Diplomacy&Trade 2023-02

A PRACTITIONER OF STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

More Women Business Leaders!

The Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF), together with twelve top Hungarian CEOs, has launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness to the role of women in corporate leadership. With the support of the top executives of twelve companies in Hungary, the initiative called ‘Business Leaders for Balance’ sets the goal of increasing the current proportion of women decisionmakers in Hungary to the EU’s minimum level by 2026.

see article on page 11

On the World Map of Gastronomy

The Hungarian team finished third earlier this year at the world's most prestigious chef contest, the Bocuse D'Or, in Lyon, France. Hungary’s competitor, chef Bence Dalnoki talks about the long and arduous preparations and the teamwork that have paid off and helped achieve the much-desired world bronze medal. He says this success could be a fine example for future generations of culinary professionals in Hungary.

see article on page 19

letter from the publisher

Within a few weeks or months, India is likely to overtake China as the most populous country on Earth. However, in terms of economic performance, it is still far from China. Relations between the two countries have been tense over many decades now and border clashes still occur almost every day over a few disputed territories in the northeast of India. As our international analyst suggests, India, in it’s a careful balancing act, seems to follow the policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment in both power triangles it is involved in: U.S.-India-China and Russia-India-China.

In this current issue, we focus on business matters. The Hungarian Business Leaders Forum is launching an awareness-raising program with the participation of twelve top Hungarian CEOs. The aim of the initiative, ‘Business Leaders for Balance’, is to increase the current proportion of women decision-makers in Hungary from 10.5% to the EU’s minimum of 33% by 2026.

Hungarian excellence has been showcased internationally recently as one of the country’s most important industrial real estate developers presented itself at the world’s largest real estate event in Cannes this March.

Hitting Hungarian roads is a new large luxury SUV from Lexus, breaking new design and technology boundaries to increase the breadth of its capabilities and its appeal to an even wider customer base with a line-up of three different electrified powertrains in Europe.

WittyLeaks is authored by the Bulgarian Ambassador, a big soccer fan, who feels the “magical power of football” in Hungary. He has especially been impressed by the new Puskás Arena, which became an even more important place for him as it hosted a European championship qualification match between Hungary and Bulgaria this March.

Recently, Hungarians seem to be more successful in the kitchen than on the football pitch. In the previous issue of Diplomacy&Trade, you could read about the historic world bronze medal in the Bocuse d’Or contest and now, the chef of the Hungarian team tells you about the hard work and preparations that made their dream come true.

On the wine page, you can read about the wine created to honor the most famous writer of Eger, the town Hungary’s best known wine region is named after.

Spring is definitely in the air in Hungary! It’s time to enjoy the outdoors. At the same time, please keep in mind that the Ukraine-Russian war is heading into an intensive phase, according to many experts. Let’s keep the pressure on the diplomatic community to stop this senseless conflict! Sadly, easier said than done.

Peter Freed PUBLISHER

cont en ts

The chef behind the Hungarian bronze at Bocuse d’Or 2023

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PUBLISHER: Peter Freed PHOTO EDITOR: Dávid Harangozó

SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Tamás Varga ADMINISTRATION: Blanka Szalontai

CONTRIBUTORS: Edith Balázs, Sándor Laczkó, Tamás Magyarics, Christo Polendakov

PHOTO CONTRIBUTORS: depositphotos.com (cover), kisskrisztiii.com (cover), Dávid Harangozó (cover), Szilárd Koszticsák/MTI, Ferenc Somorjai/Wikipedia, Masterplast, Fábafém, depositphotos.com, Gedeon Richter Plc., kisskrisztiii.com, Z. László Nagy, INPARK, Lexus, Christo Polendakov, Müpa, Katarina Benzova, Morten Rygaard, Tivadar Csontváry Kosztka / Museum of Fine Arts - Hungarian National Gallery, Live Nation, Attila Busák

DUTCH FOCUS – COMING SOON

Diplomacy&Trade – in cooperation with the Dutch Embassy in Budapest – presents a special Focus section on relations between Hungary and the Netherlands. The Netherlands is Hungary's 9th most important trading partner, bilateral economic cooperation has a significant impact on the performance of the Hungarian economy: 800 Dutch companies employ about 22,000 Hungarians while Dutch investment in Hungary is worth EUR two billion. Trade volume between the Netherlands and Hungary – imports and exports combined – is nearly EUR 10 billion. The compilation includes an extensive interview with Ambassador Désirée Bonis discussing economic ties, cultural and civilian cooperation. Of course, we also present the activities of the Netherlands-Hungarian Chamber of Commerce in Budapest and several of the Dutch ventures operating in Hungary.

Event guide to the Hungarian capital page

Sustainable drinking water for HoReCa, offices and homes page 10

Hungarian industrial real estate presence in Cannes page 12

on the record

NATIONAL DAYS

UPCOMING

April 17 Syria Independence Day

18 Zimbabwe Independence Day

27 South Africa Freedom Day

30 Netherlands National Day

May 3 Poland National Day

17 Norway National Day

25 Jordan Independence Day

26 Georgia National Day

HUNGARY'S POPULATION DOWN TO 9.6 MILLION

At the start of the last census, on October 1, 2022, the population of Hungary was 9 million 604 thousand and there were 4 million 593 thousand dwellings in the country, Marcell Kovács, project manager of the census, said at a press conference in Budapest. He pointed out that in the period between the last two censuses, both the number of births and deaths fluctuated. The year 2011 marked the lowest point in the birth statistics, however, the total fertility rate rose in the last few years from the historical low of 1.23 in 2011 to over 1.5.

“The 2022 census was the first to be fully electronic, and this will help the data to be processed quickly. Between October 1 and 19, the questionnaire could be filled in online and then, at the enumerator stage and during the replacement census, enumerators digitally recorded the data collected during the interview. The early publication of the results will also be facilitated by the fact that the missing data will be filled in from state databases," the President of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Gabriella Vukovich said. The use of state databases and the practice of generating census data from administrative data sources is particularly important because 2022 was planned to be the last traditional census in Hungary in terms of the data collection method.

BUDAPEST 150 SERIES OF EVENTS GETS UNDERWAY

The Budapest 150 program series celebrating the 150th anniversary of the unification of the Hungarian capital has begun with the announcement of the Budapest Nyitány (Budapest Overture) composition competition and the awards ceremony of the Budapest Drama Competition. Mayor Gergely Karácsony stressed at the event that Budapest was not made a united city by the document of recognition, but by the people who live in it, who have made it and are making it a united city every day.

As he said, they want to showcase and make the diverse culture of Budapest widely accessible and enjoyable. "Because culture is what holds communities together, it is what sustains us even when social or economic crises ravage us," he added.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SZEGED PARTNERS WITH COURSERA

U.S.-based massive open online course provider Coursera and the University of Szeged (SZTE) are expanding their cooperation, with students and faculty of the institution having unlimited access to the course materials of the world's largest educational platform, according to an agreement signed in Szeged, SE Hungary. The cooperation will give a new impulse to the development of higher education in Szeged and prepare students for tomorrow’s workplace, the university said.

SZTE Rector László Rovó stressed that his university has made significant progress in the field of digitalization in the past decade. The comprehensive cooperation agreement signed with Coursera – the first of its kind among European higher education institutions – is part of this process.

The professor recalled that the cooperation between the university and Coursera started in spring 2020, when the educational portal supported SZTE's transition to online education due to the pandemic by providing free licenses. Over the past three years, the university's students, faculty and staff have accessed the platform with 2,500 licenses. Experience so far shows that students at the University of Szeged excel in acquiring IT-related knowledge, for example, in data science or programming. In addition, among the more than 16,000 courses completed so far, they have typically chosen courses in economics, engineering, sustainability and communication.

