Latest news in Hungary - 12 Aug 2025

Reopening of a 28-Year-Old Murder Case: The unresolved assassination of underworld figure Péter Molnár, who was killed in a car bombing in 1997, has resurfaced as police reopen the investigation following the arrest of Gy. László, known as Veszprémi Jimmy, whose name is linked to violent crimes of that era. Despite the years that have passed, speculations about the motives and individuals involved remain alive as authorities seek new leads. Read more here

EESZT System Malfunction: The Hungarian Ministry of Interior clarified that the Electronic Health Service Space (EESZT) has not ceased operations but became temporarily inaccessible due to technical issues. Health Secretary Péter Takács assured the public that this outage, the first of its kind since 2017, caused difficulty in obtaining prescriptions from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. Read more here

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Hungarian Startup Acquired by Global Software Giant: The American Vesta Software Group has acquired Arenim Technologies, a Hungarian startup specializing in cloud-based call center solutions, founded in 2010 by Kun Szabolcs and Megyeri Attila. The sale, whose amount remains undisclosed, allows the company to keep its name, employees, and management, while it reported revenues of 462 million HUF and a profit of 104 million HUF last year. Read more here

Rental Prices in Budapest Decrease: After a slight increase in July, rental prices in Budapest dropped at the beginning of August, averaging 260,000 HUF, despite a rise in available listings to 17,900. Factors contributing to this trend include a surge in supply and the impending Home Start Program, which may encourage first-time home purchases as an alternative to renting. Read more here

Sziget Festival Sees Record Attendance: The Sziget Festival concluded with 416,000 visitors over six days, marking a 5% increase from last year and celebrating the 11 millionth festival-goer since its inception. Notable improvements included the introduction of genre-specific districts that boosted nighttime ticket sales by 40-50%, helping the festival recover from a significant financial loss in previous years. Read more here

New Free Beach Opens in Budapest: Budapest's XI district welcomes a new free beach, Duna-fürdő Árasztó-part, opening on August 12 and running until August 31. Operating hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM, subject to weather and water conditions, making it an accessible spot for locals and visitors alike. Read more here

Elderly Man Causes Chaos on Bus: An elderly man in Hungary created a dangerous situation on a bus after boarding the wrong vehicle, hitting the driver, forcing the door open, and threatening a passenger with a knife. The Prosecutor's Office has suggested a suspended prison sentence and probation for the man, who faces multiple charges, including public disorder while armed. Read more here

Punnany Massif Contract Canceled in Sopron: The Sopron municipal company has terminated its contract with the band Punnany Massif due to cost-cutting measures, citing a "transformation of the event's concept." The band suggests their recent politically charged performance may have influenced the decision, as the organizers reportedly communicated a lack of replacement for their show, leaving them questioning the legitimacy of the stated savings. Read more here\

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