relations is that Malta held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year.

According to PM Muscat, the overall priority of the Presidency was to unify members, to bring citizens and the EU closer together, through predetermined priorities of six areas that the Maltese felt were important to the citizens they represent.

These areas included migration, social inclusion,

LABOUR WINS MALTA ELECTIONS The Labour Party has won the general election handing Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat a mandate to head a government for a second term. "It is clear that the people have chosen to stay the course," the Prime Minister said, adding that “the people had chosen positivity over negativity.”

According to news reports, he said that after a divisive political campaign, his priority is to bring about unity and to invite all to work together to achieve even better results for the country. Labour supporters have also taken to the streets in celebration, gathering near party clubs waving flags. A crowd has gathered near Labour headquarters and workers are erecting a stage at the granaries in Floriana. Indications show Labour

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has won by a considerable margin, by more close to 35,000. Dr. Muscat had called the general election a year early, saying that allegations about corruption were instilling uncertainty in the economy. After a bitter election campaign, his gamble appears to have paid off. He won a staggering 36,000 vote majority in 2013, yielding a majority of nine seats in Parliament.

Before the Election, the Prime Minister thanked people for trusting him four years ago. “I was simply the instrument to bring about the change you desired.

I was your servant and it was an honor to be so,” Dr. Muscat said. He listed the changes that occurred over the past

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four years, including free childcare for working parents, tax cuts, lower utility bills, higher pensions and better civil rights, and warned all this could be lost if people did not vote next Saturday.

Admitting his government's failures on good governance, Dr. Muscat said the Labour Party was proposing to include a Constitutional change so that wrongdoing by public officials is censored immediately and taken out of the hands of any future prime minister. “I come before you with hand on heart, satisfied with the work we have done. The good is all your merit. The bad, I will shoulder responsibility for.”

His words have definitely paid off.

photos by

BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ

GOVERNMENT OF MALTA, GREGORY IRON PHOTOGRAPHY/GERGELY VAS

LIBERALISM AND A PROGRESSIVE ATTITUDE

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malta focus security, the single market, maritime policy and stabilizing Europe’s neighborhood.

“The thought process behind these priorities was that the EU cannot afford to be complacent in terms of migration, thus, during these six months, the agreements made at the Valletta Summit (in November 2015) were followed up with a declaration by the EU Council at the Malta Summit (in February, 2017). Solidarity underpins the very existence of the Union and thus the security of our citizens was another priority for the Maltese Presidency,” he points out.

He adds that the Maltese Presidency listened to citizens and made advances in the digital single market by abolishing roaming charges and extending subscriptions to online content within the EU. Other areas of importance included pushing social policy to advance gender equality and rights of minorities and vulnerable groups; ocean governance and the sustainability of our oceans; and engagement and stabilization of Europe’s neighborhood to ensure Europe remains prosperous in the face of the conflict and political instability that affects Malta’s neighbors.

There have been several meetings and other events under the auspices of the Maltese EU Presidency. Of these, Joseph Muscat highlights the Malta Summit which was held in February as “it was praised both for its efficiency but more importantly for genuinely advancing the issue of migration which has been the cause of much consternation in parts of the Union. Whilst progress is never commensurate to the urgency of the matter, the Summit went a long way in finding common grounds of understanding and giving the issue the prominence it deserves.”

reap results in the next five or ten years, not by the end of the Maltese Presidency. On the other hand, there were also many tangible achievements of the Presidency, including abolishing roaming charges within the EU and systematic checks at external borders.”

In summary of the work and achievements of the Maltese EU Presidency, the Prime Minister says “we stepped up to the challenge and, in my opinion, as well as that of other EU leaders, we seem to have succeeded. We simultaneously held a general election which, contrary to the warnings we received, had no negative impact on the running of the Presidency. The work of the EU Presidency was aimed at initiating a new approach to how we execute our work within the EU, and how the Union functions and interacts with its citizens. It focused on putting the citizens at the heart of the Union, and it is intended to start a project that will

Illegal migration Perhaps, the gravest problem the European Union has faced in the past few years is that of illegal migration. When asked the question of how much this has affected Malta and whether he is satisfied with the assistance EU member countries provided Malta in tackling this problem, the Prime Minister agrees that the immigration remains an important issue for the EU and Malta, “but we have started to

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

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VIEWINGMALTA.COM, MARIO GALEA, MALTA TOURISM AUTHORITHY

Up to the challenge

tackle it better in Malta over the last four years.

However, that being said, we do believe this is a European issue that merits a European solution.

The Union must recognize the unique position of member states at the borders, and their special stints with regards to migrant flows.

The Union must ensure that in this case, the principle of solidarity remains strong between member states and is not selectively applied.

There is a disappointment that not all member states have met expectations on promises made by themselves, nevertheless, progress has still been made.”

As regards the way this problem should be handled to prevent new waves of illegal migration in the future, the Maltese PM highlights that the European Council made a bold and ambitious declaration during the Summit in February. “Whilst we have no false delusions that the issue of migration can have any easy solutions, we believe that we can achieve small, yet tangible practical solutions, which would go a long way in alleviating the hardships that immigration inherently brings with it. These solutions include training and equipment for Libyan coastguards, and keeping track of the routes used for smuggler’s activities as well as possible diversions and alternative routes.”

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He adds that the Partnership Framework and the Valletta Action Plan have allowed the EU to deepen cooperation with a number of partner countries to ensure a sustainable management of migration flows that is humane and where all stakeholders commit to sharing the responsibility in terms of the principle of solidarity.

Malta and Hungary Malta and Hungary are both members of the European Union. Regarding bilateral ties, PM Muscat is of the view that “there are positive relations between Malta and Hungary, and we intend to progress these relations through maintaining an open dialogue between the nations. In a bilateral meeting with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, we had discussed increasing visitor numbers between Malta and Hungary via new flight routes and commercial ventures. As for issues that the two governments have similar views or disagree on, he stresses that “Hungary and Malta both have very liberal attitudes towards the economy and employment, though Malta carries that liberalism and progressive attitude to social matters, as well.

Our national positions towards migration are very different although there is a mutual understanding of each other's position.”

HUNGARY

MALTA

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 $26,200 (2015 est.)

70 6.8% (2015 est.)

79 11.786 million 76 41 (2013) 104

316 sq km 208 415,196 (July 2016 est.)

176 0.29% (2016 est.)

178 10.1 births/1,000 population 195 80.4 years 37 2 migrant(s)/1,000 population 49 $37,900 (2016 est.)

47 4.8% (2016 est.)

55 558.000 169 1 225

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GENERATIONS, ROUTES, CITIES AND ISLANDS

with innovative participatory cultural events, performances and projects, the likes of which have never been seen in Malta before.

It is a great opportunity for people to come together and participate in arts and culture,” Program Coordinator Margerita Pulè said.

Artistic Director for Special Events, Mario Philip Azzopardi pointed out that “several public spaces in the city will be used to host spectacles for the opening weekend. A number of attractions will be taking place including the participation of international acrobatics company La Fura Dels Baus, performances by ŻfinMalta dancers and digital projections around the city.”

The Maltese Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Owen Bonnici highlighted that “Valletta as the Capital for Culture for 2018 is not the finish line but rather it’s another phase within the arts and cultural sector. Valletta 2018 project is in fact a long term project to preserve the cultural heritage and create a legacy that is enjoyed by locals and tourists alike to foster cultural heritage as a reflection of our identity as Maltese, Mediterranean and European.”

Minister Bonnici also emphasized that the work done was not only to safeguard the cultural heritage but also that of education and raising awareness in an important sector which can contribute to the economy, especially in the creation of jobs.

Another highlight from the Valletta 2018 Cultural Program includes Valletta 2018’s multi-site visual arts exhibition curated by internationally renowned curator Maren Richter. This main event is set to take place during the opening weekend, with its multi-site work branching out into several artistic pieces taking place in multiple venues all over the archipelago.

The second edition of the Valletta Pageant

VALLETTA, EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE IN 2018

The ‘Valletta 2018 – European Capital of Culture’ project has been awarded the Melina Mercouri prize of EUR 1.5 million in view of its strong European dimension and citizens’ involvement, particularly through the education and capacity building programs. (The Melina Mercouri Prize

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also part of the national legacy that the Maltese government has created as part of Valletta 2018, thanks to inclusive and collaborative work as well as investment which is changing the arts and culture sectors today as well as for future generations.

“This is happening not only in Valletta but – as we have always maintained – this is an impact which is today felt across Malta and Gozo,” Bonnici said.

Infrastructure projects The Valletta 2018 Foundation is working on a series of infrastructure projects which include the regeneration and conservation of a number of Valletta’s forgotten architectural treasures including the covered market (is-Suq l-Antik talBelt) 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 city will indeed become a center of excellence.

This is bringing Valletta closer to reaching the European standards enjoyed in other cities.

Programs Valletta’s European Capital of Culture year opens on January 20, 2018 with an official ceremony.

As part of the opening festivities, various dynamic shows will be 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.

As Valletta 2018 Chairman Jason Micallef stressed, “the European Capital of Culture festivities will take on the spirit of an islandwide festa, an event where people and families meet to celebrate and talk, and which serves to infuse localities with warmth, life and color, while bringing the community together.”

The Valletta 2018 Foundation has also implemented the concept of the festa in its program’s narrative. Festi rely heavily on active participation of different people and likewise, the success of Valletta 2018 requires the collaboration of people from all walks of life, who contribute to the Valletta 2018 Cultural Program.

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of the Seas, the large-scale spectacle which transforms the Grand Harbour with nautical displays and fireworks will also be taking place in 2018 (June 7).

An opera season is also being planned. This includes Aħna Refuġjati – an operatic work by young Maltese composer Mario Sammut that recounts the struggles of a family attempting to escape their war-torn country, as well as the Orfeo & Majnun opera which combines the Greek myth of Orfeo and Eurydice with the Middle Eastern legend of Leyla and Majnun.

Other program highlights include Altofest Malta, a Maltese edition of the Naples arts festival hosting interdisciplinary projects in diverse spaces, ranging from private homes to community venues and public locations. Malta Calls meanwhile offers an event comprising a set by international DJ Per QX, dances from ŻfinMalta and projections by London-based artists Shaun Prickemage and Dan Strutt.