USE OF MOBILE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS ON THE RISE

The number of retail payment accounts has continued to grow in Hungary, and the number of actively used payment cards and payment cards registered in mobile wallet applications is also increasing as a result of digitalization, according to a report by the National Bank of Hungary. In addition to transactions conducted with cards, there was a robust growth in credit transfer transactions which also contributed to a steady uptake in electronic payments.

At the end of 2022, the number of payment accounts managed by domestic payment service providers exceeded 10.7 million, around 60,000 more than three months earlier. The number of foreign currency accounts also continued to grow by more than 2%. In addition, the number of payment accounts accessible online (crucial for the further development of electronic payments) grew continuously, increasing by more than 70,000 over three months, reaching over 8.9 million.

The number of cards registered in mobile wallet applications exceeded 1.7 million as a result of an increase of over 7% relative to three months earlier, and the number of cards used for purchase transactions continued to rise throughout 2022 Q4. For the latter, the figure of over 6.9 million is more than 50,000 higher than in the level seen in the previous quarter.

The composers' competition is organized by the Budapest Festival Orchestra with the support of the Budapest Municipality, and entries are invited until April 30. The winning work will be performed by the orchestra under the baton of Iván Fischer in an open-air concert as part of the Budapest 150 program.

The opening event also saw the launch of the renewed Budapest Time Machine.

SOLAR POWER PRODUCTION RECORD BROKEN IN HUNGARY

The peak of solar panel electricity production has been broken, with domestic solar power plants having produced nearly 2,000 megawatts more than ever before. Weather-dependent renewables accounted for more than a third of total domestic electricity consumption on the record-breaking day. The increased use of domestically available energy sources strengthens Hungary's energy sovereignty. Green power generation also contributes to the achievement of climate neutrality targets.

The previous peak recorded by the Hungarian transmission system operator Mavir last summer, on July 13, 2022, was surpassed by 94 megawatts by the record of 1,953 megawatts in early February 2023. On February 10, a total of 2,072 megawatts of weather-dependent renewable generation, mostly solar, covered 37% of domestic electricity consumption. This meant that some 240 megawatts of the record source were also available for export.

“Thanks to state subsidies, the domestic use of solar energy has grown very rapidly in recent years. The installed solar capacity in Hungary exceeded 4,000 megawatts by the end of last year. This capacity is split roughly two-thirds to one-third between industrialcommercial and residential-scale plants," a statement by the Ministry of Energy said.

company briefs

MASTERPLAST ACQUIRES GLASS WOOL PRODUCTION INVESTMENT

MASTERPLAST, the largest Hungarian-owned building materials manufacturer in the Central European region, has announced on the website of the Budapest Stock Exchange that it entered into a sales and purchase agreement for the acquisition of 100% of the shares PIMCO Ltd.

PIMCO Ltd. has a 4.3-hectare industrial site prepared for factory construction and a glass wool production investment project with an advanced stage of preparation, a value of HUF 14.1 billion in Szerencs, NE Hungary, for the implementation of which the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA) is providing 40% non-refundable state aid of HUF 5.645 billion.

Owing to the favorable terms of the acquisition, the high level of preparation of the investment will also result in significant

E.ON HUNGÁRIA: HUF 74 BILLION NETWORK DEVELOPMENT

The E.ON Hungária Group is launching a HUF 74 billion network development project, half of which will be financed from its own resources and the other half from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) program, pre-financed by the Hungarian government, the Group announced at a press conference in Budapest this January.

The Group's Deputy CEO for Networks, Ádám Katona, said that by 2026, more than 15,000 small and large network development projects will be implemented in E.ON Hungária's supply area, in Transdanubia and in the greater Pest region, resulting in 726 megawatts of additional capacity to be connected to the electricity grid. Attila Steiner, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Policy at the Ministry of Energy (EM), stressed that the investment will strengthen Hungary's security of supply and energy sovereignty.

METAL FURNITURE FACTORY IN MÓRAHALOM WITH EU FUNDING

KAP Processing Ltd. is to set up a modern metal furniture factory in Mórahalom, SE Hungary, with the support of the European Union. According to the company, the investment, to be completed by August 2023 and to cost HUF 257 million, of which about HUF 180 million will be covered by the conditionally non-reimbursable EU support. The development will create a plant for the production of metal furniture and other accessories, which will primarily target the company's existing market, but will also open up the possibility of serving the needs of new partners.

“The Hungarian solar capacity has already exceeded 4,000 megawatts, but for further development, the grid needs to be able to handle the energy generated," according to the Minister of State.

He pointed out that the role of electricity will be of paramount importance in the coming period. Attila Steiner said that it is of great value if energy can be produced and distributed locally. However, the electricity grid is not designed for such a production schedule, but basically for the distribution of energy produced by large power plants. Therefore, the grid needs to be adapted to distribute clean energy produced locally, he said, adding that improving the flexibility of the grid will help connect weather-dependent capacity.

time savings of approximately six months. PIMCO Ltd. has the necessary building and environmental permits and has also preliminary agreements with the supplier of the production technology.

The new 11,500 square-meter plant will be capable of producing around 20,000 tons of glass wool insulation material per year, with production expected to start at the end of 2024.

In October 2022, MASTERPLAST Plc. successfully completed a HUF 9.2 billion capital increase with the aim of using the fresh funds to finance mainly mineral wool production development. The company’s mineral wool production development plans are now in the implementation phase in both targeted product segments, with the launch of the strategic agreement with the construction firm Market Plc. for stone wool production and the recent acquisition for glass wool production.

OMV COLLECTS USED COOKING OIL AT ITS GAS STATIONS

The OMV oil company has installed containers suitable for the collection and storage of used cooking oil at 40 of its gas stations across Hungary, the company has announced.

In the containers, the public can safely deposit in screw-tight PET bottles the grease that is no longer suitable for use, they said. Butter, lard, margarine, used cooking oil, used cooking oil, used cooking oil and cooking fat can also be deposited around the clock.

The containers will be emptied and replenished by OMV's partner H-Bio Ltd., which specializes in the collection and treatment of used cooking oil. After collection, the waste will be sent to a biodiesel production plant where it will be processed to produce biogas oil and reused, they added. In the statement, the Managing Director of OMV Hungária Ltd., Tibor Balogh stressed that OMV will place great emphasis on circular economy solutions to address the challenges of climate change.

OMV Hungária Ltd. operates 200 gas stations in Hungary, which gives the company a 15% market share in the fuel market.

With the development, the company will acquire modern, computer-controlled precision machinery. As a result, KAP Processing Ltd. will be able to produce furniture and accessories with a variety of functions, shapes and patterns. The development will enable the company to manufacture its own products, which have been previously made on a contractual basis, in a higher quality, with a wider range of products and more economical technology.

The products made in the new plant will be suitable for a wide range of applications: office and private homes, public spaces, hotels, industrial facilities or catering. The project, which is planned to create 16 new jobs, will also include the installation of a solar panel system to serve the energy needs of the equipment to be purchased.

According to publicly available company data, the Hungarian-owned company, founded in 2011, had a net sales revenue of around HUF 552 million in 2021, almost four times higher than in 2020. The company achieved a profit after tax of HUF 31 million in 2020 and HUF 91 million in 2021.

company briefs

NEW PRODUCTION HALL BUILT FOR FÁBAFÉM WITH EU FUNDING

The new turning shop of Fábafém Ltd. in Mezőberény, SE Hungary, equipped with turning machines, has been completed with an investment of HUF 450 million. The company won almost HUF 314 million from the EU's Economic Development and Innovation Operational Program Plus (GINOP), which it supplemented with around HUF 140 million of its own funds.

