Latest news in Hungary - 27 Apr 2025

New Twist in Gyárfás Murder Case: Tamás Portik claims that the late Gábor Princz paid him 30 million forints to tarnish Gyárfás’s image in connection with the murder of media entrepreneur János Fenyő. Gyárfás, currently serving a seven-year sentence, hopes this revelation will lead to a retrial to prove his innocence. Read more here

Bird Flu Outbreak in Szarvas: A bird flu outbreak (H5N1) has led to the culling of 40,000 turkeys in Szarvas, Békés County, with a protective zone established around the affected farm. This comes amid a wider issue in Europe, where over 4 million animals have been slaughtered due to the virus, prompting stricter monitoring on all animal farms to prevent further spread. Read more here

Tornado Hits Soltvadkert: A classic tornado struck Soltvadkert on April 18, causing significant damage as hurricane-strength winds uprooted trees and damaged homes. Analysis suggests the tornado was likely categorized as EF1 or possibly EF2, amidst thunderstorms that typically produce about 70 supercells annually in Hungary. Read more here

Retailers Urge End to Margin Freeze: The National Association of Retailers (OKSZ) is calling for the government's margin freeze on certain food products to be lifted by the end of May. Since its implementation in March, prices for staple foods like eggs, flour, and milk have dropped significantly, but retailers are now facing losses in an already struggling industry. Read more here

Celebrating Two Decades of Decathlon in Hungary: Decathlon marks its 20th anniversary in Hungary by creating a vibrant community known as Generation D, emphasizing shared love for sports across all ages and social classes. With 24 stores and over 24,000 products, the brand has democratized access to sporting goods, making movement an integral part of everyday life for millions of Hungarians. Read more here

Apartment Prices Still Below 2022 Peak: Although apartment prices in Hungary have surged recently, when adjusted for inflation, they remain 4-5% lower than the peak levels of 2022, according to the MNB Apartment Price Index. Notably, Pest County cities have seen the most significant real value increase of 171% since 2001. Read more here

Hungarian Short Film Competes at Cannes: Kenyeres Bálint's short film No.3 (The Spectacle) is the only Hungarian entry in this year's Cannes Film Festival, selected from 4,781 submissions and competing for the Palme d'Or. The film, featuring amateur actors, tells the story of a young Roma boy who gains fame through his unique talents. Read more here

Rising Interest in Living in Hungary from Romanians: Since Romania joined the Schengen Area, many Romanians are moving to Hungary for its living conditions while continuing to work in Romania, with travel times to jobs now reduced to just 20 minutes. The trend is driven by factors such as property affordability and better healthcare options, as highlighted in a Deutsche Welle report. Read more here

Donald Trump Jr. Praises Hungary's Leadership: During a closed event in Budapest, Donald Trump Jr. lauded Hungary as a "bastion of light" and commended Viktor Orbán for his leadership, which he believes has fostered prosperity and cultural protection. He emphasized potential business collaborations with Hungary while expressing concerns about Chinese investment practices. Read more here

Chery Car Brand Launching in Hungary: Chery Automobile, China's fourth largest car manufacturer, is set to enter the Hungarian market in partnership with Grand Automotive, with sales of two SUV models expected to begin by early autumn. The company, which sold 2.68 million vehicles globally in 2024, plans to establish a national dealership network while expanding its operations in Europe. Read more here

Government Program Offers Free Websites for SMEs: Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises can apply for free professionally designed websites valued between 400,000 and 1.5 million forints under a government program, with Billingo helping around 700 businesses. Applications are open until December 2025 or until the budget is exhausted, and interested companies are encouraged to act quickly as over 6 billion forints have already been requested. Read more here

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