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Melina Mercouri prize

is named after the Greek actress and later Minister Culture who inspired the launch of the European Capital of Culture initiative in 1985.)

According to Valletta 2018 Foundation Chairman Jason Micallef, the award of the Melina Mercouri prize “shows that the European Commission recognizes our efforts in developing a strong program whilst also transforming previously forgotten spaces into creative hubs. The participation of Maltese and Gozitans in Valletta 2018 along with the infrastructure projects taking place in Valletta, will ensure a lasting legacy beyond 2018”.

The Monitoring and Advisory Panel of the European Commission’s report states that the Valletta 2018 Cultural Program has a very strong European dimension, with more than 250 artists from abroad including Egypt, Israel and European countries actively contributing to it. The program’s focus on the Mediterranean and on all those countries which share its shores, has also been strengthened.

The Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government, Owen Bonnici said “the European Capital of Culture is among the most high profile events in Europe,” stating that the cultural program tied to the title has to have a local dimension as well as a European dimension, and above all must be one that involves the public.

The title of European Capital of Culture also has an economic and social impact, which in itself is

photos by VIEWINGMALTA.COM,

Valletta was declared a European Capital of Culture (ECoC) on October 12, 2012 with a partner Dutch city, Leeuwarden. The ECoC includes all the Maltese Islands, with the aim to spread its impact throughout the whole Maltese territory. It was the Valletta 2018 Foundation that was responsible for compiling the bid for Valletta as an ECoC and is in charge of implementing the project.

As per ECoC regulations set by the EU, the cultural program of any given Capital of Culture is to promote a European dimension and encourage citizen participation. According to the organizers, Valletta 2018 will enable the participation of the citizens of Malta and Europe and will form an integral and sustainable part of the long-term social, economic and cultural development of Malta. The Cultural Program is built around four themes: Generations, Routes, Cities and Islands. In conjunction with the Cultural Program, the Foundation is developing a program of consistent, accessible and comparable research and evaluation directly linked to culture.

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MALTA ALL YEAR ROUND MORE AND MORE HUNGARIAN TOURISTS VISIT THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND

Malta has, for many years, been a very popular tourist destination for Hungarian travelers, especially with the current security situation. “Security has become a very important issue today, indeed. Malta has always been well-known as a safe country. Fortunately, it has retained this good characteristic,” Edina Hangya, the Representative for Hungary at Malta Tourism Authority tells Diplomacy&Trade. “With its pleasant climate and annual average of over 300 sunny days, the island attracts many Hungarians with its rich historical and cultural attractions, numerous open air events, learning and practicing of the English language (in a native speaking environment) and numerous sports, especially water sports. Malta is a real diving paradise, but many come here for other outdoor and non-water sports, too,” she adds.

A few years ago, Malta introduced administrative alleys, allowing foreigners to get married in Malta. Hungarians are also increasingly acceding to Malta as their wedding venue. The budget is not nearly as high as on an overseas island, you can quickly get there and even make your vows on the beach. April, May and October are ideal for beach weddings because the temperature is still very pleasant. Divorce in Malta was forbidden until a few years ago but now, not only has it been abolished and foreigners can marry, but the marriage of same sex couples was legalized by the Maltese government three

MALTA – WHY M.I.C.E.?

Promoting Malta

Malta, which has established itself as the destination of choice for discerning M.I.C.E visitors over the past 20 years, has seen record numbers in this sector recently, retaining its long-held position as a favorite short-haul destination of choice for conferences and incentives.

Edina Hangya says the mission of the Malta Tourism Authority in Hungary is to strengthen Malta's popularity through PR and marketing activities, targeting new partners and segments and orienting them towards Malta “We support the current and would-be tour operators with publications, joint actions, events.

We support their sales with joint appearances, presentations to potential travelers and reseller networks. We target the audience through the press and other campaigns so that there is demand either for travel agency offers or direct bookings. Nowadays, the proportion of direct online bookings is very significant with regard to Malta – even in Hungary.

Our representation office tries to target them with a strong online presence. The point is to make Malta known in the widest possible circles and create interest also in those segments of tourists that would not travel to Malta in the already over-loaded summer season, but rather in the shoulder months.”

1. Accessibility

With a short flight time of just three hours and daily flights from major European gateways, travelling to Malta is easy enough to fit into busy diaries.

2. Short transfers

The island’s small size plays to organizers’ advantage as transfer times are kept to a minimum (typically 25 minutes) allowing for more quality program time.

3. Climate

With almost 300 days of sunshine a year and mild temperatures throughout autumn and winter, the Mediterranean island is the perfect antidote to Northern European weather.

4. Language

English is one of Malta’s official languages, alongside Maltese.

5. Value for money

Malta is very competitively priced compared to its European neighbors and the VAT refund for foreign companies is certainly a plus point.

6. Experience

Malta’s legendary hospitality has been honed over centuries of hosting different civilizations. In recent years, Malta has established itself as the destination of choice for conferences, events and incentives of all sizes. Local Quality Assured DMCs have decades of experience in producing innovative and often award-winning programs.

More Hungarians to Malta The number of tourists from Hungary has grown considerably over the past five years. This is due in part to the free employment opportunities in the EU (a few thousand Hungarians work on the island), but mainly to more frequent air connections between the two countries. Until 2013, Air Malta, the national carrier of Malta, operated weekly flights in the summer season (once a week) and twice a week in the summer high season. This schedule was supplemented by a weekly charter flight in the summer. The number of Hungarian tourists per year was hardly more than 7,000-7500.

In 2013, however, Malta was added to the map of low-cost airlines and a new era began in Maltese travels for Hungarians. The number of Hungarian passengers exceeded 20,000 in 2016. Due to Air Malta's business policy, unfortunately, there is no scheduled direct flight between Budapest and Malta, but Wizz Air operates a full-service flight during the summer timetable, and Ryanair provides seven direct flights (and high capacity) per week in the summer season. With Air Malta pulling out, those in Western Hungary still opt for the Maltese airliner flying from Vienna. Many high-end passengers have accepted the opportunity offered by Wizz Air and Ryanair, since it is possible to request

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7. Excellent hotels

Malta has over 3,500 rooms in 15 five-star hotels ranging from international chains to boutique properties. All hotels have in-house conference facilities and dedicated M.I.C.E teams. Most are within walking distance of each other and can easily accommodate a large group across several properties. The 40-plus four-star hotels provide an additional 14,000 beds.

8. First class conference facilities

Malta has a selection of world-class conference centers that have hosted numerous international events. These venues all boast cutting edge technology and can accommodate from around 2,000 to over 5,000 delegates. Moreover, all five-star and several four-star hotels have in-house conference facilities and dedicated M.I.C.E teams.

9. Unique locations

The island’s unique landscape and rich heritage provide a grand backdrop for memorable events, be it dinner al fresco in a village square or drinks on a floating barge in Grand Harbor, a seaside lunch in the shadow of Gozo’s Azure Window, or a black-tie reception in a Baroque Palazzo. The creativity of local DMCs knows no bounds as they regularly come up with new locations for their clients’ events.

10. EU membership

As a European Union member and signatory to the Schengen Agreement, Malta has relaxed border controls for EU passport holders. The unit of currency is the Euro.

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HARANGOZÓ, MALTA TOURISM AUTHORITHY, ANDY HUNT/ANDY.HUNT@RCLUK.CO.UK

Out-of-season attractions

years ago, as a result of which Malta was put on the list of destinations of LGBT tourists, too.

She adds that many cultural and sporting events in Malta have created out-of-season growth in tourism. Marathon, half-marathon, triathlon races, bicycle events, choir, baroque and fine arts festivals await visitors from early autumn to late spring.

Thanks to the pleasant climate and mild winter, many European football teams choose Malta for training camps – including Hungarian soccer teams.

photos by DÁVID

complex services (priority check in, boarding, extra package, etc.) or connect to other airlines.

As the Representative explains, Hungarians go to Malta primarily for vacation purposes; the main motif is active holidays. In addition to seaside rest, basically, all tourists from Hungary participate in three excursions, mainly sightseeing tours (Valletta, Mdina, Gozo). “But let's not forget about the many workers there. As a consequence, in the past years, the number of people arriving to visit ‘relatives and friends’ has increased in parallel with the number of people arriving for work. This Hungarian tendency is similarly observed on the global level.

Malta's tourism grows year after year. The small island country with only 400,000 inhabitants was visited by nearly 2,000,000 tourists in 2016.”

malta focus

THE SPIRIT OF CORINTHIA BUDAPEST FEATURES ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS CORINTHIA HOTELS

Corinthia Hotels International looks back at a history of over five decades.

Corinthia founder, Alfred Pisani refers to the ‘Spirit of Corinthia’ as the key to success in the history of the hotel chain – the General Manager at Corinthia Hotel Budapest, Jean Pierre Mifsud explains to Diplomacy&Trade that “Corinthia is a collection of hotels founded by the Pisani family of Malta in 1962. They are a family-inspired business, whose timeless values underpin the ‘Spirit of Corinthia’. We like to treat and look after guests as if we were welcoming them back home. We also support and positively encourage one another, so that the hotel teams around the world enjoy their work in an inspired yet warmly-spirited fashion.”

He adds that “as a hotel business, we focus on giving honest, discreet service. We see ourselves as leading craftsmen in the world of hospitality, valuing authenticity, passion, precision and understanding in all we do. Each of the hotels and resorts they have created, in some of the most exciting places in the world, is a tribute to local architecture and cultural traditions. All Corinthia hotels feature extensive leisure and business traveler facilities and are renowned for their unique characteristics.”

photo by DÁVID

HARANGOZÓ

Expanding business Corinthia is scheduled to open new hotels in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Brussels, Belgium.

Justifying these choices of venue, the General Manager points out that “Brussels is home to countless museums and galleries, trendy bars and restaurants, as well as the EU’s institutions, it is no wonder Brussels is known as Europe’s capital. Perfectly situated on the historic Rue Royale, just minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grand-Place, the Corinthia Grand Hotel Astoria is the ideal location for both business and leisure guests to make the most of vibrant city life. Built in 1909 at the behest of King Leopold II, this landmark building served as a grand meeting place for kings, dignitaries and world personalities. Acquired by Corinthia Hotels in 2016, the property is currently undergoing extensive redevelopment, but once completed, it will comprise 127 bedrooms and suites, as well as extensive banqueting, dining and spa facilities.

