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Right-wing populist leaders to attend Trump's inauguration without Viktor Orban
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was invited to Donald Trump's inauguration, Politico reports, calling Orban an admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the “bad boy” of European politics. According to the report, Orbán will "not be able to make it".
Politico's report refutes the news in the Hungarian pro-government media that stated the Hungarian leader wasn't invited to the ceremony. On Wednesday Orban's press chief, Bertalan Havasi announced that the PM will give a speech at a conference in Budapest on 20 January, assessing the results of the Hungarian EU Presidency.
A few hours after Bertalan Havasi's briefing, pro-government Mandiner called it "the first hoax of 2025" that Trump had invited anyone, as "the presidential staff does not invite foreign heads of state." This year will definitely be an exception because Chinese President Xi Jinping, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Javier Milei, and El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele all received an invitation.
Hungary's economy minister reveals his hopes for the second Trump presidency
Economy Minister Márton Nagy posted a Facebook video on Monday where he talked about the four things he is hoping for from the second Trump administration.
- re-enacting the double taxation agreement.
- easing visa rules for Hungarian citizens.
- restoring direct flights between Budapest and major US cities like New York and Washington.
- the United States becoming one of the top 3 investors in Hungary.
Hungary’s Judicial Council annuls agreement with government
Hungary's Judicial Council decided to annul an agreement made with the government.
According to Hungarian weekly HVG, the decision to revoke the four-party deal was passed with 10 votes in favor and 2 absents. The President of the Curia, András Varga Zs., did not participate in the vote.
Péter Szabó, who signed the agreement on behalf of the OBT, was absent from the proceedings. Szabó resigned in December amid criticism and allegations of political interference in judicial matters. Following his resignation, the OBT released a statement expressing its commitment to operating strictly within its legally defined mandate.
In an interview with HVG, former OBT president Edit Hilbert criticized the handling of the agreement. She described the council as being undermined by a lack of legal expertise and overreach by some members. Hilbert specifically accused Szabó of exceeding his authority by negotiating wage agreements with the justice minister behind closed doors.
Afghan family wins against Hungary over unlawful detention in transit zone
An Afghan family of six has won a human rights case against the Hungarian state. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that their detention in Hungary’s Röszke transit zone violated their rights, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee reports.
The family was held in the transit zone for four months while seeking asylum. They successfully contested Hungary’s initial rejection of their asylum, based on their entry via Serbia. A Hungarian court later found that detaining the family in the transit zone for more than a month was unlawful.
During their detention, authorities denied the parents food for a period, compounding the family’s ordeal. The ECHR concluded that their confinement amounted to arbitrary detention without legal recourse. Additionally, the denial of food was deemed a violation of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits inhuman and degrading treatment. The court also ruled that detaining the children in such conditions was unlawful. The family has been awarded €10,000 in compensation.