Budapest airport torments neighbours as expansion project evades environmental checks
October 11, 2021
The expansion of Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport, financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB), illustrates how big infrastructure projects are promoted at the expense of people and the environment, ignoring EU environmental requirements and the EIB’s own environmental and social standards. However, what is most striking about this case is the fact that a project with EU financial support, has ended up trapping citizens in miserable lives only few are able to flee.
Trouble in the air: EIB ignores environmental and social burdens caused by Budapest Airport expansion
October 11, 2021
The Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is located 16 kilometres from the centre of Budapest. With a licence for a capacity of 6 million passengers per year and 15 million in the peak year of 2019, new plans to develop the airport aim to increa
Status of the Territorial Just Transition Plans in central and eastern Europe: July 2021 update
July 8, 2021
This briefing is the third in our series of updates on the Territorial Just Transition Plan (TJTP) preparation process in seven central and eastern European (CEE) countries: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
Hungary’s export credit agency EXIM stops funding for coal
July 7, 2021
Gergely Jákli, the CEO of EXIM officially confirmed in a letter dated 27 May 2021 to Bankwatch member group MTVSZ (Magyar Természetvédők Szövetsége / Friends of the Earth Hungary) that the agency will no longer support coal-related projects.
Hungary’s recovery plan – not green, just, or resilient
June 2, 2021
Although the Hungarian recovery and resilience plan has undergone major changes since its first draft, it is still far from ensuring a green and just recovery. Despite MTVSZ / Friends of the Earth Hungary’s proposals, the final version leaves households alone in their efforts to improve energy efficiency and fails to propose easily-achievable biodiversity measures. If small modifications are made during the EU-level approval process, the plan could be improved considerably.
The missing link: Green recovery and energy transition in Hungary and CEE
June 15, 2020
To achieve a green recovery with EU funds, what depends on CEE Member States and what depends on the EU?
Hungary and the Energy Union: The devil is in the details
August 4, 2015
Hungary needs to transform its energy sector. But can the Energy Union kickstart such change? The vision presented by the European Commission’s Vice President Maroš Šefčovič includes a few promising nuggets, but overall risks reinforcing the status quo.
Get your EU funds house in order – Hungarian group takes climate and jobs appeal direct to government’s doorstep
December 6, 2013
With only a few weeks to go now until final crucial decisions are taken that will determine Hungary’s EU spending plans for the next seven years, Bankwatch’s Hungarian member group MTVSZ decided last week that it was about time the Hungarian government got its house in order when it comes to beneficial EU allocations for cutting domestic energy bills, stimulating the Hungarian economy and fighting climate change.
PPPs “poor in practice” admits new EBRD-financed study
July 22, 2013
Despite collecting impressive evidence from 20 years of failed public-private partnerships in central and eastern Europe, an EBRD-financed study by the Economist Intelligence Unit concludes to continue using the controversial financing scheme.
New ban on cyanide mining in Hungary gives hope across the region
December 22, 2009
A ban on all cyanide-based mining technologies on Hungarian territory that was passed by 356 votes in favour to one vote against in Hungary’s parliament earlier this month has strengthened hopes of other national bans – even a Europe-wide ban – ahead of the tenth anniversary of the Baia Mare disaster next month.