Corinthia is committed to sensitively restoring the Grand Hotel Astoria, which has been vacant for the past decade, to its former glory and reinvigorating the soul of a Brussels legend.”

As for Dubai, he says “it is known for its luxury shopping, vibrant nightlife, and ultramodern architecture, Dubai is truly a city that must be seen to be believed. Perfectly situated overlooking a stretch of pristine white sand, Corinthia at Meydan Beach will be a luxury beachfront resort in the heart of the Dubai Marina. When it opens in 2019, the hotel and residences will comprise 300 bedrooms and 60 high-end serviced apartments, offering extensive indoor and outdoor leisure and dining facilities, a luxury spa, a nightclub, and banqueting amenities. The building’s grand architecture features a stepped podium wrapping around lavish, landscaped pools and gardens cascading onto the beach. A 55-story tower comprising residential apartments, bedrooms, suites and entertainment w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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zones will sit atop one side of this podium, commanding views of some of the most spectacular sights in Dubai, including the Palm Island and the Dubai Eye under development across the waters.

The next breathtaking project will also take place in the Middle East, in Doha, Qatar to be precise.

Many details are still secrets, but believe me it will elevate the Corinthia brand even more.”

Corinthia Hotel Budapest The Corinthia chain has nine hotels in its portfolio under its own brand name and four under different names. When asked how the Corinthia Hotel Budapest ranks among them, Jean Pierre Mifsud highlights that London is the flagship and is also the newest hotel in the portfolio. “I have lived in the Budapest property for the past two years. I know every single bit of it, so I hope that you forgive me if I am a bit partial. I consider Budapest as the second to London. From its history, through the gorgeous architecture, the complexity of its features and facilities all support it. I can list a number of them, like our Grand Ballroom, our Presidential Suite (as the largest hotel suite in Hungary with its 240 square meters), the recently redesigned 14 brand new Executive Suites and the unique Royal Lounge.

These all can easily make us one of the most prestigious hotels within the Corinthia Group.

However, I deeply feel that it is the people in this hotel that make the real difference. Family values are the foundations of everything at Corinthia and almost 300 colleagues of mine breathe this air day in day out.”

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A corporate venue The Corinthia Hotel Budapest is one of the hotels that provides the most promising facilities for corporate and incentive tourism in the Hungarian capital. Recent refurbishments also serve this purpose. “We have the largest and most flexible conference and event space among Budapest hotels with many facilities, features and services for MICE customers – 2,700 square meters altogether. Also, our historical Grand Ballroom with its breathtaking beauty. Only the space on its own would not be enough, though. The constant pursuit to provide a better service does. This was the reason why we created our Royal Lounge.

We have sacrificed six guest rooms to open this facility in order to offer a different level of experience, a communicative space, a contemporary environment with a distinctive atmosphere for the event organizers. The Royal Lounge, with its facilities promises to greatly enhance the comfort and convenience of event organizers, as well as the efficiency of organizational work. This facility is located close to the hotel’s Events Team, allowing for easy and direct contact with the hotel’s staff.

Furnished in club style, the Royal Lounge features offices, boardrooms and rest sections, all fitted with 21st-century equipment to facilitate daily work but also to provide the necessary comforts for corporate guests.

Reserved exclusively for event organizers and meeting participants, the Lounge features private meeting rooms, fully equipped with

built-in smart screens, wireless printers and mobile chargers, making it the perfect place to meet clients,” the General Manager explains.

Leisure market Regarding the importance of the leisure market for Corinthia Hotel Budapest, he stresses that “this market has a special significance for us as we are the largest premium hotel in Budapest with multiple facilities, features and services providing for private travelers. Not to mention that we are in the center of Budapest on the Elizabeth Boulevard along with several outstanding dining and entertainment facilities. We have guests from all over the world, but most of them come from the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy. Russia and the Middle East also comprise a nice share.

In the Hungarian capital, Corinthia Hotels International also manages The Aquincum Hotel.

As to the purpose of including this hotel in the Corinthia portfolio and how it fits into the chain now, Jean Pierre Mifsud highlights that the Aquincum Hotel Budapest opened in 1991. “It was the first property of the group in Budapest before the Corinthia Hotel Budapest opened in 2003. The Corinthia Group also has hotels under the umbrella of the Corinthia brand that we call independent hotels. Both groups are equally important for us. With this structure, we can ensure the clear positioning of the brand and are also capable of providing high quality services for various types of customers. I strongly believe this is a benefit for all. A classic win-win!”

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malta focus

THE POSITIVE POWER OF MARVIN GAUCI PASSION DRIVES THE MAN BEHIND CAVIAR&BULL Speaking with this unpretentious 38-year-old superstar chef and owner of multiple restaurants makes one believe in the old adage of the power of positive thinking. Chef Marvin still finds joy and satisfaction in this business even with the responsibility of owning and running five restaurants, flying back and forth between Malta and Budapest and helping to increase the overall awareness of Mediterranean cuisine on the global gastronomic stage. His personal recipe for success includes a mentality that instinctively knows that there is no such thing as an insurmountable problem and his coping mechanisms and rolling-with-the-punches attitude went a long way in overcoming the challenges inherent in opening Caviar&Bull in Budapest in the remarkably short period of three months from ground zero. “Nothing is difficult in life if you know how to go along with it,” he says with that boyish grin and glint of humor in his eyes.

A different kind of boss

With respect to the fusing of the Mediterranean and Hungarian cuisines, Marvin Gauci replies that it was quite simple: “remove some of the ingredients and substitute with new Hungarian flavors.”

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PIXELTASTER, JEAN MARC ZERAFA, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Fusing Hungarian ingredients into the mix

For example, the original Foie Gras from the Mediterranean menu was served with molecular caviar made of honey, but now, it is made from sweet Tokaj wine and the Beef Tartare is made with the inclusion of gherkins and paprika, which were not in the original Mediterranean recipe. There are not so many differences between the new Budapest restaurant and the original in Malta, but many aspects of ‘Hungarian-ness’ have been seamlessly incorporated, such as the use of the local grey cattle, Mangalica pig, Foie gras, paprika and Tokaj wine, enhancing the dishes overall. When asked what considerations went into deciding what to leave off the Budapest menu, Chef Marvin replies that it was a simply numbers game. “I have a team of 130 in Malta and 20 in Budapest.” He also assures us that the menu will be refined further with even more Hungarian influences. “As we speak, we are actually re-inventing some Hungarian recipes and the result will be quite cool and very dramatic. This is what people want. It’s like a surprise.” As Marvin Gauci himself is admittedly a ‘day-to-day’ kind of guy, we can surely expect a lot more surprises from this extraordinary entrepreneur in the near future.

photos by

Marvin can be found in the kitchen gutting and cleaning fish or, at any given time, clearing a table or taking out an order. He has no qualms about immersing himself in the gritty operational side of the business.

This hands-on style makes him the kind of boss that does not conform to the usual chef/ owner mold and garners the respect of all those around him. “They’re happy working for a person like me because it’s not that they are working for me, but they are working with me and I am working with them”, Chef Marvin exclaims sincerely. “I do it because I love to do it. It’s my passion.” For local staff, this is a new kind of boss, but they will quickly come to understand that he wants the best for his Budapest venture and for his local team. One small challenge, according to Marvin Gauci, is the fact that while there are some great Hungarian chefs, overall, there is a shortage, just like in Malta and other countries not traditionally known worldwide for their cuisines. It’s easy to find chefs in France and Italy, where there is a long history of chef as a premier occupation. Luckily however, with the increasing fascination everyone has with food, the advent of food networks and chefs being celebrated as heroes, chef schools are filling up. Soon, every little boy and girl will proudly announce chef when asked what they want to be when they grow up.

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analysis A GROWNUP EUROPE, AFTER ALL? FUTURE ALTERNATIVES

FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION

Europe not that important any more

photos by GUIDO

BERGMANN/BUNDESREGIERUNG, KREMLIN.RU

BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

Europe has been living under a sort of tutelage since World War II. Its security has been guaranteed by the U.S. in various ways, among them by ”keeping the Russians out” and the ”Germans down” in the words of the first Secretary General of NATO, Lord Ismay. The much-touted postwar reconciliation between France and Germany was, basically, at the behest of Washington, too. Europe as such became the object of great power politics as the two Cold War superpowers were making deals over the head of the Europeans. The first statesman to openly resent this second-rate role was Charles de Gaulle, who would have preferred keeping an equal distance from the U.S. and the USSR, as well.

However, for the great majority of the (West) European leaders, the deal with the U.S. was just fine. In general, they did not have to invest heavily into defense, and for most of the past few decades, they were spending consistently less in terms of their GDP on defense than the U.S. Moreover, after the fall of communism in East and Central Europe, and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union, the European allies in NATO were busy taking out a ’peace dividend’ as they – mistakenly – believed that in the brave new world, soft power would be enough to settle the outstanding issues and to stave off threats to Europe. In fact, the U.S. administrations repeatedly called on their European allies to live up to their obligations in the Atlantic Alliance, but the truth is that they were not that forceful in their demands; the strategic dependence of Europe on the U.S. was worth a few extra billions of dollars for Washington. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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Things started to change in the early 1990s. The disappearance of the Soviet Union downgraded the importance of Europe in the eyes of the American strategists. Their shift of attention to the Pacific-Asian region was facilitated by the rise of China as a peer country to the U.S. in place of the Soviet Union. This trend became even more pronounced under the Obama administration. The President himself was talking about a ’pivot to Asia’ (whatever it meant); while then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton theorized about an ’Asian century’ in an article in the November 2011 issue of the Foreign Policy. Even if we discount the rhetorical excesses of these statements, there is no point denying that Europe does not occupy that important position in the strategic thinking in the U.S. that it used to during the Cold War.

Germany and France to lead the EU This reality seems to be sinking (better late than never) into the minds of a few European leaders. Chancellor Merkel and President Macron may be realizing that Europe is on the verge of becoming irrelevant among the major actors on the world stage. The big question is how to stop the drifting that has characterized the European Union under its successive nondescript leaders and awkward decision-making processes for quite a time. The problem is exacerbated by the Brexit; thus, it is only Germany and France that are left to lead the EU. A ’German Europe’ is not everyone’s dream, however. So the challenge for President Emmanuel Macron is to balance the superior German economic capabilities, as well as to try to change the thinking of the present-day German leadership, especially

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that of Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble’s about the eurozone, especially the eurobonds.

