Hungarian parliament approves Finland’s bid to join NATO
March 27, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary’s parliament on Monday approved Finland’s bid to join NATO, putting an end to months of delays and bringing the Nordic country one step closer to becoming a full member of the Western military alliance.
Hungary: Criticism makes it hard to cooperate with West
March 25, 2023 GMTUNITED NATIONS (AP) — The West’s steady criticism of Hungary on democratic and cultural issues makes the small European country’s right-wing government reluctant to offer support on practical matters, specifically NATO’s buildup against Russia, Hungary’s foreign minister said.
Hungary would not act on Putin arrest warrant, official says
March 23, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Authorities in Hungary would not arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were to enter the country despite him being the subject of an international warrant for alleged war crimes in Ukraine, a Hungarian official said Thursday.
President seals Finland’s NATO bid by signing required laws
March 23, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — The Finnish president on Thursday formally sealed the Nordic country’s historic bid to join NATO by signing into law the required national legal amendments needed for membership in the Western military alliance.
Hungary pressures EU by delaying Finland, Sweden NATO vote
March 16, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden and Finland dropped their longstanding military neutrality and quickly signaled their intentions to join NATO, in a striking sign of how powerful Europe's security fears had become in the shadow of Moscow's war.
Students call for education reform in Hungary protest march
March 16, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Thousands of students and other opponents of Hungary's government marched in the capital Budapest on Wednesday to demand educational reforms and a change in the Central European country's political culture.
Hungary to delay vote on NATO membership for Sweden, Finland
March 14, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A long-delayed vote in Hungary's parliament on ratifying the NATO accession bids of Sweden and Finland will likely be postponed again following a proposal from a senior government official.
NATO chief in new drive to bring Finland, Sweden in
March 9, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday launched a new attempt to get Finland and Sweden accepted as members of the world’s biggest military organization by the time U.S.
Hungarian delegation cites support for Finland joining NATO
March 8, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Hungarian lawmakers widely support Finland’s NATO membership but it is unclear when the parliament in Budapest will ratify the Nordic country’s bid, a parliamentary delegation from Hungary said in Helsinki on Wednesday.
Hungarian delegation backs Sweden’s NATO application
March 7, 2023 GMTCOPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A parliamentary delegation from Hungary said Tuesday that it supports Sweden’s NATO membership bid after meeting the speaker of the Swedish parliament to iron out what Hungary’s governing party has called “political disputes.”
Hungary further delays vote on Sweden, Finland joining NATO
March 2, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary has further delayed a vote on ratifying Sweden and Finland's NATO accession bids, according to an updated schedule published Thursday on the National Assembly's website, the latest in a series of postponements that have frustrated Western allies.
Finland’s Parliament gives final approval for NATO bid
March 1, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — Finland’s Parliament gave final approval Wednesday to the Nordic country’s bid to join NATO, with lawmakers signing off on membership along with the required legislation.
The 200-seat Eduskunta legislature voted 184-7 to authorize Finland’s accession to NATO, clearing the last required domestic hurdle to becoming part of the 30-member Western military alliance.
NATO chief: membership for Finland, Sweden ‘top priority’
February 28, 2023 GMTHELSINKI (AP) — NATO membership for Finland and Sweden is “a top priority,” alliance chief Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday, urging members Turkey and Hungary to urgently ratify the Nordic countries’ accession.
Hungary to send delegation to Sweden, Finland over NATO bids
February 23, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary plans to send a delegation to Sweden and Finland to resolve “political disputes” that have raised doubts among some Hungarian lawmakers of whether to support the two Nordic nations' applications to join NATO, a senior Hungarian lawmaker said Thursday.
US ambassador’s views on Hungary ‘irrelevant,’ minister says
February 2, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The Hungarian foreign minister accused the United States ambassador to Budapest on Thursday of trying to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs, amid a growing diplomatic rift between the U.S.
Hungary FM: Sweden should ‘act differently’ to join NATO
February 1, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Sweden's government should “act differently” if it wants to clinch Turkish support for its bid to join NATO, Hungary's foreign minister said Tuesday, adding that a recent Quran-burning protest outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm was “unacceptable."
Hungary’s Orban: Ukraine’s backers have ‘drifted’ into war
January 27, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Western countries that are providing weapons and money to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia have already “drifted” into becoming active participants in the conflict, Hungary's prime minister said on Friday.
Hungary to host conservative conference for 2nd time
January 25, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — For the second year running, Hungary will host a conference in May of mainly U.S. and European conservatives as its right-wing populist government, largely isolated in Europe, seeks allies with like-minded movements further afield.
Croatian president blasts EU penalties against Hungary
January 20, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Croatia's president said Friday that efforts by the European Union to uphold democratic standards in member countries threatened to tear the bloc apart, and condemned EU efforts to financially penalize Hungary for its alleged breaches of rule of law standards.
EU lawmakers seek probe of bloc’s enlargement commissioner
January 18, 2023 GMTSTRASBOURG, France (AP) — European Union lawmakers called Wednesday for an investigation into a senior member of the bloc’s executive branch amid concern that he might be showing too much favoritism toward Serbia’s pro-Russian president.
Spain: Region drops order to offer heartbeat before abortion
January 16, 2023 GMTMADRID (AP) — A Spanish regional chief has poured cold water on an announcement by a far-right member of his cabinet that doctors would have to give women a chance to listen to the heartbeats of fetuses before any abortion procedure.
Hungary ready to sue EU executive over education funding cut
January 12, 2023 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's government will bring legal action against the European Union's executive arm if it cannot reach an agreement on EU funding for university study-abroad programs, a government minister said Thursday.
Hungary expects to sign EU funding agreement within days
December 13, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Hungary's government expects to sign an agreement within days that will bring it closer to accessing billions in European Union funding suspended over concerns of corruption and democratic erosion in the Central European country.
EU reaches deal on Ukraine aid, tax on big corporations
December 12, 2022 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union reached a deal in principle to send an 18 billion euro ($18.93 billion) financial aid package to Ukraine and approve a minimum tax on major corporations in a big move that narrowed a rift between the bloc and recalcitrant member Hungary.
Hungary, Romania to sign electricity deal with Azerbaijan
December 12, 2022 GMTBUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The leaders of Hungary, Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan plan to meet in Romania's capital Saturday to conclude an agreement on an undersea electricity connector that could become a new power source for the European Union amid a crunch on energy supplies caused by the war in Ukraine.