The money was used to build a new 1,100-square-meter production hall and to

purchase four CNC lathes and a tool dispenser. Managing Director Tibor Berner said that the company's first production hall of 1,400 square meters was built in 2010, and an 800-sqm warehouse in 2014.

Founded in 1993, the family business, originally a manufacturer of furniture ironmongery, now supplies chipped metal parts to the automotive, electronics, pneumatics and construction industries. Currently, 82 employees in three shifts produce 50-100,000 pieces per day.

The gross sales revenue of the Budapestbased liquor company Zwack Unicum Plc. was HUF 29.8 billion in the first three-quarter financial period from the beginning of April to the end of December, which is 13% or HUF 3.5 billion more than the previous data for the same period of the business year.

As the spirits manufacturer announced on the website of the Budapest Stock Exchange (BÉT), net sales – excluding excise and public health product tax – increased by 17.8%, HUF 2.6 billion, in the given period. The operating result was HUF 4.3 billion in April-December, which is HUF 0.2 billion or 6% higher than a year earlier; the company's profit after tax amounted to 3.8 billion, which was 0.2 billion, 8.7% higher.

They recalled that from July 1 of last year, the excise tax on spirits increased by nearly 70%, but at the same time, the public health product tax was abolished. As a combined effect of the two tax changes, the company's obligation to pay taxes on spirits increased by an average of 6%, they added.

Due to the tax changes and the continuous increase in the prices of raw materials and packaging materials, the company implemented an extraordinary, average 7% price increase on its entire portfolio during the year, they informed. Export sales amounted to HUF 1.9 billion, which corresponds to a 16% increase in three quarters of a year. Among the major export markets, an

increase of 14% was achieved in Italy, 21% in Romania and 53% in Slovakia.

According to the company's report, Zwack expects a significant decline in consumption in the last quarter of the business year.

RICHTER ACQUIRES COMPANY IN IRELAND

The Hungarian pharmaceutical company Gedeon Richter Plc. has acquired from shareholders of Consilient Health 100% control of OC Distributors Ltd., an Ireland based company holding the marketing and distribution rights of a number of women’s healthcare products. The transaction value is GBP 32.5 million.

“This agreement brings a meaningful expansion to sales levels achieved in the UK and Ireland by Richter’s unique OC franchise,” according to Richter’s Chairman of the Board, Erik Bogsch. “We are very pleased that Richter’s market presence in its core female health franchise will be further strengthened in these markets.”

Gedeon Richter Plc., headquartered in Budapest, is a major pharmaceutical company in Central Eastern Europe, with an expanding direct presence in Western Europe, in China, in Latin America and in Australia. Having reached a market capitalization of EUR 4.4 billion by the end of 2021, Richter's consolidated sales were approximately EUR 1.8 billion during the same year.

The product portfolio of Richter covers many important therapeutic areas, including Women's Healthcare, Central Nervous System and Cardiovascular areas. Having the largest R&D unit in Central Eastern Europe, Richter's original research activity focuses on CNS disorders. With its widely acknowledged steroid chemistry expertise, Richter is a significant player in the Women's Healthcare field worldwide. Richter is also active in biosimilar product development.

Avidin Ltd., based in Szeged, SE Hungary, has expanded its diagnostic range with high-sensitivity solutions based on fluorescence technology with an investment of over HUF 305 million, half of which is funding from the European Union.

Founded in 2002, Avidin Ltd.'s main goal is to identify new small molecules that can be the starting points for drug development in the treatment of cancer and central nervous system diseases. In addition to in-house drug development programs, the company provides services and products to its partners in the field of drug discovery, in the pre-clinical phase of the analysis of various drug candidates, and develops molecular biology-based diagnostic solutions.

As Managing Director László Puskás explained, Avidin Ltd. is perhaps the only small company in Hungary that has both a chemical and biological department and a sterile animal house.

The company has won funding for equipment procurement and technology development under the Hungarian Multi Program. They have purchased a FACS (Fluorescence-activated cell sorting) device, which can distinguish cells, for example in blood, by the fluorescent molecules attached to the proteins on their surface.

A PRACTITIONER OF STRATEGIC AUTONOMY

INDIA PURSUES THE POLICY OF MULTI-ALIGNMENT IN WORLD POLITICS

BY TAMÁS MAGYARICS

India has acquired an ever more important geostrategic position in the world over the past few years. The huge country, stretching over a subcontinent, was punching below its weight during the Cold War – at least as far as her potentials were concerned. Delhi opted for a quasi-neutral/nonaligned position between the two superpowers, but she was leaning towards the Soviets, especially under the Gandhi premierships. The legacies of this alignment are still there: India’s defense partnership with Russia is still extremely strong – among others, the bulk of the country’s military hardware and technology are still Russian-made. However, specifically under the leadership of the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in office since 2014, India has been making quiet steps to move towards a multi-aligned position in the rather dynamically changing security and political environment of the 21st century.

Extreme diversity

In general, India is still a great power in the making. It is likely to overtake China in terms of the size of the population, but its economic performance is not in the same league of that of the U.S. or China for that matter; in fact, India has just overtaken the United Kingdom in terms of the GDP, but it is still occupying only the fifth place behind the U.S., China, Japan, and Germany. One of the structural problems is the extreme diversity of the country as far as ethnicity, religion, social standards are concerned. Its infrastructure is way behind of that of the countries in the cutting edge in this field, and despite the

fact that Indian high-tech firms and experts are among the best, other segments of the economy have not kept pace with this sector. Overall, the domestic base is not so strong as it should be for a country which aspires to play a leading role in world politics.

Rivalry with China

Globally, India may be put into the group of countries which are generally referred to as revisionists – though not to the extent that China is trying to change the distribution of power in the world. However, India is a member of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), whose members are somewhat dissatisfied with the global hegemony of the U.S. (and, by extension, the West). The cohesion of this informal grouping is weakened to a large extent by the tension, even sometimes open hostility, between India and China. Their rivalry goes back to, at least, the early 1960s when a war broke out between them; border clashes still occur almost every day over a few disputed territories in the northeast of India (including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim). The situation is exacerbated by the fairly good relations between China and India’s arch enemy in the region, Pakistan. The nuclear cooperation between Beijing and Islamabad causes permanent headaches in Delhi; moreover, China’s Road and Belt Initiative (RBI) is incorporating ports in Pakistan and an outlet to the Indian Ocean. In addition, Pakistan has made efforts to improve its relations with Russia and, thus, to gain better strategic positions in the region. We may as well add the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, whose relations with the Pakistanis, namely the ISI

(Inter-Services Intelligence) are not really welcomed by the Indians either. The Indians have tried to balance these perceived assertive policies of China by signing a controversial nuclear cooperation deal with the U.S. in the mid-2000s and, almost simultaneously, signed up for an informal defense cooperation with the U.S., Japan, and Australia (the Quad). The obvious, but publicly not acknowledged goal is the containment of China.

