people who work at Viatris’ facility in Komárom, Hungary are serenaded by a chorus of chirping sounds from above while walking from the car park to the building These familiar sounds signal the annual return of the site's winged residents the Komárom site  is near the Danube River and encompasses an undisturbed area of about 4 hectares (about 9.8 acres) The sandy grassland is interspersed with clumps of trees and intermittent waterlogged areas making the land a paradise for many species of birds and insects Viatris’ Komárom site is also home to the European Center of Excellence the company’s largest Quality organization in the region The location has a long history of commitment to advancing sustainability the site’s lush space gained new enhancements when Viatris partnered with the Hungarian Ornithological Society to join its Bird-Friendly Workplace Program The idea was first suggested by Róbert Klinga a Quality Control Support Manager at the site watching and later photographing birds became one of his favorite pastimes His hope is that the initiative will make a positive impact on many colleagues’ interest in nature conservation “We are working in an industrial environment where it is particularly important to manage well the natural assets that surround us. At Viatris in Komárom, we do our part to contribute to Viatris’ deep commitment to sustainability and reducing our environmental impact,” Róbert said. (Click here to see video of the site.) The bird-friendly workplace idea was fully supported by both Raymond Keeling During the preparation and planning phases it became clear that the employee population in Komárom includes several bird lovers bird photographers and keen conservationists in collaboration with the Hundred Valley Nature Conservation Society – the local branch of the Hungarian Ornithological Society -- installed 50 bird houses of various types in the area helping the species already living there to breed and new species to settle in About 40 different bird species are expected to find a home in this green oasis the bird houses will be regularly monitored by experts a breeding wall was established in the spring which has already been taken over by several pairs of birds To raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity in providing a sustainable future the Komárom site organized a Bird-Friendly Family Day for employees at the end of June About 80 participants took part in bird ringing burrow checks and a five-station tour where they could solve activities related to environmental protection and knowledge of plants and animals at each station "Every day we see the colorful bird life that surrounds us here,” said Róbert “Preserving and trying to enhance the biodiversity of our green area is a worthy initiative not only for our site Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker When at the end of 2014 Nokia’s local factory was shut down in Komárom who is now the Minister for Foreign Affairs instructed the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency to accelerate talks with any company planning to invest in Komárom two big factories have already been set up and Komárom’s city council also invested in developing the industrial park to attract more companies the son-in-law of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has become a co-owner of a valuable property in the industrial park It is yet not clear if the property will be used but according to the recent statements the city of Komárom is expecting that a South Korean company will set up its factory on the land The South Korean company would arrive to Hungary following negotiations with the Hungarian government In August István Tiborcz became the majority owner of WHB Ingatlan Ltd. Tiborcz bought 75 per cent of the company (its share capital worth of HUF 166 million) from billionaire Attila Paár Company registry documents do not show how much Tiborcz paid for the share bought the property (land with an abandoned factory right next to the former Nokia factory) in March An international company called Perlos used to produce plastic particles here for Nokia’s mobile phones The 3.7 hectares land with the 13,000 square metres factory building has long been for sale and in 2012 it was almost sold to a Chinese solar panel factory The price would have been 4,5 million euros and after the firm paid a deposit of 900 thousand euros according to the solar panel company’s CEO at the time The property was finally sold to WHB Ingatlan Ltd CEO Csaba Tóth refused to disclose any details about the purchase that the property was estimated to be worth 3.28 million euros which equals to 1.027 billion HUF (counting with the conversion rates at the time) ‘this was about the price we sold it for.’ Records show that there is no mortgage on the property CEO of WHB told Direkt36 that they intend to rent the factory building out to a logistics company but he did not rule out the possibility of a future sale either Tiborcz still owns several companies but he sold his shares of a controversial energy company with whom he now co-owns the Komárom property Elios drew the attention of the press and even some authorities because it won several state contracts without competition Tiborcz sold his shares in the company after these controversial practices had been exposed When in the middle of November a Direkt36 reporter visited the site in Komárom There was only one car parking in the huge courtyard The guard said that the building was empty; nobody has been using it lately Recently two new companies opened factories in the industrial park both with the support of the Hungarian government: the Polish Alumetal and the Chinese electric bus company BYD City leaders hope that these two openings and the new bridge over the Danube would lure new car industry companies into the park they expanded the park with another 40 hectares the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency negotiated not only with the Polish Alumetal but with the South-Korean Woory Industrial foreign secretary Péter Szijjártó even announced a deal with the car manufacturing company in Seoul in the presence of PM Viktor Orbán and national economy minister Mihály Varga Woory Industrial was going to invest 38 million USD between 2015 and 2018 and open up a huge factory in Komárom The latest news on the project came this February when national economy minister Mihály Varga met with the leaders of Woory Industrial to negotiate about the Komárom factory The city of Komárom was so certain about the Korean company’s arrival that they even put the logo of Woory Industrial on the map of the industry park The map can be downloaded from Komárom’s website the logo is placed exactly on the building of the very property that Tiborcz’s company now owns the municipality official in charge of the industrial park confirmed to Direkt36 that Woory Industrial indeed intended to open its factory in this building and the municipality later told Direkt36 in a written statement that they do not have information about Woory’s decision Woory Industrial did not respond to our questions We asked them whether they still wanted to open up business in Komárom The Foreign Ministry said that they have had several rounds of negotiation with Woory Industrial since the announcement in 2014 November The ministry said though that they cannot share any details about it at this point They added that they have been in contact with other investors about potential investments in the Komárom industrial park The Komarom-Komarno bridge between Hungary and Slovakia has been officially opened by the prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia to vehicle traffic today following three years of work for a total cost of over €117 million with an EU contribution from the CEF Transport Programme of just over €100 million (85% of the total costs) 600 metre long cable-stayed cross-border road bridge (including access roads and two bicycle lanes) links the Hungarian port of Komárom and the Slovak port of Komárno The new crossing removes a crucial bottleneck on the Rhine-Danube TEN-T Corridor caused by the existing Erzsébet Bridge This bridge does not allow the circulation of vehicles heavier than 20 tonnes heavy goods vehicles have faced limitations in their travels in the area Today’s inauguration brings another key piece of infrastructure supported by the EU into usage improving safety and providing additional capacity to all users SK Innovation intends to build a third lithium-ion battery cell plant in Hungary The company already operates a 7.5 GWh factory in Komarom and is building the second 10 GWh factory at the site third factory willt be located in Ivancsa and produce up to 30 GWh of cells annually The construction should start in the third quarter