András Tóth-Czifra
@minczifra.bsky.social
Political & security analyst. 🇪🇺🇭🇺🇺🇸. FPRI Eurasia fellow, Bear Market Brief contributor. Ex-CEPA, ESI. Posts about 🇷🇺, 🇪🇺, illiberalism and its limits. Posts reflect my own views.
Здесь вам не Toth.
www.noyardstick.com
minczifra.substack.com
Здесь вам не Toth.
www.noyardstick.com
minczifra.substack.com
Somewhere in the editorial room of the NY Post heads are exploding
November 21, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Somewhere in the editorial room of the NY Post heads are exploding
A still from an AI-generated video that Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto actually posted on his TikTok as a prelude to a visit of Hungarian government figures in DC later this week: Orban as Captain America, Szijjarto as Spiderman and transit minister Janos Lazar as Iron Man.
November 5, 2025 at 2:47 PM
A still from an AI-generated video that Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto actually posted on his TikTok as a prelude to a visit of Hungarian government figures in DC later this week: Orban as Captain America, Szijjarto as Spiderman and transit minister Janos Lazar as Iron Man.
Congrats to our new mayor!
And all the other candidates who mopped the floor with Trump's minions tonight.
And all the other candidates who mopped the floor with Trump's minions tonight.
November 5, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Congrats to our new mayor!
And all the other candidates who mopped the floor with Trump's minions tonight.
And all the other candidates who mopped the floor with Trump's minions tonight.
Wow, this move smells very strongly of desperation.
October 24, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Wow, this move smells very strongly of desperation.
This below is from last week.
Btw there are so many other things to focus on. This is obviously problematic but on the whole not in the top 100 problems with this administration.
Btw there are so many other things to focus on. This is obviously problematic but on the whole not in the top 100 problems with this administration.
October 23, 2025 at 6:22 PM
This below is from last week.
Btw there are so many other things to focus on. This is obviously problematic but on the whole not in the top 100 problems with this administration.
Btw there are so many other things to focus on. This is obviously problematic but on the whole not in the top 100 problems with this administration.
Participants of a pro-Orbán march in Budapest today are calling for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to Orbán.
It feels like his next call with Trump will be pretty awkward.
(screenshot from 444.hu's video)
It feels like his next call with Trump will be pretty awkward.
(screenshot from 444.hu's video)
October 23, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Participants of a pro-Orbán march in Budapest today are calling for the Nobel Peace Prize to be awarded to Orbán.
It feels like his next call with Trump will be pretty awkward.
(screenshot from 444.hu's video)
It feels like his next call with Trump will be pretty awkward.
(screenshot from 444.hu's video)
Just putting these next to one another.
October 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Just putting these next to one another.
It would be difficult to find anyone more out of his depth for the job of special envoy than Witkoff.
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any more embarrassing than Rick Grennell.
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any more embarrassing than Rick Grennell.
October 19, 2025 at 1:34 PM
It would be difficult to find anyone more out of his depth for the job of special envoy than Witkoff.
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any more embarrassing than Rick Grennell.
Just when you thought that it couldn't get any more embarrassing than Rick Grennell.
Some of my favorite signs from NYC's big #NoKings march today. Special mention to the gentleman who came dressed as "the ghost of the Constitution".
I was also delighted to see many signs lambasting Congress, which so far has mostly failed to rise to the occasion.
I was also delighted to see many signs lambasting Congress, which so far has mostly failed to rise to the occasion.
October 19, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Some of my favorite signs from NYC's big #NoKings march today. Special mention to the gentleman who came dressed as "the ghost of the Constitution".
I was also delighted to see many signs lambasting Congress, which so far has mostly failed to rise to the occasion.
I was also delighted to see many signs lambasting Congress, which so far has mostly failed to rise to the occasion.
Get on your bikes!
October 15, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Get on your bikes!
Ever the keen-eyed observer himself (although unlike many others, at least he admitted being wrong).
October 6, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Ever the keen-eyed observer himself (although unlike many others, at least he admitted being wrong).
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.
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.
October 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM
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.
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.
According to the Moldovan CEC, yes
September 28, 2025 at 10:03 PM
According to the Moldovan CEC, yes
The main intrigue with 86% of votes tallied seems to be whether the unionist PPDA, which outperformed opinion polls and is linked to the Romanian illiberal right, will make it into the parliament. Otherwise, it looks like PAS will be stronger than BP+Alternative+PN combined.
September 28, 2025 at 9:00 PM
The main intrigue with 86% of votes tallied seems to be whether the unionist PPDA, which outperformed opinion polls and is linked to the Romanian illiberal right, will make it into the parliament. Otherwise, it looks like PAS will be stronger than BP+Alternative+PN combined.
With just over a third of all votes counted in Moldova, president Sandu's PAS is in the lead over the pro-Russia Patriotic Bloc, but several smaller parties are also over the threshold and could be kingmakers.
