Latest news with #GergelyGulyas
The Star
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Hungary extends profit margin cap on food products to curb inflation
BUDAPEST, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian government has decided to extend the profit margin cap on food products until Aug. 31 in a bid to curb inflation and prevent unjustified price hikes, Gergely Gulyas, minister of the Prime Minister's Office, said on Wednesday. "The government remains committed to curbing inflation and preventing unjustified price increases," Gulyas said at a press conference. The measure, introduced in mid-March, limits retail profit margins to 10 percent on 30 basic food items, including staples such as eggs, butter, and sour cream. The cap was originally set to expire at the end of May. Gulyas said the policy has been an effective tool in fighting price increases and forms a key part of the government's broader economic strategy. Although Hungary's consumer price inflation fell to 4.2 percent in April, food prices remain high, registering a 5.4 percent year-on-year increase. The minister also reiterated the government's commitment to maintaining inflation control. He noted that consumer protection and competition authorities would continue to closely monitor compliance with the profit margin regulations.
The Independent
10-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘Biological attack' could be behind Europe's latest foot-and-mouth outbreak
Hungary has suggested a "biological attack" may be behind the country's first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in more than half a century. The World Organisation for Animal Health said the outbreak, which was first detected on a cattle farm in the northwest near the border with Austria and Slovakia last month, has triggered border closures and the mass slaughter of cattle. By Thursday, animal health authorities had inspected nearly 1,000 farms across Hungary. Of those, only four farms in the affected northwestern region returned positive results. "At this stage, we can say that it cannot be ruled out that the virus was not of natural origin, we may be dealing with an artificially engineered virus," Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff Gergely Gulyas said at a media briefing. Gulyas said he could not rule out that the virus outbreak was the result of a biological attack, without giving information on who might be responsible. He also said that suspicion was based on verbal information received from a foreign laboratory and that their findings have not yet been fully proven and documented. Hungary's cattle stock numbered 861,000 head based on a livestock census in December, little changed from levels a year earlier. That constituted 1.2 per cent of the European Union's total cattle stocks, official statistics showed. Foot-and-mouth disease poses no danger to humans but causes fever and mouth blisters in cloven-hoofed ruminants such as cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and outbreaks often lead to trade restrictions. Thousands of cattle had to be culled as the landlocked country tried to contain the outbreak, while Austria and Slovakia have closed dozens of border crossings after the disease also appeared in the southern part of Slovakia. "Everyone was just standing there, crying and saying that this cannot be true, that this was impossible," said Paul Meixner, an Austrian-Hungarian dual citizen who owns one of the affected farms in Hungary. While his business has taken a 1.5 billion forint ($4.09 million) loss after culling 3,000 cattle and other livestock, Meixner has vowed to rebuild. "In two weeks, we will start harvesting and storing the hay," he said. "We need the fodder for next year."
Sky News
10-04-2025
- Health
- Sky News
Hungary suggests foot-and-mouth outbreak could be 'biological attack'
A Hungarian official has suggested the country's first cases of foot-and-mouth disease in more than 50 years could have come from a "biological attack". The World Organisation for Animal Health, citing Hungarian authorities, said the country reported an outbreak of the disease on a cattle farm in the northwest last month. Thousands of cattle have been slaughtered to stop the spread of foot-and-mouth, while neighbouring Austria and Slovakia have closed multiple border crossings. Gergely Gulyas, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, told reporters on Thursday that officials have not ruled out what caused the outbreak - including an attack. "At this stage, we can say that it cannot be ruled out that the virus was not of natural origin, we may be dealing with an artificially engineered virus," he added. The official then said suspicion of a biological attack was based on verbal information received from a foreign laboratory -- which has not yet been fully proven - and that no further outbreak has been detected. Foot-and-mouth disease poses no danger to humans but causes fever and mouth blisters in cloven-hoofed ruminants such as cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and outbreaks often lead to trade restrictions. Reports of foot-and-mouth first emerged in mid-March, with more than 3,500 cattle slaughtered in Hungary's northern county of Gyor-Moson-Sopron. After the outbreak in Hungary, cases were then reported across five farms in southern Slovakia, prompting the country to declare an emergency. On 2 April, Hungary deployed soldiers and launched new disinfection measures in the northwest close to border regions to contain the outbreak. Austria then closed 21 crossings into Hungary and two into Slovakia a day later.
Washington Post
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Hungary will withdraw from ICC, government says during Netanyahu visit
Hungary announced plans Thursday to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, made the declaration hours after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu — who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant that accuses him of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza — arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
Al Arabiya
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Hungary says it is withdrawing from ICC as Israel's Netanyahu visits
Hungary's government has decided to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas told state news agency MTI on Thursday. Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government announced the move shortly after Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, sought under an ICC arrest warrant, arrived in Hungary for a state visit.
