Latest news in Hungary - 2 Jan 2025

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- National Assembly Relocates During Parliament Renovation 
With extensive renovations scheduled for Hungary's Parliament building, the National Assembly will temporarily move to the Ministry of Agriculture’s building. The renovations, costing about 5 billion forints, are expected to start in 2025 and aim to improve utility networks and enhance accessibility to important tourism sites related to Hungary’s Holy Crown. Read more here

- Hungary Faces Over 400 Billion Forint Loss 
Hungary has permanently lost over 1 billion euros (approximately 400 billion forints) in EU funds due to ongoing rule of law conditionality issues. These funds, primarily for development programs, will be unavailable after 2024, impacting environmental and transport sectors. Read more here

- Erste Bank Introduces New Work Loan for Young Employees 
Starting January 1, 2025, Erste Bank will offer interest-subsidized work loans for young employees aged 18 to 25, ranging from 500,000 HUF to 4 million HUF. These loans aim to help young people establish their careers and are available to those with a minimum monthly income of 260,000 HUF. Read more here

- Speculations About Early Elections in Hungary 
Concerns have arisen regarding potential early elections in Hungary after an unusual allocation of 8.4 billion forints in the 2026 state budget. The government dismissed these claims as unfounded, emphasizing that the funds are critical for election preparation and IT development. Read more here

- New Year’s Cleanup in Budapest 
Following New Year’s Eve celebrations, Budapest's FKF Public Cleaning Division mobilized 304 staff to collect nearly eight tons of waste, including fireworks remnants. This significant cleanup effort aims to restore cleanliness in public spaces across the city. Read more here 

- Free Parking Opportunities in Budapest's Gray Zones 
An investigation revealed that some streets in Budapest, particularly in the II district, have "gray zones" where residents can park for free. As long as vehicles adhere to traffic regulations, they can park without incurring fines in these unofficial areas. Read more here