of this year while the start of production is scheduled for early 2024 The plant should be fully completed by 2028 we are not sure what will be the final manufacturing capacity the initial investment in the new site will be 1.3 trillion won ($1.16 billion) is expected at 2.6 trillion won ($2.3 billion) SK Innovation supplies batteries to multiple global manufacturers Hungary is in a great position to become a battery hub because multiple car factories are in a relatively close proximity probably the biggest factor in selecting the country for the investment is something else - subsidies "Hungary plans to provide the biggest investment subsidy in its history adding that the government would make the size of the aid public once the agreement was signed with SK Innovation and the process of notification with the EU has been completed." Hungary simply is willing to offer a high incentive to attract a plant that will have 2,500 direct jobs SK Innovation's total battery manufacturing capacity (globally) stands at about 40 GWh annually but it's expected to increase several times over just a few years SK Innovation production capacity roadmap: * data comes from multiple official and unofficial sources Why The Slate Truck Doesn’t Use LFP Batteries The 2026 Jeep Compass Gets An EV Version With Up To 404 Miles Of Range Ford Develops Breakthrough Battery Chemistry After ‘Intense Research’ Waymo Is Far From Done With The Jaguar I-Pace Stellantis Validates Game-Changing Solid-State Battery After 'Production Hell' Ford Isn't Slowing Down Mustang Mach-E Production CATL’s Sodium-Ion EV Battery Loves The Cold  The city of Komarom is about an hour’s drive north of Budapest people with their own dreams come together SK Battery Hungary (SKBH)’s production line began operation If the second plant begins mass production in 2022 the production capacity will increase much more Are you curious to know how people who are making the history of European EV batteries at SKBH are recruited ▲ SK Innovation’s battery production plant in Komarom the Plant 1 to produce batteries with an annual capacity of 7.5 GWh is completed these facilities will be able to manufacture batteries of 16.5 GW per year This factory consists of all locally hired people in Hungary except 14 Korean expats The engineers at the plant in Hungary are playing a leading role in the fast-growing European EV battery market an HR manager responsible for recruiting and managing human resources in SKBH in Hungary and I’m in charge of Human Resources (HR) as part of the Operation Support Unit of SK Battery Hungary (SKBH) I majored in transportation engineering at a university in Hungary I worked for the HR team of a medical device company before joining SKBH in April last year I work as an HR business partner and support various aspects of HR-related tasks such as recruitment and training What are the criteria for hiring the employees We register our company information on job search platforms and invite those interested in our company to an interview The HR manager and the team manager conduct interviews together in the hiring process The criteria for hiring good employees are largely job suitability and personality HR managers like me evaluate the applicant’s history and personality and the team manager assesses the ability to perform the job it is very important to hire the right people in the right positions So I am very proud of my job doing these things How do you advertise and promote the company when Hungarian people are not yet familiar with SKBH and the battery business In addition to job platforms and outdoor billboards we promote SKBH by consistently posting information on social media that people use frequently we have a Facebook team that actively uses Facebook to promote SKBH Many people are interested in SKBH’s Facebook page as it has thousands of followers we not only publicize the company and post job openings but also provide useful notes such as information on commuter buses in other regions and the information necessary for our employees I visited high schools a few times in consideration of hiring future talent Although students were not our main recruitment targets as they have not yet decided their career we introduced our company and offered indirect experience opportunities What do you think are the strengths of SKBH We have a geographical advantage since Komarom is located between large Hungarian cities SKBH has great accessibility as it is in an industrial complex where many large companies’ factories are located SKBH provides commuter buses in each region for the convenience of members do you have any difficulty in hiring workers Hungary’s unemployment rate is currently under 2% Except for voluntary unemployment that refers to not having a job because the unemployed do not want to work we can say that our country is achieving full employment the fewer number of people looking for jobs makes hiring difficult But having a lot of people who have worked at various companies can be a favorable condition for us a difficulty commonly experienced by newly started companies like SKBH This will be solved as people’s awareness of SKBH increases over time it may not be easy for workers to understand various processes and tasks at SKBH but our employees are receiving high-quality training from Korean engineers and headquarters How do you feel about working in the battery business of SK Innovation aiming for a Hungary Insider It is very different from the world I’ve been through there are a lot of changes for me and I’m learning how to adapt language difference is one of the problems I face Understanding the nuances of language I’m not familiar with is very difficult therefore we need to try to describe and explain in more detail when communicating with others But problems with different languages will be less and less over time as communication continues you will feel that cooperation within the company is very good SK Innovation has invested heavily in Hungary SKBH’s commitment to communication and cooperation among the members ensures that this investment will pay off is there anything you want to say for SKBH I’ve heard that many people felt sorry for the withdrawal of the Nokia factory in Komarom a few years ago It had good reputation for being family-friendly and listening to employees SKBH is a company that goes out for the happiness of its members As the management philosophy of SKBH spreads I wish SKBH and Komarom will become the center of battery industry for electric vehicles in the World Nora Pali is working hard to put the right people in the right place at the new forward base in Hungary We root for her as she continues to fulfill her role as a great HR business partner of SKBH From Passion to Purpose: Beata Tochowicz's Love for Animals and Her Working-Life at SK hi-tech battery materials Poland SK Innovation CEO Park Sang-kyu Emphasizes Solidarity to Create a New Chapter in History From Komárom to Iváncsa: Navigating high-tech innovations with Péter Fónagy at SK On Hungary Embracing challenges: Adrian Kędziak’s run toward growth and excellence at SK hi-tech battery materials Poland Shifts and shutters: How Łukasz Grudzień balances work at SKBMP with his love for dog photography SK Innovation and subsidiaries worldwide unite to support Busan's bid to host World Expo 2030 [SKinno People] Paul Coupillaud, Director of PM&O Department, SK Functional Polymer SK Innovation affiliates around the world spread happiness to their members and families [Interview] Meet Kim Joo-youn, an Independent Director of SK Innovation [SKinno People] Michelle Khor, Senior Geophysicist, SK Earthon Kuala Lumpur Branch [Interview] Meet Lee Bok-hee, an Independent Director of SK Innovation [Interview] Meet Park Jin-Hei, SK Innovation’s new Chairman of the Board [Tasty Inno Life] Xin chào! Do you know "somaek?" 