Pragmatism

The Russian-Ukrainian war has put India on the spot. Though one of the ’Founding Fathers’ of the country, Jawaharlal Nehru was emphasizing the ethical element in foreign policy, Narendra Modi seems to be pursuing a more hard-headed, pragmatic one regarding this conflict. The Indian government condemns the Russian aggression in principle – and in forums, such as the UN General Assembly where there are practically no tangible consequences whatever of the various votes in questions affecting one of the major powers. (Remember, for instance, the condemnation of the Soviet aggression against Hungary in 1956 or the U.S. meddling in the domestic affairs of a number of Latin American countries in the 1970s and 1980s.) On the other hand, India is quietly reaping the benefits of the rather short-sighted sanctions policies of the European Union by stepping in buying oil and gas from Russia at a knocked-down price. The intimate Indian-Russian defense cooperation with regard to arms sales has not stopped or suspended either; as the Duke of Wellington put it: ”Interests never lie.”

Strategic autonomy and multi-alignment India has to find its proper place and role in at least two strategic triangles. The choice in the U.S.-China-India one seems to have been resolved: Delhi has edged closer to Washington after the conclusion of the Cold War. The regional rivalry with China is an imminent challenge, while the U.S. has also recognized the strategic importance of India in the recent decades. When the Soviet Union was the peer competitor for the U.S., India was playing a secondary role in the American geostrategic thinking, and Washington was courting China in its endeavor to contain the USSR. Nowadays, however, China has risen to the position of the major peer competitor for the U.S., and the American and Indian interests meet half-way in trying to contain the Chinese ambitions. Former President Trump emphasized the Indo-Pacific region as the venue of the real great power competition (instead of the formerly used Asia-Pacific term). As for the other major strategic triangle, that of China-India-Russia, the Indian reluctance to take a stand against Moscow too unequivocally can be attributed to the fact that Delhi does not want to alienat e Moscow if and when the ChineseIndian open and submerged conflicts come to a head. Overall, it seems that India is carefully leaving all the doors open, it has not committed itself wholeheartedly in the major international conflicts and issues. The policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment is the current watchword inside the government of the soonto-be most populous country in the world.

Tamás

Magyarics is a foreign policy analyst

THE PROVIDER OF SUSTAINABLE DRINKING WATER

TOP PRIORITY IN FLOEWATER’S SERVICE IS CLEAN, HEALTHY WATER

Machines, service, water quality testing and equipment needed to serve water have been assembled into a service with the aim to provide a longterm, innovative and sustainable business solution for drinking water. That is what FloeWater is about, Senior Brand Manager Marianna Olasz tells Diplomacy&Trade.

With its filters, the company can produce the same premium quality water anywhere in the country, taking into account the water quality of the location and the condition of the water network. “Our partners pay a monthly fee for a complete service. First, we assess the potential location of the water filtration equipment, the installation options and, if necessary, check the water quality of the location free of charge. We provide general maintenance on an annual basis and automatic filter replacement every six months, and our service engineers are available to our partners seven days a week,” the Senior Brand Manager explains.

Service packages

There are two main target groups for FloeWater’s service: companies that want to provide their own employees with healthy, purified tap water and HoReCa customers that want to serve their guests with such water. However, the service package is very similar in each segment, be it catering or office water supply, sports center or petrol station – the difference is in the type of machines. “In catering, it is very important that the tapping equipment is a robust piece as many drinks are based on water and thus, the machine is actually used non-stop during opening hours. In the case of offices, it was also necessary to take design aspects into account,

so, for the corporate segment, we have launched a very elegant, minimalist-style touch-panel water machine,” Marianna Olasz stresses.

With sustainability in mind

Caring for the environment is also an important aspect of the service. Every year, Hungarians drink 130 liters of bottled water per person, which is a big environmental burden as it generates a huge amount of packaging waste. A large proportion of these PET bottles end up as rubbish, as only 2% of plastic packaging worldwide is recycled in a closed system. It is estimated that in Hungary alone, trucks transporting bottled water every day would make up a row of seven kilometers if lined up one behind another, further damaging the environment with the carbon dioxide they emit. “We should also not forget about the harmful effects of plastic bottles on health, as 93% of mineral water in PET bottles is contaminated with microplastics! We need to change the way we think about drinking water and tap water to be environmentally conscious and healthy. In Hungary, the quality of tap water in the pipes is very high, so it is completely unnecessary to burden our environment with bottles and transport, as it is available to everyone without packaging. To make it the same premium level of taste and composition in any part of the country, we have introduced FloeWater, made with the world's only water filtration and treatment technology, because we believe that premium quality, safe, packagingfree water is the future,” she highlights.

Saving space, time and costs

As regards the benefit of FloeWater’s solution while various tap water filters and balloon water companies are currently available on the market, Marianna Olasz points out that “with FloeWater, our partners can save on storage space and cold storage space usage by having access to unlimited quantities of cold, premium quality filtered water. No need to bother with inventory, stock tracking and reordering bottled water. Waste management and garbage disposal are no problem either when you choose FloeWater.” Another particular advantage, especially for HoReCa partners, is the cost-effective use of filtered water. “Filtered, premium water can be the base material for many other beverages: lemonade, syrup, cocktails, spritzers. It is worth quantifying the volume of mineral

water purchased in the past in the respective catering establishments. The monthly cost of the service can be recouped in 1-2 days for a large restaurant, and from then on, it will only generate profits,” she adds.

Careful cleaning

Of course, the top priority is to provide consumers with healthy water. Water is an integral part of daily life, consuming an average of 2-3 liters of water per day is necessary for the human body to function properly. It contains vital minerals and is one of the best thirst quenchers. In FloeWater’s service, filtering is applied to remove or reduce the concentration of undesirable substances, impurities and microorganisms in tap water. Of particular concern is lead, which is a serious problem in many places, and high concentrations of which can be harmful to the health of young children and pregnant women. In many places in Hungary, iron and manganese compounds cause unpleasant taste, and their levels can also be reduced by filters. Chlorine is the most common method of disinfecting drinking water used by service providers, and although it is not harmful to health in the quantities used, it can cause an unpleasant

taste and smell for the final consumer. To filter this out, activated carbon filters are used, which do not reduce the amount of valuable dissolved minerals during filtration. They make the filtered water more pleasant, silkier and smoother.

Expanding to provide a sustainable solution

FloeWater was introduced to the public more than a year ago. The Senior Brand Manager says that they have learned a lot from the past two years, “but we still see every day how important education is in the field of sustainability and water awareness. It is not yet clear, either in restaurants or in offices, that water can be a sustainable solution in the same way as energy efficient light bulbs or separate waste collection, and that its community building and health promoting effects are just as important.”

FloeWater currently has more than 400 machines on the market, a number aimed to be expanded to 1,000 this year, primarily in premium restaurants, 4-5-star hotels, sports centers and offices. The company is also expanding its current fleet with more compact machines that can be placed on smaller tables or free-standing to increase its presence on the Hungarian market.

SEEKING TO TRIPLE THE RATIO OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

'BUSINESS LEADERS FOR BALANCE' INITIATIVE TO COMPLY WITH NEW EU RULE

The Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) has launched a new campaign aimed at raising awareness to the role of women in corporate leadership. With the support of the top executives of twelve companies in Hungary, the program is aimed at bringing Hungary closer to meeting the EU quota on gender balance on corporate boards.

The HBLF is a non-profit association and the representative body of almost 100 member companies. Through its member companies, HBLF is connected with more than 3,000 business people, including approximately 500 business executives and representatives of international joint ventures and other influential business people in Hungary. The organization is committed to promoting responsible business practices that benefit business and society, and which help to achieve social, economic and environmentally sustainable development in Hungary. The latest initiative launched by HBLF is focused on promoting the role of women in corporate leadership.