The current situation heavily favors Germany.

The outstanding performance of the German economy, specifically the high level of exports that are made possible by a ’beggar thy [southern] neighbors’ situation, and the growing gap between the ’Club Med’ countries on the one hand, and the ’northern tier’ of the EU cannot be sustained for long. France already made an attempt to balance the German-led part of Europe under President Sarkozy, but the French economy with its high unemployment rate, inflexible labor market, extremely generous welfare services, to mention only a few of the structural problems, cannot successfully compete with the German economy. President Macron may even attempt to repeat history to some extent: the French vision of a West European community was partly based on the idea of French political leadership supported by German money.

Nevertheless, the Cold War exigencies do not exist anymore; Berlin may not feel obliged to exercise self-restraint in leadership to the extent it was for decades. The French aspirations may be facilitated by two factors.

With the departure of the U.K. from the EU, a vocal opponent of federalism, a French pet project wholeheartedly endorsed by President Macron, the voices of centralization will be likely to be louder. Second, the expansion of the EU into East and Central Europe has strengthened the geopolitical and geo-economic positions of Germany in the first place. An official two-speed EU (in fact, it is existing for all intents and purposes) with the core countries,

practically the original members of the EEC, will strip the Germans of the political support of the East and Central Europeans and, consequently, will increase France’s clout. Moreover, the latter have never been enthusiastic about a federal Europe, and are therefore potential allies with Germany and not with France in this respect, too.

Inaction is no option The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has also realized that inaction is no option. However, his five scenarios do not offer any guidance; in reality, the five options offered have been around for some time. At the same time, he had to admit that there are deep fault lines within the European Union; the two major ones are east-west over values and immigration, while the north-south is over austerity and the euro.

The east-west problem is more than ’just’ about values; the situation dangerously resembles to the relationship between the center and the periphery, and the gap between them does not seem to be closing that fast as it was optimistically expected at the time, and even before, the accession of the East and Central Europeans to the EU. It seems that the preferred option for the future of the EU by most of the French and German politicians is a sort of two-speed Europe or a ’core’ EU and the rest. This split of the EU would be bound to downgrade the community in the world; the ’core EU’-supporters will be most likely to find themselves in a peripheral position in the great power game in the world.

Paradoxically, a stronger and more coherent and smaller EU will have less power than the current one with all its disputes and disagreements.

Tamás Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

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canada

CHERISHING CORE STANDARDS FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GRESHAM PALACE PROVIDES WORLD STANDARD SERVICE IN BUDAPEST

In partnership with the property owners

The Four Seasons hotel chain was founded in 1960 by Canadian businessman Isadore Sharp but, for the past ten years, the vast majority of ownership (95% divided equally) has been held by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal of Saudi Arabia and Mr. Sharp has the rest of the ownership.

Yves Giacometti, the General Manager (GM) of the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace in Budapest tells Diplomacy&Trade about the Canadian hotel chain. “Today, Four Seasons is more of a global company, present in 43 countries. We have 104 hotels, we have absolutely great partners, the Saudi Prince and the Bill Gates foundation, but at the end of the day, Mr. Sharp the founder remains the visionary of what the company is about. So, in that sense, yes, we have remained Canadian, our headquarters are in Canada, but I think, more importantly, we are a global company present around the world and we maintain the legacy of what Mr. Sharp created back in the 1960s. There have been different steps during our history, different adventures, different opportunities but none have changed the core standards which have made this company so great after over 50 years, always maintaining and increasing the value of the brand.”

Four Seasons does not own any of its properties (except for one in Vancouver, Canada); it operates them on behalf of real estate owners and developers. According to the General Manager, this business model in Budapest works like any other property.

“We are 100% owned by a foreign entity and we work very closely with them. It is a partnership – this business would not work if you didn't have a very close partnership with the ownership group of the hotel. They are very well aware of our activities. We keep them informed very closely, on a day-to-day basis.

We work together to constantly improve the asset because, obviously, it is a significant asset and if you don't evolve with the needs of the business, then, over time, it will lose its value. We opened a new restaurant a couple of years ago; renovated all our rooms a few years ago, created a new meeting venue recently and there is still more to come in the years ahead. So, it is really a very productive business partnership. The owners understand very clearly the Four Seasons values and the Four Seasons rules of how we run a luxury hotel in any part of the world. They appreciate the consistency of how we run our hotels; they appreciate the value that we add to the assets because the tourism environment has increased significantly in Budapest, as has our business.”

Core standards and pillars

What makes the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace special in this remarkable hotel chain is that it is in a historic building.

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“The Gresham Palace is a heritage building that was built over 100 years ago. It was restored to its original appearance during five years of restoration, to really re-create the soul of what this building was and what it represented in terms of Hungarian talent.

You find this in all the different materials used whether it is ceramics, stained glass or the iron work. The second thing is the location of the hotel in the heart of the city, on the bank of the Danube in front of the chain Bridge – you cannot get a better location.

In this industry, location is really the key to successful business but what is much more important, without which it wouldn't work, is again the people who work in this hotel. 97% of the employees are Hungarian. We have

Yves Giacometti has been with Four Seasons for over three decades, serving the hotel chain on the American continent, mainly in Latin-America, as well as in Australia and Europe. “From the day I started – and still today – there is so much clarity on how we operate our hotels, there is such a thorough and detailed consistency that makes one feel comfortable here, there are no surprises,” he explains why he is still with the company. He adds that when he started, the company only had 15 hotels and today, this number is 104. “I’ve had the chance to work at different destinations which has been very enlightening to me, very fulfilling, to be exposed to different cultures and a very high level of trust. I have had the opportunity to grow within the company. I'm here as the general manager and, with my colleagues, we run the business, meeting the company and ownership group expectations and following the guidelines but, at the end of the day, we are responsible for the business and accountable for our decisions. I can make my own decisions and I have very little interference from the company management, as long as we are successful and we do the right things, so, I have a very high level of independence,” he concludes.

today about 340 employees – 80 of which have been working with the hotel since the beginning, that is, over 13 years now. They feel very proud as Hungarians to be working in such an iconic building. They really provide an outstanding level of service that transpires into very sincere care and attention to the guests, to the guest expectations, in creating a very unique atmosphere that is really the essence of the success that makes this hotel – if not all Four Seasons Hotels – really unique. You could have the nicest property in the world, you could have the most luxurious property but if you do not have the soul and the smiles of the people working there, then, it is not really a hotel, not a hospitality experience,” the GM points out.

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THE NEW FOUR SEASONS APP PUTS LEGENDARY CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND. TAP INTO THE APP’S MANY FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS – FROM MOBILE CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT TO SEAMLESS ACCESS TO FOUR SEASONS AMENITIES AND CURATED TRAVEL TIPS.

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DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

Iconic building, proud staff

Comfortable in Budapest

photo by

The General Manager stresses that what has made this company really successful is the people that work for the company. “We have beautiful hotels around the world but those hotels would not be successful without the commitment of our employees. As Mr. Sharp said, so much of long-term success is based on intangibles, beliefs and ideas. At Four Seasons, these concepts are embodied in four strategic decisions made in the course of the company’s evolution – decisions about quality, service, culture and brand. On these pillars is built the value of Four Seasons. The Four Seasons brand is unique and it is the same all around the world, there is no variation, the roots have been very strong from the beginning.

The service standards always have to be very high, in the sense that we really customize the experience to our guests. The culture that our employees embrace is the golden rule which says that ‘you should treat others the way you would like to be treated’ and we explain this to our employees from day one when they start working in one of the hotels. It is very important that we maintain and cherish the traditions of the company – this is what has not changed at all since the beginning. I have been with the company for over 30 years now and we have been very consistent in respecting that. There have been different periods, good and less good, of course there have been market changes, crises that we had to go through, but we have always protected those core values very strongly.”

canada

ISLAND SURPRISES CANADIAN PERFORMERS AT THIS YEAR’S SZIGET FESTIVAL

“The whole world is a circus,” says Dr. Lao in a 1964 movie – and, indeed! So much so that the whole world is represented in the Cirque de Sziget routines at this year’s Sziget Festival in Budapest’s Óbuda Island. Canadian circus skills are manifested in three performances.

Mr.Banana Show: Banan’O’Rama

Cirque Alfonse Barbu Let the best beard win! Become part of the act as the BARBU Electro Trad Cabaret delves into the origins of the circus in Montreal at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century.

Imagine a fairground, where spectators are left spellbound by remarkable performances and outrageous feats, simple curiosities and unexpected eccentricities. Political correctness has no place in the mayhem of this 70-minute show. Time travel on the Island? Nothing is impossible here!

In scene after scene where music, video, circus and general craziness collide, each performer wows the audience with a showcase of spectacular skills. May the best beard win! Backed by a frenetic electro-trad band, the Cirque Alfonse clan strays dangerously close to the edge in this exuberant circus rave as clan and band members challenging each other with increasingly hairy tricks!

DIRECTOR: Alain Francoeur THE TROUPE: Antoine Carabinier Lépine, Jonathan Casaubon, Geneviève Gauthier, Geneviève Morin, Francis Roberge, Jean-Philippe Cuerrier, Lucas Jolly, Milette Jolly, Josianne Laporte (musician), André Gagné (musician), David Simard (musician)

Mr. Banana’s tribute to Latin energy sends out a message that can be understood worldwide. He uses physical comedy and miming mixed with circus skills to produce a colorful display of skills.

He approaches the theme of Gods and Superheroes and people’s relations with them. Funny and provocative, who saves the audience during this 55-minute show?

Pierrick St-Pierre a.k.a ‘Mr. Banana’ is a French-Canadian resident in Germany living in India. When he first left home at the age of 16, he had no idea that he would find his true home on stage. Learning from Chinese and Vietnamese circuses, he has already performed in more than 40 countries. He has discovered that his passion can break boundaries between people regardless of their age, gender and cultural background.