😋 (ft. SK Earthon HCMC Branch) [SKinno People] Kim Ngoc, Contract and Procurement Specialist, SK Earthon Ho Chi Minh Branch [SKinno People] Arun Tomar, HR Manager, SK Enmove India BYD opened its first owned bus plant in Europe in the northern Hungarian town of Komarom The new plant sees an investment by BYD that will total some €20 million ($21.20 million) in the three years to 2018 there are 32 employees of whom 68 percent are factory workers the vast majority being locally recruited Hungarians with a technical background who will assemble up to 400 electric buses a year on two shifts Those buses will be exported to customers across continental Europe Initial output will be electric buses and coaches but other products will soon follow including electric forklift trucks and then light commercial vehicles The plant consists of five buildings: a main office an inspection line and water leak test booth a bus and truck assembly hall and a paint shop It is planned that the Hungary plant will produce the bus chassis for the UK (for assembly into complete vehicles under the BYD ADL partnership) and the newly announced BYD factory in France There are plans to deliver up to 40 vehicles by the end of this year The official name of the business is ‘BYD Electric Bus and Truck Hungary Kft’ Speaking at the official opening ceremony in Komarom including — representing the Hungarian Government — Péter Szijjártó together with other senior officials: “As you can see we are ready for production which will begin shortly Ho explained why BYD chose Hungary and Komarom for its new factory: “Firstly because of its central location and its long tradition of engineering excellence but also we are very conscious of the strong heritage of bus making in this immediate area Now the Government is reinforcing that industry and we are proud to be at the forefront of that movement” Ho also paid tribute to the very friendly welcome received from the authorities — local and national a major Chinese multinational on the cutting edge of new automotive technology has chosen Hungary as the location for its first fully-owned bus plant in Europe which will eventually employ 300 people,” Péter Szijjártó “This investment demonstrates Hungary’s success in attracting both industrial investment and innovation and the international competitiveness of its auto sector.” Chinese Ambassador to Hungary said: “I hope the BYD investment project can achieve mutual benefits and common development and move forward the bilateral cooperation on production capacity inclusive of automotive industry by making full use of the advantages with our joint efforts.” For BYD this more than 66,000 square meter complex is just the first of a series of European production facilities it is planning The event today follows an announcement just two weeks ago of the acquisition of an 80,000 square metre site for bus making in Beauvais Ho explained BYD was completely confident that it will need this extra bus making capacity something which impacts the citizens of every major city worldwide Not a week goes past without another report linking the serious detrimental health consequences of breathing polluted air and most of that pollution comes from road vehicles “City buses are not only a prime contributor to this but also since they have totally predictable route patterns are one of the easiest classes of vehicles to be electrified Learning from the streets of major Chinese cities where poor air quality is not new we are targeting our world leading battery technology on the city bus sector although our ambitions stretch way beyond this humble type of vehicle “It is no coincidence therefore that BYD electric buses already make up the largest fleet of zero emission buses at a major international airport — Amsterdam’s Schiphol — and the largest fleet of electric city buses – in service on the streets of London” István Tiborcz’s former company owns a high value property in an industrial park that is promoted by the government to investors István Tiborcz, son-in-law of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, did not stay for long in the company with which he came close to state projects. Tiborcz became a majority owner of WHB Ingatlan, a property company, last August but he sold his shares two months later to Synergy Global Consulting Limited an offshore company registered on the British Virgin Islands Due to the secret nature of offshore companies it is not known who the owners of Synergy Global Consulting are Tiborcz could not be reached and the director of WHB Ingatlan declined to provide details on the new owners WHB Ingatlan had purchased a 13,000 square meter plot of land containing a factory in the city of Komarom in March 2016 WHB Ingatlan did not disclose how much it paid for the property formerly a factory supplying Finnish telecommunications company Nokia But the company that it bought the property from had previously listed its value as €3.28 million (US$ 3.47 million) Factories for Perlos and Nokia previously on the land in Komarom had shut down between 2009 in 2014 prompting the government to step in to seek new investors instructed the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency to accelerate talks with any company planning to invest in Komarom two factories have already been set up on the site István Tiborcz drew attention again to his business activities and his ties to state projects he had been the owner of a company that won public tenders under controversial circumstances Tiborcz later sold his shares in the company reportedly because he wanted to avoid being attacked for his business activities which are often registered in exotic countries One of them is for minimizing the tax burden on income that a company or a person makes in other countries Since the ownership data of these entities are in most cases very hard to access these companies are also used for hiding assets or conducting shady businesses It is because of these two characteristics that even though owning or using offshore companies is legal there have been major international efforts to crack down on their use has also been criticizing heavily public figures having deals with offshore companies they called these figures “offshore knights.” At the time Orbán led these attacks by saying that ”everybody feels that it is not okay” to use offshore companies Orbán also promised to end the ”age of offshore knights.” ▲ SK Innovation delivers a donation to Iváncsa city public foundations at Iváncsa City Hall on August 4th (local time) SK Battery Hungary CEO Han Sang-kyu (3rd from right) and Iváncsa Mayor Molnár Tibor (5th from right) pose for a commemorative photo with representatives of the public foundations The event was held after the Hungarian government lifted the mandatory to wear masks indoor and outdoor SK Innovation delivered 15 million forints (about USD 50,000) to the local public foundations in Iváncsa which was selected as the location of SK Innovation’s third EV battery plant in Europe SK Innovation decided to build the third one in Europe with an annual production capacity of 30GWh in Iváncsa This will be the largest EV battery plant built by SK Innovation in Europe The donation delivery ceremony held at Iváncsa City Hall was attended by representatives of several local public foundations and CEO Han Sang-kyu of SK Battery Hungary the Hungarian subsidiary of SK Innovation’s battery business SK Battery Hungary CEO Han Sang-kyu (3rd from right) Iváncsa Mayor Molnár Tibor (2nd from left) and other attendees share small talk before the ceremony / (Right) SK Battery Hungary CEO Han Sang-kyu (1st from right) and Iváncsa Mayor Molnár Tibor (first from left) discuss CSR plans The beneficiaries are three public foundations: Iváncsa City Public Foundation (Iváncsáért Közalapítvány) Our Children Foundation (Gyermekeinkért Alapítvány) and Iváncsa City Large Families Association (Iváncsai Nagycsaládosok Egyesülete) The donating funds will be delivered in two consecutive year Each public foundation plans to use the funds to improve the local environment in Iváncsa support education and cultural activities for the youth and provide daily necessities of the underprivileged shared that “We are glad that SK Innovation decided to choose Iváncsa as the location of the company’s third European plant for EV battery manufacturing which is known as the largest investment in the history of Greenfield investment in Hungary.” “With SK innovation’s interest and support for the local community Iváncsa City has become so energetic than ever,” he added SK Innovation invested about KRW 850 billion to build the first EV battery factory in Europe with an annual production capacity of 7.5GWh in Komárom This first plant started production from January 2020 SK Innovation is building a second battery factory in Komárom with an annual production capacity about 10 GWh by investing about KRW 945 billion The construction of the second plant will be completed this year and commercial operation will start from next year in recognition of the future economic and job creation effects resulted from the operation of the second Komárom plant SK Innovation received a subsidy of EU 90 million from the Hungarian government for the construction of this plant ▲ SK Innovation’s EV battery plant located in Komárom SK Innovation has been committing in social contribution activities in Hungary 2019 Starting by donating 15 million forints (about USD 50,000) over two years to three public foundations in Komárom city SK Innovation also delivered 16 million forints (about USD 53,000) to help the local community fight against COVID-19 SK Battery Hungary members participated in tree planting volunteer