Latest news in Hungary - 6 Jun 2025

IKEA Recalls Spatula Over Chemical Concerns: IKEA is recalling the 365+ HJÄLTE stirring spatula due to excessive levels of primary aromatic amines (PAA) that may migrate into food, exceeding safety limits. Customers are urged to stop using the spatula and return it to any store for a full refund, with no proof of purchase required. Read more here

Ferenc Gyurcsány Breaks Silence After Resignation: Former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány has addressed his followers for the first time since resigning, expressing confidence in Klára Dobrev as the new leader of the Democratic Coalition. He reflected on his 22 years in politics, stating he aims to focus on writing again and will avoid political discussions as he steps back to private life. Read more here

MÁV Online Ticket Purchases Facing Issues: Online payments for train tickets via the MÁV app and Elvira system are currently experiencing disruptions with OTP Simple. Passengers are advised to use ticket machines or offices for purchases, as there are currently no fees for buying tickets on trains despite the online issues. MÁV plans to investigate failed transactions and provide automatic refunds for multiple erroneous purchases. Read more here

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Origo Newsroom Sees Major Departures Amid Centralization: The Origo newsroom has lost at least ten staff members, including prominent journalist Kovács András, as the outlet shifts under new editorial leadership and integrates into the Mediaworks structure. The changes come after years of government influence and funding, with Origo's dependence on state advertisements contributing to its evolving role within the Hungarian media landscape. Read more here

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Successfully Controlled in Hungary: The National Food Chain Safety Office (Nébih) has announced the successful control of foot-and-mouth disease, lifting all protective zones as of June 6. Following extensive testing and monitoring involving nearly 56,000 PCR tests, Hungary aims to regain official disease-free status by July 20 after the outbreak affected over 19,000 animals. Read more here

Hungary Boosts Support for Szeklerland: The Hungarian government has pledged 322 million forints in aid to Szeklerland, matching the 166 million forints raised by the public during a fundraising event titled "We Belong Together – Solidarity for Szeklerland." This support comes in response to significant flooding damages primarily affecting Harghita County. Read more here

Hungary's EU Funds in Jeopardy: Hungary risks losing 4,200 billion forints (approximately 10.4 billion euros) in EU Recovery Fund money due to unmet conditions and political disputes, with a strict 2026 deadline looming. Currently, the government has only met 4 of 27 required "super milestones," jeopardizing both recovery and resilience plans. Read more here

Government Bans Rainbow Flags on State Buildings: The Hungarian government has officially prohibited the display of rainbow LGBTQ flags on state institution buildings, as per a decree signed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The government cites a commitment to curbing LGBTQ propaganda targeting children as the primary reason for the ban. Read more here

Ferihegy Airport Railway Project Announced: Hungary's government has announced plans for a fast railway connection between Liszt Ferenc International Airport and the Western Railway Station, with an estimated investment of 1 billion euros. However, many details remain unclear, and experts caution that the current plans appear to be a less ambitious solution than previously proposed railway projects. Read more here

Foreign Student Fraud Ring Sentenced: A group of four foreign university students in Hungary has been sentenced for online fraud, amassing damages of 4.2 million forints by stealing bank account details and purchasing goods like mobile phones. The Chinese and Jordanian members were sentenced to 1 year and 10 months in prison, suspended for 3 years, while proceedings continue for the other two. Read more here\

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