EU quota for women

In November 2022, the European Parliament formally adopted the new EU law on gender balance on corporate boards. By 2026, companies will need to have 40% of the underrepresented sex among non-executive directors or 33% among all directors. The law obliges listed companies in all EU member to comply with the requirement. The plan had stalled a decade ago but got new momentum last year with fresh backing from Germany and France. “This is a long-awaited moment, a moment to be celebrated as a breakthrough in gender equality. There are plenty of women qualified for top jobs and with our new European law, we will make sure that they have a real chance to get them,” the EU said in a statement following the adoption of the bill. Hungary has a long road to cover if it wants to meet this quota, as the proportion of female managers in Hungary is still very low, at barely above 10% at listed companies.

The HBLF, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, launched a new program in early March to

tackle this issue. The organization invited six female and six male business leaders to become the ambassadors of the campaign and support the drive to increase the number of female leaders in the Hungarian business world. The list of participating executives is more than impressive and they represent some of the top companies in the country, including CitiBank, Shell Hungary, Tesco Hungary, KPMG Hungary, Heineken Hungary and RTL.

Ambassadors of gender balance

At a conference that marked the launch of the campaign, the 12 top managers discussed the various aspects of women’s role in leadership and the potential obstacles women face on their journey to the top.

"At HBLF, we believe in cooperation; years of experience have proven that we can go further together. Boosting the number of female managers on management boards and business decision-making bodies promotes sustainable development and shows the way forward in terms of business. Diversity contributes to attracting and retaining talent, understanding customer needs, product development and creating a constructive dialogue with social actors," Andrea Solti, Country Chair at Shell Hungary and the President of HBLF said at the conference. In their capacity as HBLF ambassadors, the executives will work to initiate dialogues aimed at reflecting the various aspects of Hungarian society (gender, age, experience, nationality) in the management. As part of the program, they will team up in pairs for 12 months to share best practices and processes that they bring from their respective industries.

The recently launched campaign complements

an earlier initiative started by HBLF, the so-called X Mentor mentoring program. Designed to give more women a chance to lead, the mentoring program connects the next generation of female leaders to senior decision-makers to equip participants with honest, personalized advice and valuable feedback. Starting this year, the organization is launching the HBLF X Mentor Executive program, which, in addition

to mentoring, will support female managers preparing for board roles with workshops.

"I believe that diversity is an investment that pays off many times over: it increases the innovation potential, the ability to manage change and contributes to a better understanding of our customers as well as maintaining a stable position as an employer,” Tibor Rékasi, Chief Executive Officer at Magyar Telekom said.

AMBASSADORS OF THE HBLF - BUSINESS LEADERS FOR BALANCE INITIATIVE WHO WILL WORK TOGETHER:

Andrea Istenesné Solti (Country Chair, Shell Hungary) and dr. István Szászi (Head of Bosch Group in Hungary and the Adria Region);

Mónika Pais (Managing Director, Diageo) and Rezső Rózsai (Chief Executive Officer, KPMG);

Gabriella Vidus (Managing Director, RTL Hungary) and Tibor Rékasi (Chief Executive Officer, Magyar Telekom);

Melinda Topolcsik (Managing Director, Bridgestone) and Zsolt Pálinkás (Chief Executive Officer, Tesco Hungary);

Gabriella Heiszler (Chief Executive Officer, Spar Hungary) and Levente B. Málnay (Chief Executive Officer, AMC Networks International - Central Europe);

Veronika Spanarova (Managing Director and Citi Country Officer Hungary) and Nikos Zois (Chief Executive Officer, Heineken Hungária).

SHOWCASING HUNGARIAN EXCELLENCE

INPARK TAKES THE BEST OF HUNGARY’S INDUSTRIAL REAL ESTATE PROJECTS TO CANNES

INPARK, one of the main Hungarian exhibitors at the world’s largest real estate event, brought to view the robust development that the nation’s industrial real estate sector has undergone in recent years to thousands of industry professionals gathered in Cannes this March. The Hungary-Budapest stand at the MIPIM global real estate exhibition and networking event showcased the investment environment in Hungary and flagged the ample investment opportunities.

INPARK, the brand name of Hungary’s state-owned National Industrial Park Management and Development Company, manages an impressive portfolio. It oversees more than 900 hectares of prime development land, including plots ready for immediate use with utilities in place in 17 cities across the country. The Group has more than 248,000 square meters (sqm) of leased properties, with 80,000 sqm delivered in 2022 alone: six new logistics and manufacturing units at five locations. This impressive performance has made 2022 the most successful year for INPARK since the inception of the Group in 2016. The industrial property group focuses on developing logistics centers, manufacturing halls and warehouses for international and Hungarian clients, offering standard and built-to-suit facilities for lease, as well as development lands for sale.

INPARK provides a full range of services to domestic and international market players, from location scouting and land purchases, to infrastructure development, financing and long-term sustainable operation.

“INPARK has become a brand that is synonymous with state-of-the art technical solutions and sustainable, cost-effective services in an nvestment-friendly environment,” CEO Béla Köves said. The executive added that demand for industrial parks was robust in Hungary, reflecting the country’s allure as an investment destination.

Some of the largest companies present in Hungary operate in industrial parks managed by INPARK, including industrial heavyweights like Bosch in Hatvan, Honeywell in Nagykanizsa and Airbus Helicopters in Gyula. The INPARK hall in Hatvan houses the largest Robert Bosch regional distribution center. The Group seeks to deliver fast, flexible and comprehensive property solutions while also contributing to securing a vibrant market and thriving economy with a greener and state-ofthe-art technology. With a mission to act for a greener tomorrow and to provide energy supply security to its clients, INPARK’s future strategy envisions the increasing usage of green energy in its industrial parks. “The sustainable investments of companies operating in our industrial parks, the technology transfer, job creation, as well as the favorable environmental and social effects, significantly improve Hungary’s competitiveness,” the director in charge of business development and government relations, Gabriella Lonkai said.

Showing off Hungary’s potential in Cannes

INPARK had a pivotal role in the success of the Hungary-Budapest stand at MIPIM, the world’s largest global real estate event organized in Cannes in mid-March. The event, catering to industry professionals from around the world, welcomed more than 23,000 guests from more than 90 nations and 2,400 exhibiting businesses. MIPIM is the key global event to source capital for real estate’s core and emerging asset classes, so investors played center stage this year again with 76 of the world’s top 100 real estate managers present in Cannes. Between them, they manage a portfolio worth EUR 4 trillion. The industrial real-estate market was in focus at the Hungary-Budapest stand at MIPIM. The aim was to promote investment in the capital and cities around the country, to showcase the investment environment in Hungary, and to provide information about development targets and opportunities. “Our mission was to illustrate how INPARK’s complex development projects help both domestic and foreign companies find their place in Hungary, facilitate the introduction of new technologies, help create jobs and stimulate the economy, Béla Köves noted. The presence of Hungary at MIPIM had special importance as real estate development, alongside industry and tourism are at the core of building a competitive economy, according to Lonkai. “Competitiveness is key for our country becoming one of the most developed countries in the region by the middle of the century. Our successful presence at the exhibition will undoubtedly help the inflow of investments in Hungary,” she added.

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ELEVATING DRIVING EXPERIENCE TO THE NEXT LEVEL

ALL-NEW, FIFTH GENERATION LEXUS RX ON THE GLOBAL LUXURY SUV MARKET

Lexus has undertaken a complete reinvention of its RX large luxury SUV, originally introduced in 2005, building on the model’s great heritage, breaking new design and technology boundaries to increase the breadth of its capabilities and its appeal to an even wider customer base. The new RX comes with a line-up of three different electrified powertrains in Europe.