PERFORMER: Pierrick St-Pierre

ALFONSE, NATHAN PATERNOTTE, NORBI WHITNEY

DIRECTOR: Vincent Dubé ARTISTS: Yohann Trépanier, Raphaël Dubé, Ugo Dario,Maxim Laurin, Frédéric Lebrasseur (musician)

Machine de Cirque

photos by CIRQUE

Poetic and humorous, the five guys of Machine de Cirque really know how to please. The only problem is they think they are all alone in the world. Their mission is to find others with the use of a strange machine. Will they do it? It is far from certain! They are easily distracted by their silly games and have a definite talent for putting themselves in perilous situations. Courageous, touching and funny, these five crazy characters have a contagious spirit they can’t wait to share with the audience in this 70-minute show. They masterfully handle the teeterboard, juggling clubs, drums, and even bath towels! Energizing! Daring! Machine de Cirque dazzles the audience with its stunning feats.

The Company was founded in 2013 through the efforts of Vincent Dubé, president and general manager.

It came to life at research and creativity sessions in 2012 and 2013 involving jugglers and acrobats Raphaël Dubé and Yohann Trépanier, as well as percussionist Frédéric Lebrasseur under the artistic direction of Vincent Dubé. Machine de Cirque is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to gather various players in the art world and technology field to produce circus shows. The organization relies on the excellence of its productions and the professional development of its members and employees. w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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witty leaks CROATIAN AMBASSADOR BIDS FAREWELL TO BUDAPEST POSTING

BY BY GORDAN GRLIĆ-RADMAN, THE AMBASSADOR OF CROATIA

BEST MEMORIES FROM A ‘WONDERFUL COUNTRY’

Ever since I was little boy I wanted to be a diplomat. I remember a story I heard in childhood about my father's friends, sitting around the table, concluding that I was a born diplomat, even though, my later education was adapted to my father's wishes. Much later, I changed my occupation and managed to achieve my own desire. I wanted to work in a field I liked and do what I loved.

I felt more fulfilled in diplomacy than anything I had ever done. I cannot say that my earliest ambassador's ambition was Hungary, but after I spent a short time at the Croatian Embassy in Budapest as deputy ambassador in 1996 and 1997, my wish was to come back to Hungary in the capacity of Ambassador. The desire was finally fulfilled in 2012, and now my almost five-year term of office is approaching its end.

I found friendship and open doors. Hungarians and Croatians have a lot in common; our cultural heritage and common history are especially strong. It is a great thing when there is no dispute about who was, for example, Nikola Zrinski/Zrínyi Miklós. We agree that Zrinski/ Zrínyi was, at the same time, both Hungarian and Croat. It is, indeed, a unique phenomenon in the world. It only tells us how close we are and confirms the fact of the dual/double identity of our common heroes who have defended their homeland. There are many Hungarians of Croatian origin who have contributed to Hungary's reputation, especially in sports.

I would point out Miklós Pancic/Páncsics and Antal Dujmov/Dunai, for example. Also in art, such as operatic tenor Ferenc Stéger, who was born and died in Szentendre, north of Budapest and he was Croat by origin. There are also many politicians in Hungary who are of Croatian origin.

Legacy of goodness In my opinion, being the Croatian Ambassador to Hungary was different than anywhere else in the world, since I started to feel at home here the very first day I came. Despite the open issue of INA-MOL, which cast a small shadow on our relations, as well as problems during a migration crisis that created some nervousness in relationships, nothing could disturb traditional friendship and awareness of the once common

Platform for coexistence

state and brilliant history. More than any other countries in Europe, Croatia and Hungary are a unique example of communion and peaceful coexistence over the centuries. This is best

On the other hand, there are many Croatians of Hungarian origin in Croatia who have contributed to the richness of political, cultural, economic and artistic life. This also confirms that a platform for coexistence does not require linguistic similarity among peoples. Hungary and Croatia have a dominant historical and cultural heritage while the language is secondary. Language is learned so quickly, although, the Hungarian language is unique, since it does not have a similar language in Europe. I have to admit that I will miss the Hungarian cuisine and the wonderful Budapest restaurants. I spoke to many fellow diplomats and we all confirmed that cultural life in Budapest is particularly dynamic and intense, Hungarians attach great importance to music, painting and a museum heritage.

In my diplomatic career, I have never seen so many concerts, exhibitions and other events as in Budapest or Hungary in general.

By happy coincidence, I have recently become the President of the Danube Commission with a seat in Budapest. So, I will often appear in Budapest at sessions of political leadership. Therefore, one of my legs will remain in beloved Budapest.

I am sure that my work and stay in Hungary will forever remain the best and most memorable part of my diplomatic career. Hungarians are wonderful people and Hungary is a truly wonderful country.

Thank you all for your extraordinary cooperation, warmth and goodwill extended to me at every turn – in private encounters, and my official capacity, too!

evidenced by the position of our minority communities, which is a paradigm in the European context. Hungary is a country with which we have historic ties and bonds, including a common state union that lasted almost a thousand years in different forms. Our closeness and centuries old formal connections need not have special emphasis and elaboration, since feelings of kinship and understanding between Hungarians and Croats are woven into our overall state-to-state relations, and often manifold aspects of everyday life. Although, our history was tumultuous, what remains is a legacy of goodness and positive feelings, which is fundamental to our relationship.

The most important issue now, in this vulnerable world, is to continue our friendly cooperation and getting along with each other, respecting and trusting each other, seeking common points and resolving differences, helping each other in times of crisis, and cooperating with win-win results in order to jointly create a new era for the development of Hungarian-Croatian relations and jointly facilitate the stability and prosperity of Central Europe and the European Union.

Friendship and open doors These five years have passed too fast and during that time, I learned the Hungarian language to some extent, although, this still remains my life project. I have visited almost the whole country, met with county officials, mayors and simple, ordinary people. Everywhere I went,

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HARANGOZÓ, SZILAS/WIKIPEDIA

LE A K S

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

photos by DÁVID

WITTY

business

MADE IN – AND MADE WITH – ITALY ITALIAN-HUNGARIAN TRADE AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (Camera di Commercio Italiana per l’Ungheria – CCIU) held a workshop this June entitled ‘From Made in Italy to Made with Italy’ at its office in Budapest. The participants were introduced and welcomed by CCIU General Secretary Francesco Maria Mari who was also the moderator of the event.

The first speaker was Marco Bulf, the Country Director of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (Istituto nazionale per il Commercio Estero – ICE), a government organization, which promotes the internationalization of Italian companies in line with the strategies of the Ministry for Economic Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He spoke about the support and information ICE is able to provide to Italian companies – sometimes in cooperation with CCIU. He reminded the audience that the volume of ItalianHungarian trade reached EUR 9.4 billion in 2016, a 6.1% increase compared to the previous year.

Teresa Testa, Commercial Attaché of the Italian Embassy in Budapest cited some figures about Italy (having the 8th largest manufacturing industry in the world; the 3rd largest economy in Europe or topping the world in the number of UNESCO World Heritage sites). She also mentioned that there are over 2,600 Italianowned/-related companies in Hungary, employing more than 26,000 people in this country.

Angelo Arcuri, International Affairs Manager at Confindustria (General Confederation of Italian Industry) Firenze talked about business opportunities in Tuscany. His organization

business climate. He also quoted government statistics on GDP growth, unemployment rate, general government debt and budget balance and said that 80% of the Hungarian GDP is generated by exports (mainly by foreign car manufacturers).

He acknowledged that the economic growth is mainly due to the influx of European Union funds and pointed out that “on the long term, the growth of the Hungarian economy should obviously not be built on EU funding. Therefore, we would like to support industries that have a higher-than-average growth potential.”

These he listed as car manufacturing, special machinery and vehicles, food, green economy, health industry and tourism, ICT and SSC, and a reinvigorated defense industry.

offers lobbying and representation services, consultancy, networking, training, etc. He highlighted that for Italian investors, Hungary is less competitive than some other countries in the region given the costs of labor (wages plus duties levied on salaries). Therefore, he said, Italian companies would choose Romania instead of Hungary. However, he also

mentioned a solution: Italian SMEs should have specific investments in Hungary.

The Hungarian government was represented

by Deputy State Secretary for International Economic Relations and Sustainable Economic Development, Antal Nikoletti, who highlighted three advantages for Hungary in international comparison: workforce, geopolitical situation and

ITALY-HUNGARY – UPCOMING EVENTS

• Italian-Hungarian Business Forum in Milan, Italy on October 12, 2017;

• ‘Italy and Hungary Building Together’, a business-to-busi-

ness meeting for construction industry companies in Budapest on October 26, 2017; • SIRHA BUDAPEST 2018 - International Hotel, Catering and Food Trade Exhibition in February 2018 • Italian Festival in May-June 2018

HUNGARY, A RELEVANT PARTNER

photos by CCIU,

LÁZÁR TODOROFF

STRENGTHENING AMERICAN-HUNGARIAN TRADE AND INVESTMENT TIES A TOP POLICY PRIORITY

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary (AmCham) held its latest Podium event at the end of June in the Hotel Kempinski Corvinus, with invited presenters the Chargé d’Affaires of the United States Embassy in Budapest David J. Kostelancik and Dr. László Szabó, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the newly appointed Ambassador of Hungary to the United States.

Following opening remarks by AmCham President Farkas Bársony, the Deputy Minister said he was ‘curious’ to take on the position of Hungary’s ambassador in Washington, D.C. and work with officials in the US administration.

He expressed his hope that “things will get settled very soon in Washington and by the time I get there, everything will be put in order and everything will be nice for us.”

The Deputy Minister then spoke about the economic policy the Hungarian government has conducted since 2010, a policy he called a “tremendous success.” He stressed that it is a major challenge for Hungary to become relevant for the United States and that this will probably be one of his most important tasks as Ambassador, “to make sure for our American friends that we are important for them.”

He mentioned energy security as one of the w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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issues for cooperation. Hungary would welcome the partnership of American companies in shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Hungary via a port in Croatia and make sure that American gas can compete with Russian gas in this part of the world. “I think if I can just achieve this one thing in the next four years, I will feel comfortable about my achievements in the U.S.” Chargé d’Affaires Kostelancik noted that strengthening bilateral trade and investment, mentioned by László Szabó, is also a top policy priority for the U.S. Government.

