HATC SAMPLE EDITION:    Politics & Foreign Relations    Economic News    Business News    Other News of Interest    All stories	14th September, 2026 Subsidised diesel for motorists and farmers The government will provide owners of diesel passenger cars with engines of up to 150 horsepower a monthly Ft 5,000 fuel subsidy, Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced. 11th September, 2026 BDPST reduces stake in Gránit Bank BDPST Group, owned by István Tiborcz, the son-in-law of Viktor Orbán, reduced its stake in Gránit Bank by 9.86% through TiberisDigital Tanácsadó, which held 39.19% of the shares in the digital bank, it was announced on Thursday. 10th September, 2026 US again open to visa applications from Hungarians The US resumed processing US immigration visa applications from Hungary and Poland last week, Reuters news agency reported. 8th September, 2026 ÁSZ calls for revamp of TAO scheme The State Audit Office (ÁSZ) has called for a review of the TAO tax-incentive scheme, which provides tax breaks for companies that sponsor spectator sports, as the system has created opportunities for abuse. 7th September, 2026 Government to rebuild border station The government has decided to completely rebuild the Hercegszántó-Béreg crossing station at the Serbian border, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced on Sunday. 3rd September, 2026 Karácsony imposes spending freeze Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony has ordered that all new financial commitments by the city require his prior approval from September 1, Magyar Hang reports, citing several sources. 3rd September, 2026 Pianist Schiff returns from self-imposed exile World renowned classical pianist András Schiff, a resident of London who has not visited his homeland since 2012 when he publicly condemned Viktor Orbán’s regime and announced that he would not set foot on Hungarian soil as long as Orbán was the prime minister, will perform in the main hall of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music on Thursday night for the first time in 16 years. 2nd September, 2026 Mohu proposes ending cash refunds Senior executive Csaba Bozóki of waste disposal firm Mohu said the company is proposing that the government end cash refunds for bottles in Hungary’s deposit-return system. 1st September, 2026 Head of MCC’s Brussels arm resigns Frank Füredi, head of the Brussels branch of the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), has resigned as there is no money to pay staff members, Politico reports. 31st August, 2026 Bayer Construct receives temporary moratorium Construction company Bayer Construct has received temporary protection from creditors pending a court ruling on its application to initiate insolvency proceedings, according to a company disclosure on the BSE website. 28th August, 2026 State to take back MCC assets from Monday The state will take over the operations of the Batthyány Lajos Foundation, the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation and the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) from August 31, Prime Minister Péter Magyar said yesterday. 28th August, 2026 Tiszaújváros-Miskolc rail service ready to resume Passenger trains between Tiszaújváros and Miskolc will resume on September 1, with ten daily return services. 26th August, 2026 Doctors would sack institutional chiefs The Medical Chamber (MOK) acknowledges the positive steps taken so far in the first 100 days of the new government, but at the same time urges the acceleration of the replacement of institutional leaders, in a statement released on Tuesday. 24th August, 2026 Vitézy reverses award of contract to Mészáros firm Transportation and Public Works Minister Dávid Vitézy says a decision by his predecessor János Lázár would have handed a lucrative highway operating contract to companies tied to Lőrinc Mészáros and László Szijj at inflated cost and lower quality standards and vowed “we will not let this slide”. 24th August, 2026 Pay caps for state-owned company leaders The government has introduced new pay cap rules for companies in which the state holds a majority stake, effective from August 20, according to a decree published in the official gazette. 19th August, 2026 Parliamentary livestreams surge in popularity Parliamentary livestreams on YouTube have seen a sharp rise in viewership since the change of government. 19th August, 2026 Daily roaming data use nearly doubles in three yea The average daily roaming mobile data of Hungarians rose from 0.6 gigabytes in 2022 to 1.1 gigabyte in 2025, media authority NMHH said in its fresh report. 18th August, 2026 Criminal complaint filed over Ft 10bn procurement Social and Family Affairs Minister Vilmos Kátai-Németh has filed a criminal complaint against an unknown perpetrator over the purchase of 400 containerised pellet boilers two years ago, alleging that they were procured at inflated prices and that some of the Chinese-made units contain asbestos. 13th August, 2026 Police raid Ambulance Service over procurement The National Investigation Agency seized documents and electronic data on Tuesday in a probe into ambulance procurement and repairs at two Budapest offices of the National Ambulance Service (OMSZ), suspecting negligent management of public funds, Népszava reports. 12th August, 2026 Fines issued over Hatvanpuszta construction works The Fejér County Government Office has imposed a Ft 5.7 million heritage-protection fine due to illegal construction works at Hatvanpuszta, the former state farm, which was bought and renovated by Győző Orbán, the former prime minister’s father, RTL Híradó reported. 12th August, 2026 Vasarely exhibition closes on Sunday The Vasarely 120 exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts is open to visitors until Sunday. 11th August, 2026 Staff filled empty seats at press conferences Foreign Ministry staff were regularly ordered to appear at Péter Szijjártó’s press conferences when he was the minister of foreign affairs and trade, website 444 reports. 