activity near the Komárom factories This meaningful event was joined by other leaders of the city Spreading warmth through SK Enmove's Kimchi sharing event Heartfelt stories from Great Music Festival in USA 2023 participants and their families SK Innovation, SK On Hungary to nurture talents of musicians with developmental disabilities United as one through music under the autumn moonlight (GMF Charity Night Gala 2023) SK Innovation signs an MOU with the Fijian government for mangrove reforestation to reduce carbon emissions SK Innovation hosted the first overseas Great Music Festival for people with developmental disabilities in Atlanta, USA World Food Day: SK Innovation and its subsidiaries efforts of leaving no one behind [Documentary] By your side, "Sharing Happiness, Carrying on Love" SK Innovation to expand Mangrove Reforestation Project to Malaysia SK Innovation and Vietnam Social Value Alliance unite to expand the Mangrove Reforestation Project [Inno Info] From M to E, what you should know about Mangrove SK hi-tech battery materials Poland awarded the title of “Sustainability Leader” by the Polish government SK Innovation resumed "Sharing Happiness, Carrying on Love" program to support the elderly living alone [Recap] SK Innovation’s worldwide EnviRun campaign in the first half of 2023 SK Innovation's Mangrove Reforestation Project creates both economic and environmental values with new model Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó led a group of government official visited SK Battery Hungary (SKBH)’s EV battery plant in Komárom city SKBH is in charge of operating SK Innovation’s first EV battery manufacturing plant in Europe ▲ Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó visited SK Battery Hungary on June 15th (local time) Minister Szijjártó has met SK Innovation and SKBH’s representatives a few times at other events including the ground breaking ceremony of SKBH in 2018 and the ceremony for SK Innovation’s investment in the third battery plant in Hungary Minister Szijjártó was accompanied by Róbert Ésik – Chief Executive Officer of Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency and Czunyiné Bertalan Judit – member of the Hungarian Parliament Chief Executive Officer of Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency / (Right) SKBH holds a meeting with the group of guests led by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó on June 15th After the meeting with CEO of SKBH Han Sang-kyu and other leaders of the company the group of guests took a tour around SKBH plant to learn more about the operation and manufacturing process inside the facility ▲ The group of guests led by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó tour around SKBH’s factory on June 15th SKBH’s EV battery plant in Komárom started construction in March 2018 and began mass production in the first quarter last year with annual capacity of 7.5GWh According to SK Innovation’s business report announced in March SKBH’s operating profit in 2020 recorded KRW 690 million the sales surged from KRW 1.7 billion to KRW 357.2 billion SK Innovation has invested EUR 1.3 billion in SKBH and SK Battery Manufacturing (SKBM) – at the second EV battery plant of SK Innovation in Komarom the number of employees at SKBH has reached about 1,300 which is under construction and will start mass production in December this year Minister Szijjártó praised the company for its efforts in creating jobs and stabilizing production “I hope that our friendly relationship can be further expanded based on the mutual trust that has been built up so far.” SK Innovation also announced its decision to build a third EV battery factory with an annual production capacity of 30GWh in Iváncsa Hungary to expand its production base in Europe a major EV market and where many global automakers are present Minister Szijjártó highlighted that “SK Innovation’s investment in Iváncsa is the largest greenfield investment in the history of Hungary,” and expected it will “directly create about 2,500 jobs in the future.” He added that the construction of such a huge factory requires infrastructure development and thus the government will support SK Innovation as much as possible particularly in matters related to transportation ▲ Location map of SK Innovation’s EV battery plants in Europe SK On Selected as Battery Supplier for U.S. EV Startup Slate SK On Signs Battery Supply Agreement with Nissan SK On Unveils Diverse Battery Portfolio at InterBattery 2025 SK On, SK Enmove to Showcase lmmersion Cooling at InterBattery 2025 SK On to Showcase Expanded Battery Portfolio at InterBattery 2025 SK On Completes 3-way Merger, Driving Momentum for Sustainable Growth SK On Unveils R&D Breakthroughs on All-Solid-State Batteries SK On upgrades calibration capabilities to strengthen quality control SK On bolsters battery material supply chain with new lithium hydroxide supply deal in Korea 'SK Road' to be named in Hungary SK On introduces ‘Job Specialty College’ to enhance workforce expertise SK On earns highest Zero Waste to Landfill Certification SK On recognized as “best supplier” by Ferrari SK On signs MOU with ExxonMobil for lithium offtake in U.S. SK On develops polymer electrolytes for lithium metal batteries is among the most important archaeological sites in Hungary One of the two Roman legionary forts of Hungary is found there The ELTE Department of Classical and Roman Provincial Archaeology and the György Klapka Museum of Komárom have been conducting excavations at the proposed World Heritage Site since 1992 The Thermae Maiores (i.e. the bathhouse belonging to the Aquincum legionary fort) has been known since the late nineteenth century and it can also be visited. In Komárom, the ruins of the bathhouse were discovered in the summer of 2021 which was last year’s archaeological sensation This is partly because the ancient Roman baths served primarily as public spaces In addition to being sanitary facilities with surprisingly small pools and valuable wall paintings served as venues for social life they can reveal a lot about daily life at the time of Antiquities archaeologists started work on 650 square metres and uncovered most of this area they are working on an area of 600 square metres The ruins of ancient buildings are today identified with ground-penetrating radar and thus their entire floor plan often becomes visible the bath discovered in Komárom covered at least six thousand square metres we excavated a cold-water area in the northern part and this year we are also exploring another pool as well as a four-metre-long lead pipe that led water inside and remained completely intact.’ Traces of floor and wall paintings have been discovered over an area of several hundred square metres in the hot-water pool which is a tool with a curved blade made of bronze The Romans used this tool to cleanse the body by scraping off dirt and oil applied before bathing The discovered containers made of iron and bronze were used for keeping ointment or oil in them which could have been hidden before a raid launched by the barbarians Half a footprint left by a soldier’s hobnailed military sandal-shoes has also been preserved by one of the bricks Some of the recently discovered finds will be stored in the new building of the Klapka György Museum in Komárom the most important thing is to be able to tell precisely the date when bathhouse was built,” emphasised Dávid Bartus we discovered rectangular stamps with the name of the Legio XI Claudia It is known that this legion was stationed here between AD 101 and 105 the bathhouse was also erected in those years.” An open day will be held at the excavation site in mid-August and all those interested are welcome to visit Photos by Dina Körtvélyfáy / KEMMA We use “cookies” on the website to provide the best user experience to our visitors in addition to secure browsing. You can change your cookie settings at any time in your browser settings. More information Ancient Brigetio (Komárom/Szőny) is one of the most important archaeological sites in Hungary one of the two Roman legionary camps in the country The Department of Classical and Roman Provincial Archaeology at the Faculty of Humanities of ELTE and the Klapka György Museum in Komárom have been excavating the tentative world heritage site since 1992 The excavation season of 2021 ended with an amazing discovery with a surface area of several thousand square meters were found and partially excavated which is comparable to the Thermae Maiores of Aquincum the only other such bath in Hungary found in the 18th century In addition to the extremely well-preserved walls the baths also contain a late Roman bone comb workshop Source: ELTE BTK Van Genechten Packaging (VGP) has commissioned its second packaging plant in Komárom The