Lexus has developed its new Next Chapter design language for the new RX, including a new ‘spindle body’, achieved by integrating the signature spindle grille concept into the entire front of the vehicle. The RX team also drew inspiration from the model’s rich design heritage to produce a car that is instantly recognizable as RX, but with a more dynamic, elegant and confident character. The interior of the new Lexus RX is no surprise either, it's clean, immediately understandable and feels familiar. You would expect nothing less from a Japanese manufacturer that believes in refinement and fine-tuning.

According to Lexus, the cabin is built with a philosophy of 'less is more', seeking to express luxury through simplicity.

Following the principle of ‘hands on the wheel, eyes on the road’, the driver-centered ‘Tazuna’ cockpit focuses on giving the driver direct, intuitive control of the vehicle. It also improves the driving experience with its intuitive and clean layout, enhanced by the new Lexus Link Multimedia system with the ‘Hey Lexus’ onboard assistant, a 14-inch touchscreen and remote functions that can be accessed using the Lexus Link smartphone app.

According to the President of Lexus International, Koji Sato, “for the all-new RX, we were determined to keep the Lexus DNA of supreme quality, ride comfort and refinement, and elevate the driving experience to the next level, delivering a unique Lexus Driving Signature.”

Electrified powertrain evolution

The really big changes come on the powertrain front. The all-new RX provides more comprehensive segment coverage in terms of powertrain choice than any previous generation. Lexus has brought to bear more than 15 years’ experience in electrified powertrain technology to embrace the evolution of the sector and provide a choice that includes the first plug-in hybrid electric RX, an accessible and efficient full hybrid electric model and, for the first time, a completely new performance hybrid, aimed at customers seeking a higher level of dynamic performance. The RX is powered by four-cylinder engines instead of the previous six-cylinder units – however, each model with a hybrid powertrain.

A new entry point to the electrified RX range

With the RX 350h hybrid (250bhp), Lexus offers an efficient alternative to smaller cylinder capacity

diesel and petrol competitors and is ideal for customers who prioritize comfort and efficiency. The new RX 350h is characterized by the improved smoothness and efficiency of its fourthgeneration self-charging hybrid electric system. This 2.5-liter petrol drivetrain provides 250 DIN hp and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 7.9 seconds.

It benefits from a program of hybrid component improvements, including a new hybrid transaxle with a more compact design, lighter weight and reduced friction losses and a smaller and more efficient PCU. It is equipped with e-Four electric all-wheel drive as standard.

The first plug-in hybrid electric RX model

The plug-in hybrid system deployed in the RX 450h+ features a four-cylinder Atkinson cycle 2.5-liter hybrid engine and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with 18.1 kWh capacity. An additional rear electric motor enables Lexus E-Four full-time all-wheel drive.

While it offers similar power to the outgoing RX 450h, it produces more torque and faster acceleration. Total output is 309 DIN hp, which is expected to enable 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.5 seconds. The battery’s size and capacity and Lexus’s electrification know-how combine to deliver significantly lower fuel consumption and emissions. Lexus’ target CO₂ emissions (WLTP combined cycle) are below 26 g/ km with fuel economy of less than 1.2 l/100 km. An EV driving range of more than 65 kilometers is expected, with all-electric driving possible at speeds up to 130 km/h.

The Lexus plug-in hybrid system offers a critical benefit that sets the RX 450h+ apart from its rivals. When the battery charge is depleted, the vehicle switches seamlessly to its self-charging hybrid system, maintaining high fuel and emissions efficiency. This is in contrast to most other manufacturers’

systems, where the powertrain defaults to its internal combustion engine.

Lexus expects the RX 450h+ to be its core RX model, a logical step-up for many of its current RX 450h customers and consequently the bestselling RX in Western and Central Europe.

A game-changing performance hybrid

The RX 500h, Lexus’ first performancefocused turbocharged hybrid with eight-speed automatic transmission and DIRECT4 allwheel drive torque control system, marks a breakthrough in hybrid electric technology that sets it apart from any hybrid model that has gone before. Lexus has successfully shifted the focus from optimum efficiency to produce a model with a genuine performance edge, raising the RX’s appeal with customers who want high-end electrified performance.

It uses a completely new parallel hybrid architecture, featuring a turbocharged 2.4-liter turbo petrol engine and six-speed transmission, integrated front motor and power control unit, hybrid battery and a compact 76 kW rear e-axle. Total system output is 371 DIN hp/273 kW with 550 Nm of torque, giving 0-100 km/h acceleration in 6.2 seconds. Power delivery is controlled by DIRECT4, an exclusive new Lexus drive force technology that is also featured in the new RZ 450e battery electric SUV. This intelligent all-wheel drive system uses a separate electric motor and inverter to constantly balance the power and torque between the front and rear axles in any driving situation. It automatically and seamlessly adjusts the level the drive force between the two axles – more quickly and precisely than any mechanical system could.

witty leaks

K S

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

THEARENA OFBUDAPEST

BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR FEELS THE ‘MAGICAL POWER’ OF FOOTBALL IN HUNGARY

BY CHRISTO POLENDAKOV,

When I was a young boy, we ran after the football together with my friends and actually, being a leftie, I was considered an indispensable left-footed right winger. Football was my game and Georgi Asparuhov (Gundy) and Ferenc Puskás were my heroes. Then came a serious knee injury on the gymnastics podium that distanced me for long from the football game. This distancing lasted up until I was assigned to be the Bulgarian Ambassador to Hungary. Immediately after my arrival to Budapest, I felt the magical power that football has in Hungary and decided to reengage with the game that enchants all Hungarians. Football here is glorified to the level of sanctity. No matter with whom I met in the first weeks and months of my assignment to Hungary, inevitably there was reference to the game and I saw many football trophies or jerseys proudly displayed in the offices. I did not convert to become an extreme football fan, but definitely reengaged and now follow the inspiring competitions from which there is so much to learn.

Safe public place

In the midst of the vicious COVID-19 restrictions, I had the privilege to attend three football matches of the Group F of UEFA Euro 2020 that were played in June 2021 in Budapest's Puskás Arena. I was truly impressed by the excellent organization and the admittance of the 55,000-strong public after thorough filtering of vaccination certificates. I will never forget the feeling of freedom in a ‘safe public place’ together with so many other people who had for long been subjected to lock-downs and various restrictions.

Congratulations, Hungary! Well done!

Bulgaria in the Puskás Arena

Today, I write these lines after yet another memorable visit of the Hungarian jewel of sports infrastructure, the Puskás Aréna. All visits of this grand stadium not only inspire me and boost my adrenaline, but also offer the opportunity for profound observations and deductions.

On March 27, 2023, the Bulgarian national football team lost 0:3 to the Hungarian national side in the

UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group G match. I was definitely not inspired by the low performance of our team that legitimately shaped the classical victory of Hungary – Congratulations, Hungary! Well done and well deserved!

The Arena and its public

It was the unique stadium architecture that once again inspired me – the style, size and functionality of Puskás Arena – and definitely the observed synergy between this elegant sports mega instrument and its users, the equally inspired and proud sportsmen and general public. This architecture respects, disciplines and educates. It obligates and inspires the performers to give their maximum, especially when being emotionally encouraged by their numerous patriotic supporters and admirers. This time, it once again generated such most useful and energizing interaction between the heroes on the field and the 55,000-strong public present throughout despite the unusually cold and windy evening. It obligated the players to excel to their maximum and to deliver to the high expectations of their fans. Such symbiosis can only happen live and no retranslating media can produce a similar effect. I was happy to experience it. The Architect knew the perfect formula for achieving this and was very successful in encoding it in the construction. Congratulations,

Hungary! Well done! As this match was mercilessly advancing not in favor of the Bulgarians, I immersed deeper into my dissecting thoughts that sought an explanation for the unfolding dire situation. Beyond the talents and fitness of the players of the two brave teams competing for the UEFA qualification, I witnessed the process of channeling of the public’s supportive energy to the Hungarian team. Such concentrated passionate charge truly empowered the Hungarian players to outperform and win… and the Hungarian team legitimately won! Congratulations, Hungary! Well done!

