Latest news in Hungary - 15 Mar 2025

New Tender for Railway Stations Announced: Following legal concerns, MÁV is set to issue a new tender for the utilization of seven major railway stations in Hungary, including Budapest's Keleti and Nyugati, after confirmation from the Public Procurement Authority that public procurement procedures are necessary. The process will conclude by the end of this year, allowing for the establishment of joint companies with successful bidders. Read more here

March 15 Celebrations in Hungary: This year's March 15 events include a state celebration with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the National Museum and various political activities across the city. Expect significant traffic disruptions due to road closures and public transport changes as half of Budapest will be affected from March 14 to 15. Read more here

Hungarian Man Arrested in Thailand: A 40-year-old Hungarian man was arrested on Koh Phangan for allegedly threatening tourists with an air pistol and confiscating their passports while running a motorcycle rental business without a work permit. Authorities discovered 29 foreign passports and the air pistol at his rental property. Read more here

Trabant's New Album Announcement: Hungarian underground band Trabant, which hadn’t released an album in 40 years until last year, is set to drop their second album this summer, with plans for two more albums to follow. The band's comeback was sparked by British publisher Samuel Kilcoyne, who rediscovered their music through a film soundtrack. Read more here

Controversy Over Chinese Factory in Szolnok: Szolnok's Mayor, Győrfi Mihály, stirred up a protest with a passionate speech questioning the government's transparency after the announcement of a Chinese electrolyzer manufacturing plant set to invest 40 billion forints in the city. Concerns were raised about the lack of prior public information, with calls for a referendum on the factory due to potential pollution risks to the Tisza River. Read more here

Upcoming Bartók Spring Festival: The Bartók Spring Festival will take place in Budapest from April 4-13, 2025, featuring sold-out performances by renowned artists and orchestras. Accompanying events across cities like Győr, Miskolc, and Pécs promise a diverse cultural experience, including dance performances and classical music concerts. For more details on the festival lineup, check the official program. Read more here

Controversy Over Olympic Hotel Bookings: The Sándor Palace confirmed that Sulyok Tamás was not consulted about retaining luxury hotel reservations for the Paris Olympics, which cost a total of 228 million forints for 15 rooms over 18 nights. The reservations, initially made for former President Katalin Novák, were kept despite potential savings from cancellation, and the decision was made independently of the new president. Read more here

Bem József Award Ceremony Canceled: The Bem József Award will not be presented this year due to deteriorating Hungarian-Polish relations and political tensions ahead of upcoming elections. Polish expert Miklós Mitrovits, nominated for the award, highlighted the decision as a refusal from Poland to engage with Hungary amid political disputes, marking the first time the award has gone unawarded since its inception. Read more here

March Snow in Kőszeg Mountains: A Mediterranean cyclone brought 5-6 centimeters of snow to the Kőszeg Mountains on March 15, 2025, with temperatures dipping below freezing, while the Kendig Peak recorded -1°C. This snowfall follows a notably stronger storm on the same date in 2023. Read more here

Violent Attack in Fonó: A 31-year-old man from Fonó faces murder charges after assaulting three people with a wooden club, resulting in one death and two injuries. Following the attack, he fled to Siófok where he was apprehended after a car accident; police are investigating the circumstances of the incident. Read more here

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