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“American businesses here employ close to 100,000 Hungarians, and the United States is the second largest investor in Hungary.

These investments are good for both of our countries. American businesses here contribute to economic growth, they introduce good business practices, they pay taxes, they are active members of local communities and they create well-paying jobs for Hungarians.”

He mentioned that the U.S. State Department’s 2017 Investment Climate Statements were about to be released, presenting the significant

advantages to investing and doing business in Hungary. “It will also present some of the challenges that potential foreign investors face in Hungary – challenges such as corruption or unpredictability. These issues are very important to American investors in Hungary, potential or actual, and they are a large part of the reason that we, the U.S. Government, frequently talk about the need for transparency, the rule of law, and effective democratic institutions. We do that as a friend, as an ally, as a partner.”

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society Philippine Independence Day The Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines, Maria Fe T. Pangilinan welcomed guests for a reception at the Museum of Military Institute and History in the Buda Castle to celebrate the 119th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence (June 12, 1898).

Queen’s Birthday In celebration of the 91st birthday of Queen Elizabeth II, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom, Iain Lindsay hosted a garden party for hundreds of guests at his residence in the Buda Hills. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó attended the event on behalf of the Hungarian government.

Croatian Celebration

HARANGOZÓ, BOGLÁRKA BODNÁR/MTI

The Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia, Gordan Grlić-Radman welcomed guests for a farewell reception at the Stefánia Palace in Budapest. He leaves his post after serving in Hungary for close to five years. The event, where the Hungarian state was represented by Deputy PM Zsolt Semjén, also celebrated the Day of Croatian Statehood and the Day of Croatian Diplomacy.

photos by DÁVID

Diplomatic Spouses’ Visit At the invitation of Anita Herczegh, the wife of Hungarian President János Áder, members of the Diplomatic Spouses Budapest (DSB), took part in a day trip to the western Hungarian towns of Tapolca and Keszthely near Lake Balaton.

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society Festa della Repubblica On the 70th anniversary of Italy’s vote to become a republic (June 2, 1946), Italian Ambassador Massimo Rustico hosted a reception in the Castle Garden Bazaar in Budapest to celebrate Italy’s Republic Day as well as Garibaldi’s memorial day as the greatest hero of Italy’s independence, Giuseppe Garibaldi died on the same day in 1882.

Russia Day The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Hungary, Vladimir Sergeev received guests at the Russian Embassy in Budapest to celebrate Russia Day, June 12, 1990, Russia’s independence from the Soviet Union.

New Ambassadors

Canada Day

Four new ambassadors accredited to Hungary presented their credentials to Hungarian President János Áder at the Sándor Palace in the Buda Castle (pictured clockwise from the upper left corner): Bin Haji Ali Abu Sufian from Brunei, Nicole Jocelyn Roberton from New Zealand, Juan Fernando Javier Rojas Samanez from Peru and Loon Lai Cheong from Malaysia.

photos by DÁVID

HARANGOZÓ

In celebration of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the Canadian Confederation, Ambassador Isabelle Poupart welcomed guests for a reception to celebrate Canada Day at the Festetics Palace in downtown Budapest.

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cinema There are many people arriving from Romania to France and many of them are of Roma origin. How much does he feel it is a political issue that migrants are arriving from North Africa, the Middle East, how different is the approach of the French when the migrating foreigners are from Eastern Europe and when the most important migration issue for them is not those coming from Romania? Answering these questions, Philippe de Chauveron stresses that it was a decision to present a Roma family. “After the decision, we began to proceed along this line. We went to Romania and began to work with Roma actors and involve the Roma community into writing the script while emphasizing at the beginning of the process that the life of the locals would be portrayed like a caricature. It was also important for us to present that the French generally identify the Roma people as thieves. So, we wanted to show this but also that this is a very sympathetic and cohesive family.”

Likeable characters

WITH OPEN ARMS

FRENCH COMEDY ON

THE MIGRATION ISSUE PRESENTED IN HUNGARY

Critiques divided As for the movie’s reception in France, the director said there is a big culture of comedies in his country. “Critics in France are divided over ‘With open arms’. Many of them think this topic should not have been put on film, while others stood by it firmly saying the movie is good. So, I believe this means I have chosen a good theme. The movie premiered in France three months ago. It is not only my perception but also that of other comedy directors that the reception in the press of these movies is better abroad than in France. Regarding Hungary, the proportion of the Roma population is higher here than in France, so, it is a real social issue while in France, it is just a matter of a small minority.”

Philippe de Chauveron is currently writing the script for the sequel to his successful 2014 movie ‘Serial (bad) weddings’. “The aim is to make the sequel even better, so, the script is crucial. The shooting of the movie is scheduled to start in 2018.

As soon as it is ready to show to the Hungarian public, I will be back in Budapest because I like it here very much.”

Life is tragedy and comedy The movie seems to be a two-in-one production. One is about France: what a French family is like, how they love French gastronomy. It is full of fantastic feelings, it is about good wines, about Calvados, about the fine Camembert cheeses. On the other hand, it also shows a France tackling the issue of migration. All this is presented in an extraordinary language, with a special humor.

As to whether this was the original idea or it evolved through the film making process, the director says his original aim was to make viewers laugh “as I believe life is a tragedy and comedy at the same time. That is why I like to present both within one movie. The gastronomy references are just clichés that can be used when portraying rich families.

Of course, not all rich families are like that in France. For me as a film maker, the most important thing was to show the contrast between the rich and the very poor. I chose a Roma family in Romania because they represent the poorest layer of society.”

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SCHUL, DÁVID HARANGOZÓ

French movie director Philippe de Chauveron was in Budapest in June for the Hungarian premier of his new film ‘À bras ouverts’ (With open arms). At the event, he told Diplomacy&Trade that “the whole idea originated from a political debate we watched on TV – left and right wing politicians were discussing the migration issue. It came up in the discussion that if people call for letting these people into the country, they should welcome the migrants to their own homes. When this was raised, the candidate, who had the idea in the first place, backed off, saying that he would not disclose his private address.

It was at that point we started thinking about picking up the story. At first, it was not the Roma issue that was in focus but rather the big mouth of the politician.”

photos by NICOLAS

BY TAMÁS VARGA

There are great characters in the movie.

The main character is played by one of the greatest stars of French cinema, Cristian Clavier, who has excelled in many comedies but the Roma family members found in Romania are phenomenal, themselves. As to whether he was looking for these characters or the idea evolved when he came across this family, the director pointed out that “we had the idea from the beginning that it would have to be a large family since if only 2-3 people are migrating, you cannot create the feeling of subjugation in the movie.

We had casting in Romania, as well. Not all of the actors are Roma. For instance, the actress playing the grandmother is Romanian but not of Roma ethnicity while the man playing the half-wit character is a Turkish actor. The important thing was to find people with sympathetic and likeable faces so that the viewers would like them from the first moment they see them.”

cinema of the camera and before him, there is a black woman and a black boy and the woman says to the boy: ‘that's your father!’ That would be the young Django and then, I could say a line like ‘Fight for freedom, my son!’ There was a moment of silence from Quentin and then, he said he would get back to me. I didn’t hear from him for two months when he called and said my idea would not work but I should still be in that movie ‘Django unchained’. When I was filming in Los Angeles, he flew there and he was trying to convince me for three hours before I said OK.”

A changing actor

TARANTINO’s IDOL

DJANGO MOVIES ACCOMPANY FRANCO NERO THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER Django returns – twice

photos by DÁVID

HARANGOZÓ, ANDREW COOPER-SMPSP/THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

BY SÁNDOR LACZKÓ

Italian actor Franco Nero has a very impressive list of movies (over 200) to his belt. Coming up from time to time in that list is the name ‘Django’. As he recalls to Diplomacy&Trade in an exclusive interview, “it was in a very funny way that I first heard from the producers and the director, Sergio Corbucci, about this. They were looking for an actor who would be able to perform in the leading role. Corbucci told me that he loved my face while the producers had two other actors in mind. Eventually, our photos were shown to the head of the distribution company, I’ll never forget his name: Fulvio Frizzi, and he pointed his finger to my face – that is how I got the role of Django. When I heard the news, I happened to be travelling in a car with a great director Elio Petri, who, for me, was the best Italian director – even ahead of Fellini or Antonioni. Petri won an Academy Award for the movie ‘Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion’ and he was the only Italian director who did something like ten movies but each film was completely different from the others. I always considered him the ‘Stanley Kubrick of Italy’. So, I was travelling with him and when I told him that they offered a western to me, to an actor who comes from a ‘piccolo teatro’ in Milano, he said to me: ‘who knows you? Nobody. So, you have nothing to lose, just do it!’, thus, I accepted the role.” w w w . d t e u r o p e . c o m

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Then, two decades later, there came another Django movie for Franco Nero. “There was this director, Nello Rossati who came to me one day and said he wanted to do a western movie in his native Colombia and he wanted to call it ‘Django’.

I asked for the script, which was not that bad.

He convinced me and we went to Cartagena in Colombia to do the movie,” he remembers.

The third Django movie premiered five years ago.

In the second half of the 1990s, Franco Nero was doing an American movie, the ‘Talk of Angels’ in Spain, with a very young actress, Penélope Cruz.

In between the shooting, she went to the San Sebastian film festival and when she returned, she told Franco that she had met a young director called Quentin Tarantino to whom she mentioned that she was doing a movie with Franco Nero. “Upon hearing that, the American director went crazy and said he wanted to meet me, ‘meet me absolutely’. That was the first time I heard of Tarantino. After that, I saw interviews with Quentin where he said things like ‘Franco Nero was my idol’, so, he was speaking very highly of me. In 2009, he came to Rome for the local

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premiere of ‘Inglorious Bastards’ and said ‘I'm not going to leave for home without meeting Franco Nero’. When he saw me, he embraced me, we had lunch and he told me that he first saw Django at the age of 14 when he was working in a video store. He knew practically all my work, he was even saying the lines from my movies – and the music, too. It was unbelievable, he apparently knew them by heart – that is how our cooperation started.”

