According to a decision by the General Assembly of Debrecen regarding parking relief, starting this year, no parking fees will be required on Holy Saturday either. As a result, parking will be free for four consecutive days: Good Friday (April 3), Holy Saturday (April 4), Easter Sunday (April 5), and Easter Monday (April 6) in surface parking areas.

Parking in underground garages will still require a fee on these days. The DV Parking Ltd. customer service office will be closed during this period and will reopen on April 7 according to regular opening hours.

The document, signed on Wednesday in the Main Building of the University of Debrecen, aims to strengthen domestic talent development in medical and biological sciences. As part of the cooperation, the university and the city will each contribute 5 million forints annually, which will be supplemented by an additional 20 million forints from the foundation of the National Academy of Scientist Education. This significant funding will not only support laboratory developments and experimental equipment at Debrecen-based partner institutions—including Kossuth Lajos Practice High School of the University of Debrecen and Árpád Tóth High School—but will also open doors for the most talented students to international conferences and world-class research opportunities.

The rector of the University of Debrecen emphasized that the institution’s unique talent development system is now expanding with a new pillar that is meaningful on an international level.

“We are building a system in which high school students can join university research groups and benefit from their full international network even at a young age. Not only is cooperation between academic institutions necessary, but also a much broader innovation environment capable of producing the next generation of researchers,” said Zoltán Szilvássy.

The mayor of Debrecen highlighted the city’s long-standing tradition as a “city of schools” and the importance of strategic unity.

“In Debrecen, talent is given—the question is whether we can find and properly mentor it. This agreement elevates a model, centuries-old cooperation to national and international levels, ensuring that the most outstanding students receive the initial push for a great career locally,” emphasized László Papp.

The distinguished guest of the event, 2013 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine Randy Schekman, pointed out that Hungary’s talent development model is admirable even by international standards.

“It is rare to see such an organized, nationwide effort to support young talent at an early stage. Investing in infrastructure is expensive, but for a country like Hungary, I cannot imagine a wiser investment in the future,” said the world-renowned cell biologist.

He added that the goal is to ensure that young researchers do not leave the country—or that they return after gaining experience abroad—thanks to the availability of world-class conditions in Hungary, similar to the example of Katalin Karikó.

The program director of the National Academy of Scientist Education stressed that the strength of the initiative lies in regional university centers.

“Hungary has a future if it has strong regional strongholds. Our goal is to inspire young people to choose science as their future, and Debrecen’s commitment and the university’s professional base are essential to this,” said Péter Hegyi.

The chairman of the board of trustees of the National Biomedical Foundation highlighted the exemplary joint development of the city and the university.

“Debrecen is one of the strongest pillars of our program. This cooperation did not begin now, but with this agreement we are moving to a higher level by involving high school students,” said András Varró.

Following the signing, Randy Schekman delivered a captivating lecture titled “Genes, Cells, and Discoveries in Basic Research and Disease” to around 300 high school students and university attendees at the Learning Center.

With his direct style and personal experiences, the Nobel Prize-winning researcher demonstrated to the audience that curiosity and perseverance can lead to world-changing discoveries.

(unideb.hu)

According to a former employee, irregular practices were ongoing at the facility. The whistleblower alleged that hazardous materials were frequently washed into the ground, often on weekends and holidays when Hungarian staff were not present at the plant.

The former worker described how, in the SWS building where acetone is used, sensors are required to monitor airborne concentrations of hazardous substances. If levels exceed regulatory limits, production should automatically stop. However, the employee claimed that company management bypassed these safeguards by using a hidden pipe system to blow air onto the sensors, artificially lowering measured concentrations and preventing shutdowns.

Further allegations involve the coating process of separator films, where acetone is heavily used. The contaminated solvent, mixed with aluminum oxide, was reportedly reused for cleaning machinery parts, diluted with water, and then discharged onto the ground behind the building through a pipeline system.

After workers raised concerns, the company allegedly began collecting the contaminated acetone in tanks. However, due to delayed maintenance, these containers often overflowed or leaked, allowing hazardous chemicals to continue seeping into the soil for extended periods.

Zsolt Tárkányi, a parliamentary candidate in Hajdú-Bihar County, commented on the issue, framing it as part of a broader debate about Debrecen’s future development and environmental responsibility.

“The work not only produced visible results but also strengthened our commitment to environmental protection and showed the value of local organizations working together,” the company wrote on its social media page.

József Pántya, Deputy State Secretary for Road and Rail Construction at the ÉKM, highlighted that this is the first of four major junction projects currently underway in Debrecen, with the Szoboszlói Road junction serving around 35,000 vehicles daily. He added that the total value of the four projects is nearly HUF 14 billion, fully financed from domestic funds, and that the Szoboszlói Road project alone was completed by HE-DO Építő Zrt. at a cost of HUF 2.5 billion.

The reconstruction aims to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and increase safety. Pántya emphasized that the upgrades reflect the growth and modernization of Debrecen itself. While motorists can already use the junction in full, work on the pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is still ongoing.

Construction continues at other junctions in the city. The intersection of Füredi and Csigekert streets along Route 33 is expected to be completed by May, while the redevelopment of the junction on Route 48 is scheduled to finish by September, in time for the start of the school year.