plant will start up production as early as in April commented: "I am delighted to welcome VG Komárom II to the VGP family and just as delighted that we have been able to go from taking a decision to starting production in just 14 months." consists of a 10,000 m² production building offices and warehousing for raw materials and finished goods VGP did not indicate the new plant's capacity or packaging product range VG Komárom II will create more than 100 jobs will also be the manager of the second plant VGP is reacting to increasingly growing demand for sustainable and recyclable packaging materials and for alternatives to plastic packaging says it is Europe's largest independent folding carton company with ten converting plants and one extrusion site in seven countries The company employs more than 1,500 people and generates annual sales of €350m The company's portfolio comprises packaging for fast-moving consumer goods POS displays and a wide range of other packaging solutions Service Customer Service+49 7224 9397-701servicenoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.de Editorial Team+49 7224 9397-0papernoSpam@GO-AWAYeuwid.com Get the latest news about developments and trends in the industry sent to you once a week free of charge by newsletter Sign up for our newsletter We use cookies and external services on our website others enhance your user experience or help us improve this website You can change your privacy settings any time by clicking privacy policy Necessary cookies are required for the correct functioning of the website Content from video platforms and map services is blocked by default. If access to these services is accepted, separate consent is no longer required when using them. You can find more information on the individual external services in our privacy policy (From L to R) BYD Europe's managing director China's ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and Mayor of Komarom Attila Molnar attend a press conference in Budapest BUDAPEST - Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is building a bus factory in Hungary which is to be the first of its kind on the European continent the company and Hungarian officials announced here on Monday The project is slated to cost 20 million euros (about $22.4 million) which the Hungarian government is to support with 925 million forints (about $3.4 million) Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto welcomed the project pointing out that Hungary has long-standing traditions in bus manufacture having built thousands for the East European market at one time The facility is expected to come online in the first quarter of 2017 will eventually be able to manufacture 400 a year The project is expected to create 300 new jobs China's ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong said that BYD which integrates R&D technology and green energy in vehicle manufacture is devoted to achieving zero emissions in public transport Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto speaks at a press conference in Komarom said the announcement reinforced his company's commitment to the European market because of its central location and long-standing tradition of engineering excellence and bus manufacture Initially specializing in rechargeable battery technology it has become a pioneer in high-efficiency automobiles and an industry leader in electric-powered public transportation Hungary expects the project to boost its competitiveness on international markets while contributing to its environmental policy 2016 Wuzhen Summit to held soon Future of internet media organizations Hangzhou set for G20 A building of BYD electric bus factory is seen in the northern Hungarian city of Komarom Chinese vehicle manufacturer BYD opened its first European electric bus factory in the northern Hungarian city of Komarom on April 4 Hungary - Chinese vehicle manufacturer BYD opened its first European electric bus factory in the northern Hungarian city of Komarom on Tuesday BYD is expected to invest a total of 20 million euros ($21.3 million) in the project to 2018 but the company plans to employ around 300 people to assemble up to 400 electric buses a year on two shifts which will be exported to customers across continental Europe After producing electric buses and coaches the company will begin making electric forklift trucks and light commercial vehicles "They(BYD)have chosen Komarom and Hungary amongst many competitors from not only Europe but also many parts of the world," Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said here at the opening ceremony Szijjarto underlined that the Hungarian government made every measure possible to turn the country into a target for not only production companies but also those that want to make Hungary the location of their research and development center Hungary has the lowest corporate tax in the European Union Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong hoped that the BYD investment project could achieve mutual benefits and common development China's investment in Hungary has reached $4.1 billion in chemistry said that his firm had chosen Hungary and Komarom because of its central location and its long tradition of engineering excellence "We are very conscious of the country's strong heritage of bus making in this immediate region," he said Many people think that entrepreneurs are lonely people founder of Wado and board member of the Association of Hungarian Entrepreneurs in Slovakia is working to overturn this view and to cast a strong net around Hungarian entrepreneurs in Slovakia How did Wado get started and what exactly do you do Wado is a digital agency that I created in 2012 The core of our work is the implementation of marketing campaigns and the development of corporate websites and webshops Currently we have ten people actively working in our team We are already present in five countries: in addition to Slovakia we offer marketing services to small and medium-sized enterprises in Hungary your partners are very diverse: you've designed a website for a florist Which project has been the most memorable in the company's life so far we were able to build a start-up webshop in a specialised field up to four million sales from zero our partners can be successful in the market What challenges does someone who starts a business as a Hungarian living abroad have to face The Slovak government's unpredictable economic policies and the war in the neighbouring country have all made the situation for entrepreneurs in Slovakia uncertain; in the past year we have not known what to expect in a month or even a week Another problem is the high emigration rate among young people The motherland is always attractive to young Hungarians living outside of Hungary This is understandable because as minority Hungarians they are not only unable to assert their language and culture but also their self-esteem I put a lot of emphasis on giving opportunities to trainees it's great to see their dedication and how they become professionals The marketing profession is also attractive to them because it can be done locally and you can keep in touch with foreign companies online as salaries in Hungary are perhaps the biggest drain Another important thing for young people is a family atmosphere so that they’d feel valued not only financially but also as people Komárom is a beautiful historical city - György Klapka lived here and Mór Jókai was born here How does this family-friendly approach apply at Wado We are currently working in a family house which by default creates a more direct atmosphere: once we made some cookies in the house and then ate them together Santa Claus came and left some presents on the table for colleagues you were one of the founding members of the Association of Hungarian Entrepreneurs in Slovakia whose mission is to build a community to unite young Hungarian entrepreneurs in Slovakia How did you start to do so?I believe that the biggest help is not to have fish put on our table it is the transfer of knowledge and the support to increase our networking capital. This is why we organized the Slovakia Entrepreneurs Expo and launched our mentoring program with the support of the Hungarian State Secretariat for National Policy Those who participate in these programs can meet a lot of other entrepreneurs They can see that others might be struggling with the same problems and they can draw strength from others and return home with new ideas and solutions I myself have benefited a lot from the contacts I've made here over the past six years It's often said that an entrepreneur is a lonely man but that's not so - their work impact the lives of their employees and their families But the burden of responsibility is not easy to carry alone That is