Working with Tarantino Later, when Franco Nero was filming an episode in New York City of the series ‘Law and Order’, the writer of that episode told him he had a script from Quentin Tarantino and it was called ‘Django Unchained’. “I read it but I figured there was nothing for me in that movie. The only part I could imagine myself in was that of the German dentist that was played by Christoph Waltz. Later, of course, I discovered that he wrote that part for Christoph Waltz. That was it until one day I was in Rome and I received a phone call from Quentin who said ‘Franco, I'm doing this Django movie like as an homage to you and Sergio Corbucci. I would love you to play a cameo role’. He told me he would like me to be in a club scene with Leonardo DiCaprio and a scene with Jamie Foxx who would play the black Django. I suggested the black Django has a flash in which he sees a horseman dressed in black, including a black hat, galloping towards the camera in slow motion. This flash would happen four or five times throughout the movie until, in the end, the horseman stops in front

Franco Nero works in movies all over the world. He says he likes to accept work in different countries to get to know the cinema in those countries, not just American and Italian film making. “I think I played characters of more than 30 different nationalities.

I don't think there is another actor who has done that. I played Russian, German and other roles.

I worked even here in Hungary several times to perform the role of Father Julianus, or that of Árpád, the leader of the Magyars conquering the Carpathian Basin. I also played a Hungarian king in the Czech movie about the bloodthirsty countess Báthory.”

He also recalls meeting many years ago the British actor Laurence Olivier whom he calls ‘the greatest actor in the world’. “We were doing a movie together and he said to me ‘you know you remind me of when I was young’, to which I said OK, thank you and he said ‘oh, you have a physique to always play a hero like the American star actors. When you make a movie you make sure it is a commercial success but many times it is very boring’. He suggested I change all the time, ‘take risks in your career! There may be moments when you're up or when you're down but in the long run, you will get the truth’. So, I followed his advice. That is the reason why I am changing all the time and taking risks. Until now, I have done all different kinds of movies and characters, political movies, social movies, thrillers, musicals, westerns, action movies, movies for children, everything, and I am quite happy about that!”

Enjoying Hungary As for Hungary and the people here, Franco Nero says it is “a great country, Budapest is a wonderful and beautiful city. I enjoy being in this country. I can see that there are many Italian restaurants here. I remember that when we were shooting ‘Mario, the magician’ about 8-9 years ago, we were staying in a castle in the northeastern part of the country and in the morning when I opened the window, I could see so many squirrels – they were beautiful.

Also during that shooting, in the Tokaj wine region, I was invited to see the local wine museum with wines from all over the world.

We had a wine tasting there and they gave me a wonderful wine of 1941! I still keep it in my house. In return, I sent them a ‘Franco Nero wine’ produced by a friend of mine.”

At the age of 75, Franco Nero is still full of spirit and full of plans. He is currently playing in several movies. He recently came back from Hamilton, Canada where he was working on one. “Now, I'm finishing an American movie, a thriller called ‘Executrix’ in Italy. Then, according to plans, I will go to Spain to do a western and then to Cuba to do a movie there. In the meantime, I am preparing a movie that I would like to direct because I also like to direct. So, you see, many, many things are in the pipeline,” he concludes.

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VESZPREMFEST PREMIUM MUSIC FESTIVAL

JULY 12-15, AT HISTORIC LOCATIONS IN VESZPRÉM Since it began in 2002, VeszprémFest’s mission has remained unchanged: according to the organizers, “it should be a musical fortress of world-class musical productions, a home – even if only for a few days – to stars who are also at home on the world stage and, of course, these few days should increasingly become fixtures in the diaries of festival, culture and music fans every year: a few days in Veszprém that simply can’t be missed.”

This year’s performers include Richard Bona & Mandekan Cubano, Heather Small - The Voice of M People, The NPG (The New Power Generation): ‘Celebrating Prince’, and Tom Jones, the latter two performing on the main stage of the Veszprém Arena.

Organized for the first time as a complementary event to Veszprémfest in 2011, the Rosé, Riesling and Jazz Days is known, to those longing for gastro-cultural experiences, for its excellent range of wine and food produced by Balaton-area winemakers and local artisans, with the accompaniment of young musicians from the Hungarian jazz scene. The musical programs of the Rosé, Riesling and Jazz Days are free of charge. veszpremfest.hu/en

SZEGED OPEN-AIR FESTIVAL

JUNE 30-AUGUST 20, DÓM SQUARE, SZEGED The season kicks off with Tosca on 30 June. Singing the title role of Puccini's popular opera masterpiece for the first time, and for a second performance on 1 July, will be the beautiful Andrea Rost. With a truly feminist plot updated to a modern setting, the piece demonstrates how our lives are guided by passion, and that while men appear to control the world, it is actually women who do so. For the fourth year, the alluring and explosive disco feeling of Abba's Mamma Mia! makes this musical, already enjoyed by 57,000 viewers, on Dóm Square, an indispensable part of the festival's program. Last year's Hollywoodthemed musical Singin' in the Rain likewise made for a rollicking show on the square. Brought to life on the stage was the grandiosity of the “dream factory” – and even a real rain shower during the familiar title song.

The forged love letters and merry chicanery of Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night guarantee viewers a truly good time. This production also boasts a unique visual style, with the stage's one thousand square meters of floorboards covered with several tons of sand. Inspired by Victor Hugo's epic novel, the enchanting musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame offers a look both into the passionate and all-consuming emotions of Quasimodo, Esmeralda, Frollo and Captain Phoebus and the inimitable ambience of Paris. www.szegediszabadteri.hu/en

VALLEY OF ARTS FESTIVAL

TITANIC EXHIBITION

FROM JULY 20 AT COMPLEX (FORMER VAM DESIGN CENTER) Discover the secrets of the Titanic and experience the magical atmosphere of the early 20th century!

This unique exhibition is the only place you can see Titanic artifacts recovered from the bottom of the Atlantic. It showcases several hundred original art pieces from the famous ship wreck. At the individual exhibition areas, visitors can see the technical equipment of the ship, pieces of furniture and the personal belongings of travelers such as clothes, jewelry, and wallets. The round-the-world Titanic exhibition is curated by the company RMS Titanic, which holds the exclusive rights to collect the findings from the Titanic wreck. The exhibition has a unique Hungarian section where, besides local historical events of the era, Hungarian aspects of the world famous Titanic are also presented. www.titanickiallitas.hu/en

17TH FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

ROSÉ FESTIVAL

JULY 14–30 IN BUDAPEST AND BALATONFÜRED The Hungarian capital welcomes thousands of athletes, coaches and officials from all over the world in swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, diving, high diving and water polo to compete for the medals in over 200 events. The two main competition venues will be located in Budapest: the Danube Arena, which is a brand-new indoor swimming pool complex for swimming and diving events on the eastern bank of the Danube just north of Margaret Island, and the existing Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium, on Margaret Island, for water polo. Open water swimming events will be held in Balatonfüred, at Lake Balaton. The high diving and synchronized swimming competition will take place at temporary venues in Budapest, including a high-dive platform on the Danube in front of the Hungarian Parliament building.

Docks along the Danube in Budapest have been renovated in preparation for the World Championships. During the event, holders of World Championships tickets can use dedicated parking lots as well as boat services free of charge. www.fina-budapest2017.com

photos by

JULY 14-16, VILLÁNY The festival, named after one of the most popular refreshments in summer, is one of the most popular events in Villány, a town near the Croatian border in southern Hungary.

A big attraction is that not only the town that turns pink on this weekend, but the festival goers also put on the garments reflecting the color of the rosé wine. In addition to the excellent concerts, sports enthusiasts enjoy the festival's special program, the Rosé Marathon on Saturday, where not only the speed but also the parade factor will be rewarded!

It is the 7th time that the municipality of Villány organizes this festival where attendance is free of charge. Performers at this year’s event include the Pixelplants, The Biebers, Bogi Dallos, Anna & the Barbies and DJ Creenshaw and visitors will also be able to enjoy the Ritmo de Conga Show and the Intermezzo Latin Club. In addition, those interested in a walking tour can take part in a wine excursion of about four kilometers to the nearby village of Szársomlyó. Led by a tour guide, the excursion offers unparalleled views of the wine region. www.villanyiborfesztival.hu/roze

VESZPRÉMFEST, MŰVÉSZETEK VÖLGYE, COURTESY PICTURES

JULY 21-30, KAPOLCS, TALIÁNDÖRÖGD AND VIGÁNTPETEND The largest national art festival in Hungary, the 27th Valley of Arts takes place in Kapolcs, Vigántpetend and Taliándörögd, three villages north of Lake Balaton. This year, visitors are offered nearly 1,200 programs and productions – including concerts, theater performances, literary evenings, community programs, interactive games and new courtyards. Besides the most renowned domestic artists, performers include the world famous French Nouvelle Vague, Deluxe and the American Pink Martini. In the spirit of spanning the arts, visitors are offered the widest possible cultural palette this year. The organizers emphasize that their aim is to offer a human-scale festival, which is why the programs have been scattered throughout this year with 27 program locations and an additional 40 smaller venues. www.muveszetekvolgye.hu/en

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CAVE MONTH IN AGGTELEK

JULY 3-29, AGGTELEK July is packed with programs for solo trekkers or the whole family at the Aggtelek National Park in northeastern Hungary in celebration of Cave Month and Large Family Day, while the Green Border Hike and cross-border bicycle tours focus on the surface wonders of the shared World Heritage Aggtelek National Park and Slovak Karst areas. Panpipe and saxophonist St. Martin will once again play in the Baradla Cave’s Concert Hall, taking advantage of its unique, world class acoustics.

Hot Summer Night Sunset Tours July 7 at 19.00 hours / July 22, 19:00 hours Beginning at the vantage point standing above the roof of the Baradla Cave in Aggtelek, the tour winds through the Aggtelek karst at sunset, as the wildlife awakens at dusk.

Full Moon Tour – July 8, 20.00 hours The night forest becomes a romantic setting after sunset as the woods come alive with animal calls. Test your bravery and creep silently along with us over the karst to see what we can see.

Nature’s Pharmacy Walking Tour July 9, 10.00 hours Recognizing and learning about wild medicinal plants during a short walk around Red Lake.

Folklore, healing properties and curiosities mixed with useful information on how to utilize these wild plants to manage everyday household issues. Herbal tea at the end of the tour.

Green Border Hike – July 15, 9:00 hours The route from Baradla Cave entrance through karst hills, valleys and streams connects two of the Baradla Cave’s natural entrances, one in Hungary and one in Slovakia.

