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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 12m

Fantastic news! I don't think much of non-scientific Nobel prizes, but this is a much deserved acknowledgement of how great Krasznahorkai is.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai wins Nobel Prize for Literature

He was recognised “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art”.

www.bbc.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 22h

I wrote more about the sorry state of the waste reform and what it says about how policies are planned and executed in Russia, for Riddle in June.

ridl.io/rotten-found...

Rotten foundations – Riddle Russia

Andras Toth-Czifra on what the waste management reform says about the problems with Russian policymaking

ridl.io

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 22h

The State Duma will discuss a draft law further extending the moratorium for the compulsory removal of illegal waste dumps in the regions, to 2028. Earlier, after the 2019 waste reform failed to create incentives to close these dumps, the moratorium had been extended to 2026.
rg.ru/2025/10/06/r...

Работу мусорных полигонов, которые построены без документов, могут продлить - Российская газета

В Госдуму внесен законопроект, который предлагает продлить до 2028 года работу мусорных полигонов, которые были построены до 2019 года без документации. Согласно законопроекту в 30 регионах страны еще...

rg.ru

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 1d

For those of you who read Hungarian, check out HVG's scathing (and pretty detailed) review of the film, which obviously also cost Hungarian taxpayers an exorbitant amount of money.

hvg.hu/kultura/2025...

Olyan pofátlan történelemhamisítás a legújabb milliárdos magyar kurzusfilm, hogy a fal adja a másikat

A dicső magyarok ismét megmentik az egész világot, ezúttal a tatárjárástól: erről szól a 2,5 milliárd forint közpénzből készült 1242 – A Nyugat kapujában. Ha az Aranybullán röhögni lehetett, Rákay Phi...

hvg.hu

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 1d

I still need to watch this myself, but the newest innovation from Orbán's workshop is a movie about the 1241-42 Mongolian invasion that killed almost half of Hungary's population, depicting Batu Khan as a peacenik converted by wise Hungarian leaders and a papal legate as a scheming Western traitor.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 2d

It was a different situation for sure, but I don't think we've learned anything new about the person over the past decade. Everything we know about him today we knew in 2015 already.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 2d

Ever the keen-eyed observer himself (although unlike many others, at least he admitted being wrong).

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 2d

Baffling. I really wonder what the people in the red wedge had expected.

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 3d

What Merkel said was that in June 2021, still in office, she wanted to create a new negotiating format between the EU & Russia as she felt Minsk had expired & Putin didn't take it seriously, but PL & Balts were afraid that this would lead to indecision & no common position in the EU (ahem, Orban).

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 3d

Just to be clear - because I see it popping up on my timeline - no, obviously Merkel didn't blame Poland and the Baltic states for Russia's war against Ukraine.

It's quite remarkable how British tabloids can forge an inflammatory headline even out of the dullest, emptiest interviews.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 5d

Start the weekend with the newest @bearmarketbrief.bsky.social! Read about the worsening fuel crisis, Russia's potential plan to seize EU assets, hirings and firings in regional politics and more! Subscribe to have it in your inbox every week!

open.substack.com/pub/bearmark...

Running on fumes

The fuel crisis deepens in the Russian regions

open.substack.com

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Reposted by András Tóth-Czifra

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 5d

In pure Merkelian fashion, Merkel also sat down for an interview with Partizán, Hungary's most popular politics-focused YouTube channel, which is critical of Orbán's government. She didn't say anything for 47 minutes, but the interview itself is meaningful.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjSH...

Angela Merkel: a magyar nép feladata eldönteni, újraválasztja-e Orbán Viktort

YouTube video by Partizán

www.youtube.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 5d

In pure Merkelian fashion, Merkel also sat down for an interview with Partizán, Hungary's most popular politics-focused YouTube channel, which is critical of Orbán's government. She didn't say anything for 47 minutes, but the interview itself is meaningful.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjSH...

Angela Merkel: a magyar nép feladata eldönteni, újraválasztja-e Orbán Viktort

YouTube video by Partizán

www.youtube.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 6d

Wait and he's taking the place of Eric Adams

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 6d

Look at the US finally being taken seriously!

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Trump mocked by European leaders over Armenia-Albania mix-up

U.S. president’s cartographical confusion prompts joke at Copenhagen summit.

www.politico.eu

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Reposted by András Tóth-Czifra

András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 7d

New on Substack: taking a look at Russia's regional finances in the context of the ongoing discussion of the federal budget; and short comments on some important developments in regional politics that didn't make the cut for the Brief in September.

minczifra.substack.com/p/on-regiona...

On regional finances and others

Thoughts about the state of Russia's regional budgets and some other notable developments in September

minczifra.substack.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 7d

Angela Merkel, in Budapest to introduce his book's Hungarian edition, visits and poses for a photo op with Viktor Orbán.

A decision that is going to be difficult to understand for those who regard Merkel as a former "leader of the free world" and guarantor of normality.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 7d

And if you'd rather read it on the blog:

www.noyardstick.com?p=1093

On regional finances and others - No Yardstick

As discussion starts about Russia's 2026 federal budget, it is worth taking a look at the state of regional finances and where they are trending as Russia

www.noyardstick.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 7d

New on Substack: taking a look at Russia's regional finances in the context of the ongoing discussion of the federal budget; and short comments on some important developments in regional politics that didn't make the cut for the Brief in September.

minczifra.substack.com/p/on-regiona...

On regional finances and others

Thoughts about the state of Russia's regional budgets and some other notable developments in September

minczifra.substack.com

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 8d

Oops, that was Hegseth, not Trump. My bad.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 9d

A propos of nothing, services like uBlockOrigin, AdGuard and certain VPN providers work wonders against ads on video sharing platforms, that one too.

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 9d

Dear fellow New Yorkers, it's time to learn the word "админресурс".

(On a side note, I don't think Trump realizes that by saying this out loud he's not exactly helping whoever he thinks he's helping.)

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 9d

Trump on Mamdani: "He is going to have problems with Washington like no Mayor in the history of our once great City. Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises. He won’t be getting any of it, so what’s the point of voting for him?"

Self proclaimed New York City Communist, Zohran Mamdani, who is running for Mayor, will prove to be one of the best things to ever happen to our great Republican Party. He is going to have problems with Washington like no Mayor in the history of our once great City. Remember, he needs the money from me, as President, in order to fulfill all of his FAKE Communist promises. He won’t be getting any of it, so what’s the point of voting for him? This ideology has failed, always, for thousands of years. It will fail again, and that’s guaranteed! President DJT

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Reposted by András Tóth-Czifra

Janis Kluge @jakluge.de · 9d

I've updated my Russian budget browser with the latest data for 2026. In comparison to previous years, Russian military spending is supposed to fall by almost 1% of GDP next year... (unclear what the underlying assumptions are regarding the war against Ukraine)

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 10d

According to the Moldovan CEC, yes

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András Tóth-Czifra @minczifra.bsky.social · 10d

With the tally now over 90% but more than half of diaspora votes still to be counted, it now looks likely that the ruling PAS can cling onto its parliamentary majority (albeit a weakened one) regardless of PPDA's entry into the parliament.

A significant blowback against Russia's efforts in Moldova.

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