Follow @cristiancantir.bsky.social and @dioniscenusa.bsky.social for updates!
Follow @cristiancantir.bsky.social and @dioniscenusa.bsky.social for updates!
September 28, 2025 at 7:31 PM
With just over a third of all votes counted in Moldova, president Sandu's PAS is in the lead over the pro-Russia Patriotic Bloc, but several smaller parties are also over the threshold and could be kingmakers.
Follow @cristiancantir.bsky.social and @dioniscenusa.bsky.social for updates!
Follow @cristiancantir.bsky.social and @dioniscenusa.bsky.social for updates!
Zsolt Bayer, a founding member of Orbán's Fidesz party and one of his most loyal and aggressive media attack-dogs, at a vigil in Budapest for the murdered Charlie Kirk. Facing the collapse of the economy & public services, Orbán is happy to import a bit of culture war from 4000 mi away. Photo: Telex
September 19, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Zsolt Bayer, a founding member of Orbán's Fidesz party and one of his most loyal and aggressive media attack-dogs, at a vigil in Budapest for the murdered Charlie Kirk. Facing the collapse of the economy & public services, Orbán is happy to import a bit of culture war from 4000 mi away. Photo: Telex
Somewhere on the Slovakia-Hungary border. "We're building partnership between Slovakia and Hungary" right next to a Hungarian flag sporting the outline of "Greater Hungary".
August 17, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Somewhere on the Slovakia-Hungary border. "We're building partnership between Slovakia and Hungary" right next to a Hungarian flag sporting the outline of "Greater Hungary".
"There's no joy in your past. There's no hope in your future. Therefore you must drink." - folk art full of Eastern European wisdom in the Museum of Slovakian Hungarians.
(Also a - somehow - more depressing rendering of Mayakovsky's last lines to Yesenin, if you think about it.)
(Also a - somehow - more depressing rendering of Mayakovsky's last lines to Yesenin, if you think about it.)
July 30, 2025 at 7:52 PM
"There's no joy in your past. There's no hope in your future. Therefore you must drink." - folk art full of Eastern European wisdom in the Museum of Slovakian Hungarians.
(Also a - somehow - more depressing rendering of Mayakovsky's last lines to Yesenin, if you think about it.)
(Also a - somehow - more depressing rendering of Mayakovsky's last lines to Yesenin, if you think about it.)
It looks like Budapest Pride is well attended (image from the live broadcast of Telex.hu), in spite of the Hungarian government's attempts to ban it and intimidate participants. Far-right organizations have announced counterprotests. Hoping that the march will take place peacefully.
June 28, 2025 at 1:12 PM
It looks like Budapest Pride is well attended (image from the live broadcast of Telex.hu), in spite of the Hungarian government's attempts to ban it and intimidate participants. Far-right organizations have announced counterprotests. Hoping that the march will take place peacefully.
NYC Pride is on Sunday and Budapest Pride, which Orbán is trying to ban or intimidate into irrelevance, is on Saturday, so this sign I made for the NYC march may be obsolete, but I'll carry it anyway. As for today -- please pay attention to what's happening in Hungary and show your support!
June 28, 2025 at 3:42 AM
NYC Pride is on Sunday and Budapest Pride, which Orbán is trying to ban or intimidate into irrelevance, is on Saturday, so this sign I made for the NYC march may be obsolete, but I'll carry it anyway. As for today -- please pay attention to what's happening in Hungary and show your support!
Today Orban likened himself to Tank Man, while the head of his "sovereignty protection office" (pictured) likened Manfred Weber to Veesenmayer and Voroshilov as representatives of "imperial arrogance".
So far such laughable hyperboles have been outsourced to media attack dogs; this is a shift.
So far such laughable hyperboles have been outsourced to media attack dogs; this is a shift.
June 27, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Today Orban likened himself to Tank Man, while the head of his "sovereignty protection office" (pictured) likened Manfred Weber to Veesenmayer and Voroshilov as representatives of "imperial arrogance".
So far such laughable hyperboles have been outsourced to media attack dogs; this is a shift.
So far such laughable hyperboles have been outsourced to media attack dogs; this is a shift.
JetLAG festival is still the best thing in New York State (and yes I include NYC's museums and food).
June 22, 2025 at 5:54 PM
JetLAG festival is still the best thing in New York State (and yes I include NYC's museums and food).
June 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
June 14, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Spöttle has long since been a fixture in Orbán's media, spreading pro-Kremlin narratives, including admitting that he is "rooting for the Russians" in the war & traveling in Russia. The article says he has a good relationship with Oleg Smirnov, military attache in Budapest. Here he is with Szijjarto
June 12, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Spöttle has long since been a fixture in Orbán's media, spreading pro-Kremlin narratives, including admitting that he is "rooting for the Russians" in the war & traveling in Russia. The article says he has a good relationship with Oleg Smirnov, military attache in Budapest. Here he is with Szijjarto