St. Martin Concert in the Baradla Cave July 22, 18:00 hours Saxophone and pan flute music performed by St. Martin, accompanied by his own band and the Szolnok Symphony Orchestra.

SZIGET FESTIVAL 2017

AUGUST 9-16, ÓBUDA ISLAND, BUDAPEST Seven days, more than 50 venues and almost 500.000 Szitizens from more than 120 countries – this what the Sziget Festival, one of the largest music and cultural festivals in Europe offers in 2017. ‘Sziget’ – as it is often referred to - is held every August in northern Budapest, on the 108-hectare Óbuda Island on the river Danube since 1993. Last year, it had a record attendance of 496,000 people from 96 countries. This year, besides concerts, the 25th jubilee edition of the festival has a wide range of programs to choose from: theater performances, contemporary circus, movie screenings, museums, sport activities and there’s even a small beach on the Danube.

The 2017 performers include, among others: Pink, Glass Animals, The Chainsmokers, Major Lazer, Birdy, Macklemore, Rita Ora. szigetfestival.com

www.anp.hu/en

STING LIVE IN BUDAPEST

OCTOBER 13, AT BUDAPEST ARENA Following sold out concerts across North America, Europe, South America and Mexico, Sting’s 57th (& 9th World) Tour, is taking the world by storm with rave reviews from fans and critics alike.

The guitar-driven rock tour, which launched in North America before visiting Europe, Central and South America, Asia and returning to Europe for select summer festival appearances, has added an extended fall tour with new shows in Central and Eastern Europe. This extension means Sting is back in the Hungarian capital after a 5-year-break!

On this tour, Sting is joined by a three-piece band including his longtime guitarist, Dominic Miller, Josh Freese (drums) and Rufus Miller (guitar), with special guest Joe Sumner, as well as accordion player, Percy Cardona, who regularly performs with ‘The Last Bandoleros’. www.livenation.hu/artist/sting-tickets

JULY 28-30, AT THE HUNGARORING CIRCUIT In 1986, the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix was the first GP in this series held behind the ‘Iron Curtain’. The Hungarian Grand Prix at the twisty Hungaroring circuit in Mogyoród, just east of Budapest, has been on the annual F1 calendar ever since. The very first Hungarian F1 GP was won by Brazilian Nelson Piquet driving a Williams-Honda. Three decades later, in 2016, Britain’s Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) took the checkered flag, scoring a record fifth victory at the Hungaroring.

Currently a runner-up in the 2017 drivers’ championship, Lewis Hamilton is also one of the favorites to win this year at the Hungaroring and in the overall drivers’ race. His main rival is German driver Sebastian Vettel, a four-time F1 GP champion (2010-13) who leads this year’s drivers’ race in his Ferrari.

The track at the Hungaroring was completely resurfaced (for the first time) in early 2016, and it was announced the Grand Prix's deal was extended until 2026. hungaroring.hu/en/events/formula-1

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FOTO STUDIO COLOMBO/PIRELLI MEDIA, BALÁZS SZABÓ, COURTESY PICTURES

FORMULA ONE PIRELLI HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX 2017

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gastronomy IF IT’S FISH SOUP, THEN IT MUST BE BAJA!

www.bajaihalfozofesztival.hu

BAJA FISH SOUP RECIPE

This internationally acknowledged (recorded in the Book of World Records) and most eagerly awaited festival is the largest event that takes place each year on the 2nd Saturday in July and gathers together, from all over the world, those who are originally from Baja and, of course, gladly welcomes those who consider themselves Bajans. It is a celebration of the renowned Fish Soup that began in 1996 with the commemoration of the 300th anniversary of the town of Baja, where the plan of cooking fish soup in 300 cauldrons,

turned out to be 400, in the end. In the year 2000, two thousand kettles were lined up in the town center and the ardour has not diminished since then. Each year, approximately two thousand cooks – local and non-local alike – entertain their guests with their own version of this delicious soup, which is now considered to be a “Hungarikum”. To date, the festival has evolved into a four day series of events but the highlight of the fish cooking still takes place on Saturday. In addition to the amazing foods, there will be folk dances and pop music stars like Ferenc Demjén

and Magdolna Rúzsa. This year the festival takes place from July 6-9 at three locations in and around Baja.

Baja, known as the capital of Fish Soup, boasts the highest consumption of fish in the country.

No celebratory meal could be imagined without Fish Soup as an integral dish. It is one of the most characteristic towns along the Danube River and its tributary Sugovica. The life of this small town has always been determined by the presence of water and is

an attractive domestic and foreign tourist destination. Its natural surroundings and architectural highlights provide the unique atmosphere of the town, home to nearly forty thousand people.

Due to its pleasant climate, the vicinity of the rivers, the main square and the friendly nature of the inhabitants, this small town in the Bácska region welcomes guests with its Mediterranean atmosphere, not only for this festival, but all year round.

THIS SIMPLE RECIPE IS STILL MADE THE SAME WAY AS IT WAS INVENTED BY THE WATER MILLERS OF BAJA. Take a large spoon of cheerfulness, a pinch of humor and a large portion of spirit. Once you have these ingredients, you are ready to start.

INGREDIENTS FOR 5 PORTIONS 3 kg freshwater fish (3/4 of which should be Carp) | 3 large onions | 3 heaping tablespoons of sweet red ground paprika | salt to taste | 4-5 spicy cherry peppers | „Matchstick” noodles • Clean the fish. Set aside the insides (roe and milk), but do not salt. Slice the fish into chunks and salt according to taste and set aside for one hour to rest.

• Cut the onions into small dice.

• Set your cauldron/kettle over the fire area and first lay in the fish slices, then the onion.

• Pour over the water. The amount of water depends on the fish (1- 1 ½ liters per kg of fish).

• Light the fire under the kettle and be sure it is a strong fire so your kettle can come to a rolling boil. (Be sure the fire is constantly burning) • Once you see that the foam has boiled away, add the ground paprika.

• Cook it for 15-20 minutes, then add the insides that you had set aside and the spicy peppers.

• In the meantime, cook the noodles in a separate pot.

• Taste and add paprika and/or salt as needed.

• Half an hour after the initial boiling began, your soup should be ready.

Café Restaurant Vogue 1137 Budapest, Carl Lutz rakpart 1. +361 350 7000, + 36 30 942 50 27 reservation@resturantvogue.hu www.restaurantvogue.hu AVERAGE COST FOR TWO : HUF PRICE OF A BOTTLE OF WINE :

17.000 HUF 3.500

TO EXPERIENCE A REAL CULINARY JOURNEY along the Danube, the best place to visit is this ship-restaurant that introduces the cuisines from the countries that line the Danube banks. Chef Attila Herczku caters to those who appreciate traditional Austrian, Hungarian, Mediterranean and South-Slavic flavors. Wines are carefully selected to suit all the dishes on the menu. There is a range of seasonal deals, special menus and events running throughout the year, concerts and special packages for couples. The attentive service, the laid-back atmosphere and the gorgeous panorama – this combo won’t leave you disappointed.

RECOMMENDATIONS

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photos by COURTESY

PICTURES, IVÁN JAKSITY

• Marinated salmon and mushroom salad with sesame oil dressing • Chicken breast stuffed with ajvar and cheese, wrapped in prosciutto, garnished with fried rolled potato dumplings • Traditional grilled chevapchichi or pljeskavica served on a wooden plate • Chocolate souflle with seasonal fruit ragout

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summertime easy living

OUTDOOR DINING RECOMMENDATIONS

ÉS BISZTRÓ

ARAZ RESTAURANT

ONE OF THE BIGGEST OUTDOOR TERRACES, ÉS’ iconic 2-storey outdoor space is open all year round, seating up to 20 persons. It is enviably sheltered from street traffic on pedestrianized Deák Ferenc utca (aka Fashion Street) and it perfect for people gazing. The casual Hungarian-Viennese bistro offers a laid-back experience and a chance to enjoy wine, beer and a few bites. However, the full menu includes classic Hungarian and Viennese favorites, as well as grilled meats and fish.

ARAZ WILL CERTAINLY BECOME ONE OF THE BASTIONS OF SUMMER SMELLS, sounds and tastes every Thursday night in the bohemian center of Budapest. The scent and flavor of the freshly grilled meats along with great cocktails, beverage package and unlimited food consumption, ensures that our weekly BBQ Party will become part of this authentic piece of American gastronomic culture. The funky latin music of DJ Starsky and the unique atmosphere of the interior patio further enhances the overall feeling.

BUDAPEST BISZTRÓ

RISO RISTORANTE & TERRACE

1054 Budapest, Vécsey utca 3 • +36 1 783 0788 info@budapest-bistro.hu • www.budapest-bistro.hu

1012 Budapest, Lovas út 41 • +36 1 224 7424 info@riso.hu • www.riso.hu

THIS DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT AND BEAUTIFUL TERRACE with views of the parliament epitomizes the philosophy of using traditional Hungarian flavors with modern techniques in their state-of-the-art open kitchen. In addition to lunch and dinner, the kitchen offers an extensive breakfast selection with cakes and pastries made right on the premises. Adding to the overall unique experience is a wine cellar that guests are encouraged to visit. Evenings often include live music, creating a classic "piano bar" atmosphere.

LOCATED AT THE FOOT OF BUDA CASTLE, RISO provides the perfect setting for romantic dinners, family gatherings, weddings and corporate events. The idyllic 80-seat bi-level terrace is surrounded by lush plants and greenery, thereby transporting you to another world. Riso cuisine offers Hungarian, International and outstanding Italian dishes including a wide variety of risottos and oven-baked pizza. They offer a weekday business lunch menu and specialties from the lava stone grill on Wednesdays.

photos by TAMÁS

KAUNITZ/AFSTUDIO.HU, ISTVÁN KIRÁLY FOTOGRÁFUS/WWW.KIRALYFOTOGRAFUS.COM, BALÁZS GRÓSZ/MEGAPIXEL.HU, COURTESY PICTURE

1051 Budapest, Deák Ferenc utca 12 • +36 1 429 3990 info@esbisztro.hu • www.esbisztro.hu

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1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 42-44 • +36 1 815 1100 araz@araz.hu • www.araz.hu

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