Other major events marking the Year include a conference on water cooperation to be held in August in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), World Water Week in Stockholm (Sweden) from 1-6 September, and the Water Summit, which will take place in Budapest (Hungary) on 8 to 11 October.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

During his first government, between 1998 and 2002, Orban's Fidesz party designated an annual Holocaust memorial day and after returning to power in 2010 banned uniformed groups like the Jobbik-affiliated Hungarian Guard, whose marches in Budapest and countryside villages were meant to intimidate Jews and Hungary's large Roma minority.

NPR: Hungary's Prime Minister Denounces Anti-Semitism

But it is not clear whether Budapest will address another Commission concern - about an article dealing with European Court of Justice rulings that require payments from Hungary.

BBC: Hungary backtracks in row with EU over constitution

But Carlos Queiroz's men are down to fourth in the group, seven points behind Denmark, three behind Hungary and two adrift of Sweden who leapfrogged them with a 2-1 against the Hungarians in Budapest on Saturday.

CNN: Liedson salvages point for struggling Portugal