Diligent contributors on all sides

My thoughts continued with analyzing the complex processes of team interaction — and here I mean the mega societal team of all involved at the various stages of the meticulous work of designing the majestic arena, its construction, maintenance and management – and how these, in combination with the enthusiastic public support, contributed to the excellent performance of the Hungarian players. A truly exemplary team work of diligent contributors on all sides. It must be superbly rewarding to bear the fruits of such dedicated mega collective effort, even when enjoying the sweetness of the victory in a 90-minute confined football match. Congratulations, Hungary! Well done!

POLENDAKOV

AMBASSADOR OF BULGARIA

AMBASSADOR POLENDAKOV (ON THE RIGHT) WITH THE BULGARIAN NATIONALITY ADVOCATE IN THE HUNGARIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SIMEON VARGA IN THE PUSKÁS ARENA

This year's performers of Müpa Budapest's popular music series ‘Hey, June!’ are preparing a unique instrumentation, an unusual line-up and surprises exclusively for this occasion: the Bohemian Betyars will be there, the increasingly popular 4S Street will be there, the most popular star of the Hungarian hip hop revival, Co Lee, will be there and Jim Morrison, who was born 80 years ago, will be remembered. But before that, the most successful act on the Hungarian ska scene, PASO, will take the audience of the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall to the Caribbean! It is a band whose name has become practically synonymous with ska music in the last two decades. And there is a two-time Latin Grammy-winning music producer, who is also a huge fan of the world-renowned Hungarian composer, Béla Bartók. What the two have in common, the audience will find out on May 19. That's when the Pannonia Allstars Ska Orchestra will present their latest album, a collaboration with Victor Rice, an American who has been living in Brazil for the last 20 years, on which they have transposed a selection of Hungarian folk songs into an exotic Caribbean musical setting. Absolutely unique in PASO's twenty-year career, the project naturally also calls for a unique line-up: KRSA and his orchestra have invited musicians known in folk music circles for this evening, and this time, they will be joined on stage at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall by the front man of Aurevoir, Marci Agócs. mupa.hu

GUNS N’ ROSES

JULY 19, PUSKÁS ARENA, BUDAPEST

The inimitable Guns N' Roses are still the most dynamic, dangerous and influential American rock band in the history of music. Their landmark 1987 album Appetite for Destruction, which became part of pop culture, became the biggest-selling American debut album ever and the 11th best-selling album of all time, while their reunion tour Not in This Lifetime (2016-2019) became the fourth highest-grossing concert tour of all time, with more than five million tickets sold.

In 1991, Guns N' Roses shocked the world with their 7x-platinum albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II, which claimed the top two spots on the Billboard charts upon their release. Their over 100 million album sales also include G N' R Lies (5x platinum), The Spaghetti Incident? (platinum), Greatest Hits (5x platinum) and Chinese Democracy (platinum). They are also one of the most streamed rock bands in the world, with an average of 24 million listeners per month on Spotify. livenation.hu

TOM JONES

JULY 01, MVM DOME, BUDAPEST

CSONTVÁRY FROM APRIL 13, BUDAPEST AND PÉCS

Renowned Hungarian painter Tivadar Kosztka Csontváry was born 170 years ago, and the Museum of Fine Arts-Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest and the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs are celebrating the anniversary with a joint exhibition. The exhibition of the two public collections, which have the largest number of works by the paintergenius, will open on April 13 at the Museum of Fine Arts where it will be on display for three months. The joint exhibition, which will present a comprehensive overview of the artist’s oeuvre, will arrive, in August at the Csontváry Museum (in Pécs, southern Hungary), which is 50 years old this year. There, the joint exhibition will also be open to the public for three months. The exhibition of around 40 works is a tribute to one of the most original and best-known artists in the history of Hungarian painting. The last time an exhibition of Csontváry's works was held in the Museum of Fine Arts was 60 years ago, in 1963, and the works on display in the Csontváry Museum in the Baranja county seat are the first to be complemented by works from the capital's collection. Thanks to the combined collections of the two institutions, Csontváry's famous Self-Portrait and Lonely Cedar, the large-scale Ruins of the Greek Theater in Taormina and his painting Valley of Great Tarpatak in the High Tatras will be on display together, as will Pilgrimage to the Cedars in Lebanon and Waterfall of Jajce. szepmuveszeti.hu.hu

DEEP PURPLE

JULY

Deep Purple is among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock. Together with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they have been referred to as the ‘unholy trinity of British hard rock and heavy metal in the early to mid-seventies’. The group have influenced a number of rock and metal bands including Metallica, Judas Priest, Queen, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Bon Jovi, Rush, Motörhead and many new-wave British heavy metal bands, such as Iron Maiden and Def Leppard.

Deep Purple was listed in the 1975 Guinness World Records as the ‘loudest band’ for a 1972 concert at London's Rainbow Theatre, and have sold over 100 million copies of their albums worldwide. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

After the required change of guitarist in the summer, one of the hardest touring bands in the world is back on the road to give their fans the best possible concerts after 50 years. As they say: “we've included everything that made the whole band smile. We've always enjoyed making music and having the incredible luxury of a loyal audience.”

This legendary band will stop by the Budapest Arena with their brand-new show on July 16, 2023. livenation.hu

Following the inevitable postponement of his concert last summer, Sir Tom Jones returns to Budapest with his brand-new Ages & Stages tour. Sir Tom is indeed a living legend. He is welcomed in venues worldwide, from urban clubs to performing arts centers to arenas. His irresistible show traverses musical eras and genres, cuts across class divides and appeals to young and old, male and female, mainstream and cutting edge. Godfather of modern soul, Sir Tom has always been about the power of the song, the power of the voice. His career began in the early 1960s when his powerful voice and dynamic stage presence quickly earned him international fame. Alongside his world hits such as It's Not Unusual, What's New Pussycat?, Delilah and Green, Green Grass of Home as well as his hugely popular TV show ‘This is Tom Jones’, which aired in several countries between 1969 and 1971, all helped him achieve this fame. Tom Jones has always had an extremely wide musical range, and has worked with dozens of artists over the decades, from Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Art Of Noise and Ed Sheeran. livenation.hu

16, BUDAPEST ARENA

GÁRDONYI

EGRI CSILLAG

WINE MADE IN HONOR OF EGER'S MOST FAMOUS WRITER

The winemaking community of Eger decided to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the death of Géza Gárdonyi and pay tribute to the memory of the city's iconic writer by making the Collaboration Wines.

At the suggestion of the Confrerie of Eger Bikavér [Bull’s Blood], the Eger Regional Wine Council called on local winemakers to produce Egri Csillag Superior and Egri Bikavér Superior regional wines in honor of the Gárdonyi 100 commemorative year, which is being celebrated in 2023 with various events in the northeastern Hungarian town of Eger.