why I think it is important for entrepreneurs to reach out to each other and to the outside world This content may contain elements that may be harmful to minors according to the categories of the legislation in force If you wish to ensure that such content is not accessed by a minor from this computer click on the "I am over 18" button and the content will be available to you click on "I am not over 18" and this content will not be available to you many of us face the challenge of finding a good recipe for the popular Christmas sweet the 'beigli': a roll filled with walnut or poppy seed two good friends” – goes the saying and it is not a simple cliché but a soul-to-soul reality Champion of the 1958 Hungarian Women's Chess Championship / and my father watched like a god / what his wits and blood could do" – wrote Many people may have been surprised to hear the name of Dr Edit Madas among the 2024 Széchenyi Prize laureates A cross-border bridge connecting these two countries over the Danube River – through the towns of Komárno and Komárom – will fill the gap and insufficient capacity Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán ceremonially launched on October 17the construction of a cross-border bridge between Slovakia and Hungary over the Danube River set to link the towns of Komárom on the Hungarian side and Komárno (in Nitra Region in the southwestern part of the country) in Slovakia Komárno and Komárom used to form a single town on both banks of the Danube River in the Kingdom of Hungary Following the First World War and the Treaty of Trianon the border of the newly created Czechoslovakia cut the town in half When the new 600-metre bridge across the Danube is completed meaning that they will no longer have to pass through the centres of the two towns is expected to be completed by the end of 2019 “It’s rarely seen in politics that when you shake hands the deal is really valid,” Fico said in reference to the excellent state of Slovak-Hungarian bilateral relations “We meet politicians who shake hands but claim something else the following day.” The Slovak PM also thanked the Hungarian side for keeping his promises vis-a-vis Slovakia Orbán stated that this event is a good example of the fact that the Danube does not have to separate Hungarians and Slovaks “Let the new bridge be a symbol of the defence of Europe’s external borders and keeping internal borders open “Let this be the proof that Slovaks and Hungarians believe in a Europe in which the borders are passable,” added Orbán The overall costs of the project exceeds €117 million while the EU funding covers 85 percent of the cost the caretaker of the Nokia brand for mobile phones has signed a contract with Egypt’s Etisalat for Advanced Industries (EAI) to produce one million cell phones Production is expected to begin this year and double in the coming period The agreement was signed by Tamer El-Gamal Managing Director of Etisal Advanced Industries in the presence of numerous representatives from HMD Global EAI and the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology This deal will help Egypt create specialized jobs for young people in the field of information technology and electronics equipment and know-how to help this process we should see Nokia phones manufactured to HMD Global OY international quality specifications which are fully equivalent to international products in quality and efficiency thus achieving Egypt’s strategy in its quest to localize the technology industry This should make Egypt a regional center for the advanced cell phone industry and help HMD Global more easily distribute its phones to neighbouring markets Nokia Mobile has started to move production of cell mobile phones from Asian countries to the West not only because of recent geopolitical developments but also because it will greatly simplify logistics and probably lower the costs of transport this reminds me of the old Nokia which used to have mobile phone factories all around the world to reach quickly all the markets of interest Source 1win The joint project of the two countries is funded with a contribution from European Union funds through the Connecting Europe Facility Slovak Transport and Exhibition Minister Árpád Érsek together with Minister of Innovation and Technology of Hungary László Palkovics checked the construction of a new road bridge over the Danube last Tuesday It will connect Slovak Komárno with Hungarian Komárom “After last year's moderate delays we will do everything we can to start serving the public with this bridge next year ”said Minister Árpád Érsek after visiting the site on both the Hungarian and Slovak sides The new two-way line will be 200 meters higher than the existing railway bridge only the Elizabeth Bridge dating from 1892 is accessible for passenger car traffic in Komárno The new bridge will be asymmetric with one pylon having a height of about 90 meters with suspension cables artificial islands are being used for the pillars There will be a main road with two lanes crossing the bridge It is to be followed by main driveways that each country will build themselves On the Slovak side we are building a 600-meter road section with two lanes connected by a roundabout to the I / 63 road Construction works are in line with the schedule their completion being tied to the finishing of the bridge body The total project budget is over € 117 million Slovakia has received more than 47 million from EU funds while Hungary can count on a contribution of more than 52 million euros Both ministers also signed a joint agreement to build a bridge in Ipeľský Předmostí during a joint meeting Between the municipalities of Ipeľské Predmostie and Drégelypalánk this will promote cross-border cooperation free movement of people for work or study and contribute to the overall development of the region They are building it on the site of the original bridge that was destroyed during World War II It will be designed for international passenger and freight transport up to a maximum total weight of 3.5 tonnes The estimated costs for the Slovak Republic will be almost EUR 1.3 million The financing of the bridge construction is planned from the Interreg V-A cross-border co-operation program Slovak Republic - Hungary 2014 - 2020 from the state contribution and from sources of the Banská Bystrica self-governing region has been awarded the honarary citizenship of the city of Komárom “in recognition of his work to enrich the material and intellectual treasures of the city and of his morally exemplary work in the interest of the Hungarian nation” Komárom has received 18 large new investments in the past decade worth a total of 524 billion forints (EUR 1.3bn) Szijjártó said that the experiences gathered during his youth spent in the city had served “as a compass in difficult foreign policy decisions” “I still remember when the river [Danube] did not connect but divided countries friendships and families,” Szijjártó said “This has provided the foundation of the commitment for us … not to allow the world to be divided into blocs again.” He welcomed that the cooperation between Slovakia and Hungary had become “the best so far thanks to considerable effort and brave decisions.” “That creates the opportunity for Komárom to exist as one city on either side of the Danube,” he said and website in this browser for the next time I comment Y"},"category":false,"taxonomy":{"active":false,"name":"category"}},"markup":{"custom_html":true,"wpp-start":"","wpp-end":"<\/ul>","title-start":"","title-end":"<\/h2>","post-html":"{thumb} {title} {stats}<\/span>{excerpt}<\/p><\/li>"},"theme":{"name":""}} You have successfully joined our subscriber list SupportUs Newsletter © 2025 DailyNewsHungary | All rights reserved Slovakia has temporarily shut down small border crossings with Hungary following a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Hungary Only four major border crossings remain open—Rajka and Párkány—where disinfection gates or footbaths will be installed to sanitise all vehicles crossing the border The scope of the restrictions remains somewhat unclear, particularly regarding whether crossings east of Párkány or secondary routes in Komárom are also affected, ÚjSzó reports Reports suggest that the Rajka crossing referenced likely pertains to the motorway border point meaning the older road crossing between Rajka and Rusovce (Oroszvár) may be closed The decision comes after Hungarian authorities detected FMD in cattle in Levél, near Mosonmagyaróvár, leading to the culling of 2,300 animals, as Telex reported cited the outbreak as the primary reason for the restrictions The first physical symptoms appeared on Tuesday in the 3,000-head cattle herd The presence of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed on Wednesday morning Chief veterinarian Szabolcs Pásztor has taken several immediate measures including ordering the destruction of the entire herd Foot-and-mouth disease was detected at a cattle farm in Kisbajcs the disease had last been detected in Hungary in 1973 such as Slovakia’s 2023 temporary reinstatement of checks due to migration pressures though the current measures are strictly disease-related No timeline has been provided for how long the restrictions will remain in place Is this the new SCAMdemic they’re fixing to unleash on us train services on the MÁV and Volánbusz networks remain operational with one key exception: the Esztergom–Komárom line buses are currently replacing trains on this section until the waters recede and necessary repairs are completed The MÁV-Volán group has outlined three main priorities during the flood response: maintaining public transportation services protecting transport infrastructure from the floodwaters and keeping passengers informed about both domestic and international travel conditions as well as expected changes the Esztergom–Komárom railway is the only line directly impacted by the flood defence efforts as part of the track serves as a flood barrier buses have replaced S74 trains on this line These replacement buses will run until the water recedes and the buses may stop at alternative Volánbusz stops instead of railway stations the closure of Route 10 between Neszmély and Süttő from Wednesday will prompt further changes with buses only running between Süttő and Esztergom To protect the railway infrastructure on the Esztergom–Komárom line flood defence efforts include raising the railway embankment at Tát by placing stones on the tracks to match the height of the flood levee Three railway bridges have also been weighed down with stone-filled wagons to prevent the rising floodwaters from lifting them the railway between Lábatlan and Nyergesújfalu has been reinforced with foil and around 1,600 sandbags over a 1.5 km stretch to prevent erosion Hundreds of MÁV employees are actively involved in the ongoing flood defence operations additional technical interventions will be required to protect the railway infrastructure at other locations Preparations are underway to weigh down the Rába railway bridge in Győr with stone-filled wagons preventing the floodwaters from displacing it train traffic between Győr and Öttevény will still be able to continue on one track If the water levels rise higher than expected MÁVINFORM will issue updates on further railway restrictions on Wednesday the tunnel of the H5 suburban railway between Margit Bridge and Batthyány Square will be closed and reinforced with sandbags to prevent it from floating due to the floodwaters the H5 line will only operate to Margaret Bridge (Buda side) It will no longer serve Batthyány Square or the underground station at Margaret Bridge Passengers heading toward Békásmegyer or Szentendre will need to board the trains at the surface platform near the HÉV tunnel exit located next to the 960 bus stop heading toward Békásmegyer The HÉV will also run less frequently due to these changes The flooding of the country’s rivers has led to several changes in the timetables and routes of Volánbusz services The flood-related road closures and traffic restrictions have forced some buses to operate on detoured or shortened routes traffic restrictions will affect settlements along the Danube in Győr-Moson-Sopron and Komárom-Esztergom counties bus routes along the Móricz Zsigmond embankment in Győr are being diverted and the closure of Route 11 between Tát and Esztergom has resulted in further detours Neither the Pócsmegyer nor Szigetmonostor ferries are in operation with buses now providing alternative connections additional closures are in place in the Danube Bend and bus services will be suspended in Dömös and Pilismarót buses 803 and 804 operate in split sections: Neszmély–Tata–Tatabánya Read the latest news about floods in Hungary HERE train services will resume between Esztergom and Komárom eliminating the need for passengers to transfer to replacement buses on this route The S74 trains will once again operate along the entire length of the line Following the receding of the Danube floodwaters, railway workers removed protective coverings and approximately 20,000 sandbags along the section between Lábatlan and Nyergesújfalu on the Esztergom–Komárom line, Economx reports This stretch of the railway runs along the riverbank doubling as part of the region’s flood defence infrastructure the railway embankment was elevated near Tát to align it with the flood defence levee a full inspection of the railway tracks was conducted including geotechnical assessments where necessary it was confirmed that train services can safely resume on the section that had been closed due to the flood defence measures the previously closed section of Route 11 (Tát shortcut) affected by the flooding will also reopen and the local T-route buses will return to their original routes once again stopping at Táti út and Horgásztanya Read all our reports on flooding in Hungary HERE several injured people were taken to hospital from the SK Battery battery factory in Komárom after hydrogen cyanide was released into the air Several people were taken ill and 8 hospitalised at the battery factory in Komárom, Telex reports A pungent smell spread and several workers complained of headaches on Sunday evening at SK’s battery factory in Komárom the firefighters who checked the site found no hazardous substances in the air of the factory that exceeded the limit values several independent sources told Telex that there was a malfunction at the battery factory on Sunday evening The NGO Kiállunk Ácsért wrote to Telex: “People are being taken away from the factory by ambulances without sirens police and emergency services have been deployed and workers have been evacuated to the parking lot in front of the factory In a statement sent to Index opposition party LMP said that “such incidents are becoming more and more frequent around battery manufacturing and processing plants” In the wake of the accident on Sunday night the party reiterated its position that “the government’s efforts to build more factories in Hungary that work with hazardous materials is a mistake” The LMP is writing to the government to ask “what really happened” and to press charges against an unknown perpetrator to find out whose negligence caused the latest accident at the battery factory The vapour that evaporates from this liquid Hydrogen cyanide is also flammable and explosive when mixed with oxygen The opposition LMP-Greens is filing a report with the police over an accident at a battery manufacturing plant in Komarom Several workers were taken to the hospital on Sunday after hydrogen cyanide had been released into the air at the plant of SK Batteries The disaster management authority’s mobile lab has not shown harmful amounts of dangerous substances in the air LMP slammed the government’s aim to establish further plants working with dangerous materials in Hungary insisting that accidents in battery manufacturing and dismantling plants were becoming more frequent The party will ask questions of the government in parliament and file a police report against perpetrators unknown It will also re-submit proposals to parliament to obligate battery plants to make their monitoring data public “which [ruling] Fidesz has swept from the table so far” LMP wished a speedy recovery to those wounded on Sunday Get our daily collection of featured news, subscribe to our newsletter here This is currently Hungary’s most spectacular construction site where the bridge will provide a new opportunity for border crossing between Slovakia and Hungary The deadline set for the inauguration is summer 2020 Magyar Epitok reported that the final section of a new cross-border bridge over the Danube River between Komarom This final section of the total of 36 has a length of 15 metres and weighs around 80 tonnes work will continue only next spring with the insulation and the asphalting of the bridge it still has to be protected from corrosion handrails and lane markings should be placed on it together with public and decorative lighting a monitoring and alarm system will be put into operation with warning signs for ships and planes will be opened for the public in summer 2020 The technical handover and takeover process will be finished by the end of next May the authorities of both countries have to issue the necessary permissions and allow the use of the bridge for the public the expected opening of the bridge is at the end of June 2020 The bridge is specific because the pylon close to the Slovakian side is biased The 118-metre-high pylon’s function is to hold the upper structures