Debrecen Mayor László Papp (Fidesz-KDNP) noted that the Szoboszlói Road junction is one of the busiest in the city, serving not only local traffic but also vehicles coming from Hajdúszoboszló via Route 4. The recent development has increased the junction’s capacity by 25 percent.

Papp underlined that Debrecen has been a priority development area for Hungary for 16 years. Major traffic improvements began in 2016–17 with the one-way system in the downtown east-west roads, followed by large-scale junction expansions. Future projects include the eastern bypass, the northern bypass in Józsa, and the widening of Route 35 to two lanes in each direction. These investments aim to enhance traffic conditions for decades and reduce congestion in the city center.

Deputy Mayor Diána Széles (Fidesz-KDNP), parliamentary candidate for Hajdú-Bihar County’s 2nd constituency, recalled that 20,000 new jobs have been created in Debrecen in recent years, emphasizing that infrastructure development must keep pace with the city’s economic growth. She expressed hope that Debrecen’s progress will continue with government support.

(MTI)

On Good Friday, skies will be mostly cloudy in the morning, clearing from the west later, with scattered showers possible in the central regions early in the day. Northern and northwestern winds will be strong, with stormy gusts in western counties, and highs ranging from 13 to 19°C.

On Holy��Saturday, expect plenty of sunshine with some high and cumulus clouds, no precipitation, and northwest to west winds picking up in places. Overnight lows will mostly be 0–5°C, with slight frost possible in calm, clear areas, and daytime highs of 16–20°C.

Easter Sunday will be sunny with few clouds and no rain. Western and southwestern winds may strengthen locally, with morning temperatures between 1–6°C (colder in frost pockets) and highs reaching 18–22°C.

On Easter Monday, mostly sunny weather is expected with some high and cumulus clouds, though northern areas may see temporarily cloudier periods and isolated showers. Northwest winds will strengthen in northern counties, with lows of 3–10°C and highs of 17–23°C.

(MTI)

The festival, held at Hungexpo in Budapest, featured the finals of Hungary’s most significant professional competitions. Technical school students competed in the Országos Szakmai Tanulmányi Verseny (OSZTV), while vocational school students participated in the Szakma Kiváló Tanulója Verseny (SZKTV). The festival also determined who would represent Hungary at EuroSkills, WorldSkills, and the JuniorSkills finals.

Debrecen Vocational Training Centre students claimed top honors in mechanical technician, building services technician, structural metalworker, and refrigeration and ventilation installer, among other categories. Medals were also earned in IT system and application operations, carpentry, and tiling.

Citing the city’s growth and collaboration with employers, Zsolt Tirpák, Chancellor of Debrecen Vocational Training Centre, highlighted the role of dedicated educators in inspiring students and helping them achieve their goals. Mayor László Papp praised Debrecen as a city that nurtures talent and provides students with the skills needed to meet industry demands.

Director�� of the Debrecen Vocational Training Centre, Sándor Szilágyi emphasized that the students’ success reflects both their dedication and the high-quality guidance of their teachers, strengthening the city’s reputation as a center of vocational excellence.

The festival recognized both students and their instructors for their achievements, underscoring the importance of committed educators in preparing the next generation of skilled professionals.

Medal-winning students included: Szabolcs Bíró, Sándor Király, Csongor Buczi, János Gilányi, Bence Sipos, Zsombor Bakk, Alexa Viktória Kiss, Gábor Szabó, János Nagy, András Pelsőci, László Hallgató, Zoltán Takács, Ákos Kovács, Dávid Horváth, Attila Zabiák, and Csaba Máté Ungai.

Recognized instructors included: Tünde Balogh-Dzsudzsák, István Zoltán Kovács, László Fedor, Péter Kovács, Gergely Tamás Kiss, Zsolt Molnár, László Kozák, Gyöngyi Kiss, János Jánosi, Sándor Szabó, Csaba János Rácz, Péter Balsa, Gábor Nagy, Miklós Péter, Sándor Harasztosi, and Ferenc Vincze.

The plan covers all areas of payments – including retail, wholesale, business-to-business and cross-border transactions – and emphasizes the importance of maintaining central bank money as a stable foundation while supporting innovation.

A key focus is boosting Europe’s financial autonomy and competitiveness, while encouraging the development of modern technologies such as tokenisation and distributed ledger systems. The strategy also outlines a role for private solutions, including tokenised deposits and stablecoins, provided they are properly regulated and aligned with EU standards.

The ECB highlighted the digital euro as a central element of the plan, designed to complement private payment solutions and strengthen a unified European payment landscape.

Overall, the strategy brings together major ongoing initiatives to ensure Europe’s payment infrastructure can adapt to the digital age while supporting economic stability and innovation.

(ecb.euopa.eu)

The composite cost of borrowing for companies declined slightly by 6 basis points to 3.51%, driven mainly by lower rates on short-term and medium-term loans, while long-term loan rates increased. Corporate deposit rates remained unchanged at 1.91% for fixed-term deposits and 0.52% for overnight deposits.

For households, borrowing costs for home purchases were broadly stable at 3.37%, with only minor changes across different fixation periods. Consumer loan rates, however, decreased to 7.51%.

On the savings side, household deposit rates were largely unchanged, with fixed-term deposits at 1.83% and overnight deposits at 0.25%, though some short-notice deposit rates saw a slight decline.

Overall, the data suggest a stabilisation in euro area interest rates, with only modest movements in lending and deposit conditions for both businesses and households.

(ecb.europa.eu)