Community wine brand

A limited number of 1552 bottles were produced from a blend of wines made from high quality grapes. The blending, bottling and organoleptic qualification of the wines before blending was organized and carried out by Confrerie of Eger Bikavér. Egri Csillag – literally, the ‘Star of Eger’ in reference to a novel by Géza Gárdonyi about the heroic defenders of the castle of Eger against Turkish invaders in the 16th century – is the community wine brand of the Eger wine region since 2010. It must contain wines of at least four grape varieties and it is important that the proportion of Carpathian Basin varieties exceeds 50%, while the proportion of aromatic varieties must not exceed 30% for this particular dry white wine from Eger.

A blend of selected base wines, Gárdonyi Egri Csillag Superior 2021 is an exciting, classy Eger white showing great aromatic complexity. It contains 25% Furmint, 17% Olaszrizling,16% Chardonnay, 16% Hárslevelű, 15% Riesling, 10% Királyleányka and 1% Sauvignon Blanc.

The bull’s blood of Eger

Eger Bikavér [Bull’s Blood] is the region’s emblematic red wine. A legendary Hungarian wine with a centuries-old history. Nowadays, the producers of Eger craft their Bikavérs with great care and attention, so that it becomes a worthy Hungarian "wine message” of protected origin, one that is able to withstand the challenges of our time.

The most important variety in the composition of Eger Bikavér is Kékfrankos, which should be used in 30-65% of the blend, and this Carpathian Basin variety should be the main component in the blend.

Gárdonyi Egri Bikavér Superior 2021 is an outstanding red wine from an exciting and beautiful vintage. It is a deep, complex and rich wine. It consists of 40% Kékfrankos, 30% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 7.5% Pinot Noir, 5% Syrah and 2.5% Turán. It is a blend of 30 carefully selected lots.

Ageing began in May 2022 in two Kádár Hungary barrels, one with a capacity of 500 liters and the other a used 300-liter barrel. After seven months of ageing, the wine was bottled in January.

The white wine was released in 2022, while pre-order subscription for the Bikavér that needed longer ageing has started in Spring 2023.

gastronomy

HUNGARY ON THE WORLD MAP OF GASTRONOMY

THE COUNTRY’S CULINARY MASTERS ACHIEVED HISTORIC SUCCESS

The Hungarian team finished third earlier this year at the world's most prestigious chef competition, the Bocuse D'Or, in Lyon, France. The competitor representing Hungary, chef Bence Dalnoki now tells Diplomacy&Trade about the long and arduous preparations and the teamwork that have paid off and helped achieve the much-desired world bronze medal. He is of the view that this success could be a fine example for future generations of culinary professionals in Hungary.

Preparations for the world final took five and a half months, “but if we take it in a broader sense and count from the day of the Hungarian final, it was almost a year and a half, including five-and-a-half to six months of active preparation for the European final. During this period, there was also constant brainstorming about what could be improved and sharpened even more,” Bence Dalnoki highlights.

Developing the themes

He explains that usually, the dish theme is announced at Bocuse d’Or one to one-and-a-half months before the platter theme, and thus, competitors have a ‘one-and-a-half-month head start’ to develop the dish theme. “We work out the topic according to the requirements, without timing the process at first. It is just brainstorming, cooking and seeing how it would be the best, perfecting it and revising it continuously. Then, when the other theme comes – and, at this year’s world finals, that was the children's menu –, we do the same. When both dishes are completed as desired, we start the timing period in which we squeeze into these five and a half hours the development of the two themes. Once you have a timeline of what, how and when to cook in those five and a half hours, then, the hard timing begins, where you cook the competition menu within the given time frame of five and a half hours three times a week, while in another three days of the week, we prepare for the actual cooking process.”

kitchen, the competitor and the comis don't have time to ‘think’: we had to ‘replay’ what had already been rehearsed. And the fourth member is Zoltán Hamvas, the president of the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or Academy. He went to Lyon with us as team leader. His role was coordinating with the jury members, and giving a two-minute presentation on the typical Hungarian characteristics and ingredients of the dish. He had to ‘shuffle the cards’ in what one could term as ‘gastro diplomacy’ so that we all get to be known a little better, get good points from everyone and everyone has a good word for us, as this is also a very important part of the competition."

Last but not least, he adds, it is a huge advantage that Hungary has hosted two very high-quality European selection tournaments in the last six years, in 2016 and 22. All of these are good news for both the competitors and the judges.

Using ‘goulash spices’

Every year, the Bocuse d'Or competition prescribes a set of ingredients and themes. This raises the question of how much leeway there is in the preparation of each dish, how much Hungarian gastronomic flavor can be ‘built’ into the dishes.

“We always try to incorporate Hungarian gastronomic traits and little flashes of Hungarian culinary traditions in the form of ingredients, using materials that the public is familiar with. For example, everyone knows goulash from Hungary, and that's why the concept was not to say that there is a little bit of paprika in the mussel dish, but that there are ‘goulash spices’ in it, because that would be obvious to a foreigner. For example, a person who knows the trade will know what Tokaj wine is – it is well-known abroad. The rule book is very tight but everyone tries to look for grey areas and loopholes. Not because they want to cheat, but because they want to save time,” Bence Dalnoki emphasizes.

A world meeting of gastronomy

the prestige of Hungarian gastronomy in the world and can have a great impact on the further development of Hungarian culinary art.

A close-knit team

The team that competed in Lyon was officially of 2+1 persons, but Bence Dalnoki names a fourth member as well. He himself worked in the kitchen during the competition along with Patrik Nyikos. "He was the young chef in the team, officially a comis, who had to be under 22 years of age at the moment of the final – he could otherwise act as a full-fledged chef in the kitchen. Tamás Széll was the coach who could guide us from outside the kitchen, acting basically as a conductor: he measured the time, he told us the order of what to do. This is a huge help in a competition like this, because in the

The Bocuse d'Or is not only the world's most prestigious cooking competition, but also an international gastronomic meeting. As to what extent members of the Hungarian team were able to take part in its programs, the Hungarian competitor highlights that since they were competing on the second day, they had time to look around in the first day – except for Tamás Széll who stayed in the kitchen, saying that he would rather do some preparation work. “Patrik and I walked around the stands, met the chefs, met the judges. So, it really is a gastronomic meeting, and the gala event is even more so: everyone is relaxed, having taken the stress off, you can meet people and just party.”

Encouragement for new generations

The Hungarian team has competed in the world finals several times before, but this is the first time they have made it to the podium, having qualified for the world final of 24 teams when they won a silver medal at the European finals of the Bocuse D'Or competition in Budapest in March last year. According to Bence Dalnoki, who, as the sous-chef of the Michelin-starred Stand Restaurant in Budapest, has previously won the Hungarian Bocuse d'Or final, this bronze statue in 2023 has enhanced – and will further increase –

“I think this achievement has certainly ‘put us on the map’. There is a publication about Hungary, for which I was asked about my favorite places and the best small gastronomic places, where I think it is worth going to in Hungary. I said in this publication that reaches a relatively wide audience that we are in a great situation because we won the bronze statue: it's a closed club, it's totally elite, so, it's huge news for Hungary and I can feel it myself when people come up to the table in the restaurant and congratulate us – people around the world know about our achievement. It feels very good, and I am sure that in the long term, it will have great implications. Gastronomy in Hungary is in an upward trend, rising at a fairly high rate, and there is certainly a good basis for further development. If anyone can see that I achieved this in a relatively short time, they will realize that it is not necessary to invest long decades into this profession to achieve good results. I managed to get here in seven years because I already had the foundations laid for my path, and this could be a good example for future generations of how success can be achieved relatively quickly, with perseverance, humility and knowledge.” He believes in sharing knowledge with other people, knowledge that the team has gathered during the preparations and the competitions. The team members have made a book that describes the recipes in detail, so that the dishes can be done by everyone.