of the bridge 20 thousand cubic metres of concrete built into the bridge which weighs 7 thousand tons plus the cables with their 320 tons We reported HERE for the first time that there would be a new bridge built between the Slovakian and the Hungarian side of Komárom you can check how the bridge will look like when it is ready The bridge’s construction was officially launched on October 17, 2017, by then-PM of Slovakia,  Robert Fico, and the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, tasr.sk reported 1 on the Hungarian side with state road Nr it will have a cycle path and a path for pedestrians The intergovernmental agreement on constructing the bridge The bridge was needed between the two quickly-developing countries because currently there is only one road bridge between the two Komároms (one in Slovakia and one in Hungary) Komarno (Slovakia) and Komárom (Hungary) used to form a single town on both banks of the River Danube in the Kingdom of Hungary the Peace Treaty of Trianon separated them by creating Czechoslovakia on the other side of the Danube The preparation for the new Danube bridge between Komárom and Révkomárom progresses according to schedules construction permit is currently in process Following the availability of resources and an efficient public procurement the construction can begin in 2016 – told the National Infrastructure Development Company (NIF) on its website the bridge will be 600 m long and 20.4 m wide pedestrian- and bicycle traffic as well) will be built West of the two cities about 200 m from the current railway bridge.The carrying capacity allows the passage of heavy vehicles which can significantly contribute to the further development of the region The traffic of the downtowns will be relieved Penzcentrum.hu states that the construction of the bridge will be accomplished with the help of EU funds and national co-financing Photo: https://www.facebook.com/nifzrt There are many buildings in Hungary that are waiting to be renovated or demolished so neither state-owned nor privately-owned abandoned buildings can expect to be rebuilt in the next few years and are mostly the victims of homeless people Almost everyone in the country could now be practising urbex as a hobby who spend their free time photographing and going inside abandoned buildings and Facebook profiles have thousands of followers in total – but this is not enough to save these buildings “That’s what they got for 2 billion. With that amount of money, we could have done the cleanup with a good social programme, but everyone just wanted the building to go away as quickly as possible. That failed too,” said Mihály Bulcsú social worker to Népszava.hu in June 2022 The following pictures were taken on 14 January 2023 The pictures were accompanied by comments such as “Even the police didn’t dare approach it a few years ago.” On the Facebook page Hős utca hangjai (Voices of Hős Street) they also report on events such as the demolition of walls and windows by the municipality of apartments’ that were overrun with mould and vermin access was free for the 6-year-old children living next door who found an 80 cm bladed sword to play with bankrupted Postbank (Postabank) in the heart of Budapest a dead pigeon that never made it out of the building Despite its popular location – right next to the Ministry of Finance – it has been empty for a decade The building was commissioned by the merchant Ferenc Gross in 1924-25 the pub-restaurant in the building has been frequented by people such as Ferenc Liszt the restaurant was bought and run by János Gundel and then part of the building was taken over by the Lipótváros Casino Company to open a casino The building was damaged in World War II and was restored in 1948 operated in the building between 1988 and 2002 and a ruin pub was located there between 2005 and 2009 The building housed children in need of state care the walls of the building contain the former porch a storeroom and a bathroom with shower and toilet “In the 1980s, the institute also housed a kindergarten and a school. Only when we went to the beach did we leave the building,” a former resident named Éva explained to Kemma.hu Despite the fact that more than three hundred children and young people lived here in the 1980s only a few came to the meeting because many were ashamed of the conditions in which they were brought up The children who grew up here were given everything they needed from trips abroad to summer camps and celebrations The only thing they lacked was parental love The Zichy Castle built in the 18th century in the town of Lengyeltóti has been extended several times and later converted into a hospital it was used by the hospital of Marcal as a psychiatric clinic and was sold in 2007 According to ElherdáltÖrökség.blog.hu the plan was to develop a four-star wellness centre a champagne winery and a winery in the castle hotel the projects have failed to happen since 2006 “This is how the value that others would be happy to receive becomes nothing,” writes one of the commenters Among the treasures left behind are a named mug This is usually the reason why such houses can be found in Hungary when the property is still worth millions of forints If there are relatives of the inhabitants of such houses they usually live abroad with their families and it is too much energy and too big of a change to come back to Hungary and renovate or sell the property they choose not to care how many items – of great value to others – go to waste or get stolen by strangers The number of abandoned buildings in Hungary that are being ruined year after year is incalculable the number of people who let them fall into disrepair These pictures are all designed to open people’s eyes – or at least to get them interested Sometimes it would indeed cost hundreds of millions of forints to renovate a hospital or an orphanage – after decades of abandonment Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at the inauguration of a new bridge spanning the Danube between Hungary and Slovakia near Komárom At the event also attended by Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic Orbán said building bridges was equivalent to building the future States have to remain functional despite the coronavirus pandemic “This inauguration shows that the Danube connects Hungarians and Slovaks rather than dividing them,” he said “History has shown that success comes to those that stand together and not opposite each other,” he said The next most important joint Hungarian-Slovak transport project is the construction of a high-speed railway connecting Budapest Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday The new rail line would reduce travel time between Budapest and Warsaw to five and a half hours from the current 11-12 hours while the trip from Budapest to Bratislava would be cut to an hour and a half Szijjarto told reporters ahead of the inauguration of a new bridge spanning the Danube between Hungary and Slovakia near Komarom The Hungarian section of the line would run from Budapest to Győr in the northwest adding that talks are ongoing on whether it should cross into Slovakia between Gyor and Dunajska Streda (Dunaszerdahely) or at Rajka The investment will allow central Europe’s economic growth to enter “a completely new dimension” noting that the high-speed railway would be the first in the region The rail line would run on its own tracks and would be suitable for trains up to a speed of 350 km/h According to the votes of Origo’s readers is Hungary’s most beautifully located village lying along the forests of Bakony between Mór and Zirc in the southern corner of the county Origo launched the competition on the 25th of September In the first two rounds 3-3 villages – recommended by the professionals of county general assemblies – competed from each county Only villages could take part in the competition because the aim was to introduce settlements that are not part of the main Hungarian touristic attractions The first round was closed a bit earlier than expected due to some unfortunate frauds The second round was launched on the 9th of October and closed on the 13th In this round you could vote for the most beautiful-lying villages of 19 counties It seems like the second round was also popular as Origo received 128,820 votes all together There was a real battle for the second place between Császártöltés in Bács-Kiskun County and Feked in Baranya County which was followed by Kisszékely in Tolna County The Mayor of the silver medallist Császártöltés Judit Stalter said that everyone was very excited in the village on Thursday said that they mobilised great powers to become second but they are very happy with the third place as well Photos: www.sur.hu And…what’s the winner village is like