Latest news in Hungary - 17 Jan 2025

- Tisza Party Plans Candidate Reveal: Péter Magyar, the Tisza Party president, will unveil the party's parliamentary candidates in February to prevent Fidesz propaganda interference. Over 10,000 applications have been filtered as they prepare for possible early elections. Read more here

- Budapest Pride's 30th Anniversary: Budapest Pride will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a main march on June 28, along with various events from June 6 to 29, including a national human rights conference. The slogan this year is “We Are Here,” highlighting the significance of LGBTQ individuals in society. Read more here

- Real Estate Boom on Hungary-Romania Border: Romania's recent inclusion in the Schengen Area is expected to cause a surge in relocations to Hungarian towns like Biharkeresztes and Battonya, potentially doubling their populations. Property prices in Biharkeresztes currently range from 20-30 million forints. Read more here

- Record Air Traffic Leads to Job Openings: Hungary’s air traffic reached a record high in 2024, with over 1.1 million aircraft handled, a 6% increase from the previous year. This increase has prompted HungaroControl to hire air traffic controllers, both locally and internationally. Read more here

- Upcoming Car-Free Weekends in Budapest: From March 15 to October 26, the Lower Danube promenade in Pest will be closed to cars on weekends, which aims to enhance pedestrian-friendly spaces in the city. Read more here

- Fuel Price Increases: Fuel prices in Hungary will rise starting this Saturday, with gasoline up by 5 forints to 644 forints per liter and diesel also increasing by 5 forints to 662 forints per liter. This marks a noticeable increase as fuel prices continue to climb. Read more here

- European Parliament Debates Hungarian Espionage Issues: A debate scheduled for January 23 will address allegations of illegal surveillance by Hungary against EU institutions, specifically focusing on monitoring of EU investigators related to corruption investigations. Read more here

- Integrity Authority Facing Scrutiny: Ferenc Bíró, president of Hungary's Integrity Authority, is under investigation for alleged misuse of funds and abuse of office, which has raised concerns about the authority's role in combating corruption. Read more here