Latest news in Hungary - 13 Apr 2025

Hungarian Woman Arrested for Human Trafficking: O. Alexandra, a 25-year-old Hungarian woman, was apprehended in Serbia for her role in a family-run human trafficking operation that enslaved vulnerable individuals, leading to one man's death from starvation. She has been sentenced to six years in prison, and her mother and siblings are also implicated in the organized crime. Read more here

New Hiking Trail Opens in Buda Hills: A new P+ marked hiking trail has been established in the protected area around Nagy-Szénás, featuring a 9.4 km route with an elevation gain of 350 m. Designed to help preserve local flora like the endangered Pilis flax while providing easier access to the area, the trail encourages hikers to stay on marked paths to protect the environment. Read more here

Missing Hungarian Hiker Found in India: The body of Zsolt Puskás, a 56-year-old Hungarian hiker who went missing on March 29, has been discovered in Meghalaya, India. His remains were located on a steep slope, and initial reports suggest he may have fallen accidentally while hiking alone. Read more here

Péter Magyar Named Most Popular Politician: According to a recent survey by the 21 Research Center, Péter Magyar has emerged as Hungary's most popular politician with a 39% approval rating, closely followed by Ákos Hadházy at 32% and Viktor Orbán at 31%. The survey also indicated that the Tisza party leads with 34% in party preferences, outpacing Fidesz at 28%. Read more here

Gas Prices Set to Drop: Starting Saturday, fuel prices at Hungarian gas stations will decrease by another 12 forints per liter, pushing average prices below 600 forints for both petrol and diesel. Currently, the average price for 95-octane petrol is 595 HUF/liter and diesel is 605 HUF/liter. Expect further reductions in the coming days! Read more here

Selfie Identification for Digital Citizenship Now Available: The Digital Citizenship Program (DÁP) has launched a new selfie identification feature, enabling registration from home even for those with older documents. The method has faced challenges, with around 50% of identifications currently unsuccessful, primarily due to third-party interference. The service is initially available for 50% of iOS devices, with plans to expand to all iOS and Android devices in the coming months. Read more here

EU Delegation's Visit to Budapest: Starting Monday, a delegation from the European Parliament will be in Budapest for a three-day assessment of EU values, focusing on democracy, rule of law, and fundamental rights. They will engage with various stakeholders, including government officials and civil society, as concerns grow over Hungary's adherence to EU standards. Read more here

Hungary's Credit Rating at Risk: Standard & Poor's has downgraded Hungary's credit outlook from stable to negative, maintaining a 'BBB-' rating that is just one notch above junk status. Concerns about a persistent budget deficit, increasing public debt, and uncertainty over EU funds contribute to this warning, which may foreshadow future downgrades ahead of the 2026 elections. Read more here

Hungarian Astronauts Complete NASA Training: Hungarian astronauts Tibor Kapu and his backup Gyula Cserényi have successfully completed their NASA training as part of the Axiom Mission 4, moving closer to their launch scheduled for May 2025. This mission marks Hungary's return to space after decades, with Kapu set to conduct eight scientific experiments during his thirty days at the International Space Station. Read more here

Summer-Like Weather on the Horizon: Hungary is set to experience summer-like temperatures starting next Wednesday, with highs of 21-26 degrees expected. A potential warm spell may even see eastern areas reaching 27-28 degrees, while Easter weekend looks promising despite a possible cold front later in the week. Read more here

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