Latest news in Hungary - 3 Jun 2025

Hévíz Spa Central Building Closed: The central building of the Hévíz thermal spa has been closed due to unsafe structural conditions, with experts confirming it can no longer accommodate guests. Although renovations are in progress for the facility, visitors can still access other spa services. Read more here

Mészáros Lőrinc Sheds Light on His Wealth: In a recent open letter, Hungary's wealthiest person, Lőrinc Mészáros, defended his billionaire status, claiming his fortune stems from his gas fitting business since 2009, and challenged claims about his wealth’s origins. His company, Mészáros és Mészáros Kft., saw a remarkable revenue increase from a mere 1.7 million forints in 2007 to 112 billion forints by 2020, raising questions about the nature of his contracts and connections. Read more here

Police Operation in Downtown Budapest: A significant police operation over the weekend resulted in the arrest of 11 individuals and the inspection of 625 people across downtown Pest. The operation, primarily targeting drug-related offenses and public safety, involved nearly 100 police officers and is expected to be the first of many similar initiatives to maintain security in the city. Read more here

Eger Hospital Launches Fundraising for Air Conditioning: The Markhot Ferenc Hospital in Eger has kicked off a fundraising campaign to install air conditioning in inpatient wards, responding to last summer's extreme heat challenges that led to surgeries being postponed and patients suffering in over 30°C rooms. Health authorities are preparing for potential heat waves this summer, emphasizing the need for modern cooling systems in hospitals. Read more here

Malfunction at Paks Nuclear Power Plant: A control system malfunction at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant reduced the output of the 4th block by 160 megawatts on Monday morning. Fortunately, safety is not at risk and the National Atomic Energy Authority confirms there is no environmental impact; efforts to resolve the issue are underway. Read more here

Hungary's Q1 GDP Stagnation: Hungary's GDP remained unchanged in Q1 2025 compared to last year, largely due to a 3.9% decline in industrial output, driven by a downturn in electrical equipment manufacturing. However, the services sector saw a 1.1% increase in gross added value, notably in education and healthcare, which helped mitigate the economic impact. Read more here

Sziget Festival Posts Significant Losses Again: The Sziget Festival's organizers reported a deficit of 3.8 billion HUF for 2024, nearly double last year's losses and starkly contrasting with 2022's profit. Ticket sales plummeted to 7.4 billion HUF due to one less festival being held, though advertising income rose; the company aims to achieve profitability by 2026. Read more here

SPAR Reduces Prices on Over 1000 Products: SPAR has announced a long-term price reduction on more than 1000 drugstore and household items across its INTERSPAR hypermarkets and smaller stores, impacting 40 categories from detergents to personal care products. The price cuts began on May 29, making shopping more economical and convenient for customers. Read more here

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