Latest news in Hungary - 19 Mar 2025

Cold Snap Expected in Hungary: A cold front has brought Arctic air to Hungary, with nighttime temperatures set to drop to between minus 8 and minus 2 degrees Celsius, and potentially as low as minus 12 degrees in northern valleys on Tuesday night. Clear and dry weather will follow, but the daytime temperatures will still be below the multi-year average. Read more here

Wizz Air Baggage Handling Incident: A Wizz Air baggage handler has been suspended after a video emerged showing luggage being forcefully thrown out of a plane at London Gatwick Airport. The airline has issued a sincere apology and launched a full investigation into the incident, calling it unacceptable. Read more here

Gyurcsány's Camper Van Tour: Former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány has embarked on a two-week nationwide tour in a camper van, intending to visit over 100 settlements and listen to stories from locals. Despite skepticism about his approach, he aims to connect with constituents while asserting that his political competition is with Viktor Orbán, not other party leaders. Read more here

New MÁV+ App Beta Testing Begins: The MÁV+ app is set to launch on April 1, with 1,500 users already testing it in a live environment. Initially, only basic services will be available, and both the new and old apps will run concurrently until the new app is fully functional. Read more here

Holy Water Incident at Budapest Airport: David Kulcsár, a priest from Veszprém, was forced to drink his holy water at Liszt Ferenc Airport after security refused to allow the container through, citing concerns over the liquid's volume. He expressed his disbelief at being asked to consume holy water and criticized the treatment as an affront to religious freedom in Hungary. Read more here

Protest at Margaret Bridge Results in Detentions: Two individuals were detained during a protest that began at Kossuth Square and moved to Margaret Bridge, where police halted vehicle traffic for safety. The police intervened after some protesters became violent, resulting in two arrests for suspected criminal behavior. Read more here

Law Banning Pride Signed: President Tamás Sulyok has officially signed a law banning Pride events in Hungary, which was published in the Official Gazette after receiving parliamentary approval with 136 votes in favor and 27 against. Despite protests from the Momentum party and calls from the Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner to veto the law, it will come into effect as passed. Read more here

Final Touches on Budapest-Belgrade Railway: The long-awaited Budapest-Belgrade railway line, backed by a 700 billion HUF Chinese loan, is nearing completion, primarily benefiting freight transport to Western Europe. With significant profits linked to family ties to Prime Minister Orbán and escalating costs for the Hungarian section, this project also heralds extensive developments in logistics and infrastructure across Budapest. Read more here

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