Latest news in Hungary - 2 Apr 2025

Lake Balaton Development Under Scrutiny: Minister Tibor Navracsics emphasizes the role of mayors in managing development along the Lake Balaton shoreline, warning that their convictions are crucial to prevent continued construction that alters the landscape. He noted that recent trends show wealthier residents moving in, driving up housing costs and affecting local demographics, while new regulations aim to enhance aesthetic standards. Read more here

Academics Plan Protest at MTA Anniversary Session: A significant number of academics from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (MTA) are prepared to walk out of the May celebratory session if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán attends. They are protesting his recent remarks, which they view as transgressing essential norms and promoting dangerous ideologies. The protest initiative was unanimously approved by the MTA's Department of Economic and Legal Sciences. Read more here

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Protests Continue on Elizabeth Bridge: Ákos Hadházy and Momentum are once again occupying the Elizabeth Bridge in Budapest to protest against the restrictions on the right to assembly and the ban on Pride, following a police decision that allows the protest but regulates the setup location. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán criticized the opposition's actions, suggesting they disrupt everyday life and hinting at potential legislative changes in response to the protests. Read more here

Major Retail Chains Outsource Home Delivery: Tesco and Auchan have outsourced their home delivery services to Dodo and Wolt, following Spar's similar decision last month. This shift impacts employees, with over 10% of affected Tesco workers remaining in the company while Auchan expands its product range for home delivery to 3,200 items. Read more here

Hungarian Ice Hockey Team Prepares for World Championship: The Hungarian ice hockey team is gearing up for the A group world championship starting May 10 in Herning, Denmark, marking their third appearance at this elite level. Led by head coach Gergely Majoross, they will face significant competition, including teams from the USA and Czech Republic, while young forward Domán Szongoth, just 16, looks to make a strong impact after a promising season. Read more here

Bus Stuck on Tram Tracks in Budapest: A bus became trapped on the tram tracks at Döbrentei Square in Budapest while 50 passengers were safely evacuated, causing traffic disruptions and affecting public transport. Firefighters freed the vehicle by cutting down a tree that blocked its route. Read more here

Four Hungarians Join Forbes Billionaires List: This year, four Hungarians have made it onto the Forbes billionaires list, with Lőrinc Mészáros leading at 1015th place with $3.6 billion. Elon Musk tops the list as the world's richest person with a fortune of $342 billion, aided by surging stock values. The total wealth of the billionaires now exceeds $16.1 trillion. Read more here

New Toll Roads in Hungary Starting May: Beginning in May, nearly 81 kilometers of newly completed expressways, including the M44 and segments of the M85, will become toll roads, with the government anticipating an extra revenue of 1.95 billion forints from this expansion. Freight traffic will require distance-based fees, while passenger cars will need stickers for specific motorways. Read more here

War Emergency State to be Extended: The Hungarian government plans to extend the state of war emergency for another 180 days, until November 14, 2025, citing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and its humanitarian impacts as reasons for this decision. The state of emergency has been in place since March 2020 due to various crises, with the most recent extension following last year's amendments related to humanitarian disasters. Read more here

Young Drug Dealer Busted Near Police Station: An 18-year-old Ukrainian man was caught digging up his drug drop-off point with a spoon in front of a police station in Budapest. After a brief chase, police found him with 90 doses of suspected marijuana and additional drug-related materials, leading to his arrest on drug trafficking charges. Read more here

Fidesz Proposes Citizenship Suspension Law: A new legislative proposal from Fidesz aims to amend Hungarian citizenship laws, allowing temporary suspension for dual citizens deemed a threat to public order or national security, with the suspension period not exceeding ten years. This marks a significant change in the legal framework surrounding citizenship in Hungary, as such a measure has no direct precedent internationally. Read more here

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