11th August, 2026 EU sanctions disrupt Mere’s regional operations EU sanctions appear to be causing difficulties for the European operations of Mere, the Russian discount chain. Its Budapest store, operating as Basket Plus, recently suspended operations, officially citing technical reasons, while financial problems cannot be ruled out. 10th August, 2026 Govt provides Ft 5bn lifeline to regional airports The government will provide Ft 5.5 billion to stabilise the operations of Debrecen, Sármellék and Pécs-Pogány airports, preventing the insolvency of their operators and the loss of about 250 jobs, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced. 10th August, 2026 Free Festival Orchestra concert The Budapest Festival Orchestra and conductor Iván Fischer will again give a free open-air concert on Heroes’ Square on September 12 when the newly formed children’s choir of the orchestra will make its debut. 7th August, 2026 Wizz Air swings to loss due to rapid expansion Wizz Air reported an after-tax loss of €198.6 million in the second quarter, compared with a profit of €39.3 million a year earlier, as rapid capacity expansion and higher fuel costs pressured profitability. 7th August, 2026 Woman gets stuck in mud in receding lake A 35-year-old woman had to be freed after she got stuck in the mud of the shrinking Lake Velence late Wednesday evening. 6th August, 2026 Hungary remains near EU bottom in car ownership Hungary had one of the lowest rates of passenger car ownership in the EU in 2025, with 461 cars per 1,000 inhabitants, matching Romania and ahead of only Latvia, according to Eurostat data. 5th August, 2026 New airport taxi fee causes congestion A new Ft 800 entry fee for taxi drivers caused significant congestion at Budapest Airport on Monday after the previous five-minute free access period was abolished. 5th August, 2026 WW2 motorcycle found on Danube riverbed A World War II military motorcycle appeared in the Danube at an extremely low water level in Budapest, at Batthyány tér, it was announced on Tuesday. 3rd August, 2026 Nearly 50 apply to lead tax office Nearly 50 people have applied for the position of president of the National Tax and Customs Office (NAV) by the deadline, Finance Minister András Kármán announced on his Facebook page on Saturday. 30th July, 2026 Crackdown on illegal Lake Balaton piers Authorities are preparing to remove illegal piers and other unauthorised structures along Lake Balaton, aiming to protect the lake’s reed beds, improve water quality and clarify the legal status of waterfront areas, according to hirbalaton.hu. 30th July, 2026 Drought practically halts river traffic Some 15 hotel ships and most cargo vessels are currently unable to continue their journeys on the Hungarian section of the Danube due to exceptionally low water levels, the Transport and Investment Ministry announced. 29th July, 2026 Lake Velence may be melting away Lake Velence’s water level could fall by around 20cm by August, according to government forecasts, leaving parts of the lake fragmented into isolated pools separated by dry land, said Zoltán Orbán, press secretary for the Ministry of the Living Environment. 29th July, 2026 Sándor Palace to be open to visitors The head of state’s office, Sándor Palace, will once again welcome visitors on August 1 and August 8, Speaker of Parliament Ágnes Forsthoffer announced on social media. 28th July, 2026 Russian spies targeting young Hungarians Russian intelligence is pursuing a long-term strategy to recruit Hungarian university students who could later become influential figures in Hungary and the EU, according to a report by Telex. 28th July, 2026 flydubai to resume Budapest flights Dubai-based airline flydubai will resume its direct flights to Budapest from July 31, restoring direct air connectivity between Hungary and the United Arab Emirates. 27th July, 2026 Ft 2.5bn in NKA grants repaid Recent recipients of questionable grants from the National Cultural Fund (NKA) have already repaid more than Ft 2.5 billion to the state after the government urged them to return the money, Culture Minister Zoltán Tarr said on the weekend. 27th July, 2026 Record number of Hungarians working abroad The number of Hungarians registered as working abroad reached a record high of 124,000 in the second quarter of 2026, Portfolio writes citing the latest job market report by the Central Statistics Office. 24th July, 2026 Gov’t to slash spending on sporting events The government will fundamentally change the financing model for major international sporting events following concerns over excessive costs at previous competitions, state secretary for sport Attila Kálnoki-Kis announced. 24th July, 2026 Former Varga-Magyar home listed for sale A house in Balatonhenye formerly jointly owned by Prime Minister Péter Magyar and his ex-wife, former Justice Minister Judit Varga, has been put up for sale for Ft 299 million, according to property listings reviewed by 24. 22nd July, 2026 Police look into Ft 25bn FTC project Budapest Police have begun an investigation into the funding for a proposed new facility for Budapest sports club Ferencváros (FTC) that was never built. 20th July, 2026 President Sulyok steps down In a stunning achievement for Péter Magyar, President Tamás Sulyok on Saturday signed the amendment to the Fundamental Law that deposes him from the position of head of state. 20th July, 2026 Nestlé to close chocolate factory Nestlé Hungária will stop production at its Diósgyőr factory by the end of the year due to declining demand for seasonal confectionery products, the company confirmed to state news agency MTI on Friday. 17th July, 2026 Vitézy discusses road upgrades Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy spoke about Hungary’s road upgrade projects in a Facebook post on Thursday. 17th July, 2026 Danube drops to record low at Baja The Danube reached its lowest water level ever recorded in Baja, a town in southern Hungary, after the river depth was gauged at 26cm at 4 a.m., breaking the previous record. 16th July, 2026 Havasi: Fidesz in chaotic state The Fidesz presidency will deal with personnel decisions affecting the caucus at its next session, Fidesz communications director Bertalan Havasi told MTI on Wednesday in reaction to the news that Péter Szijjártó had resigned his parliamentary mandate. 16th July, 2026 Kapitány to review Ft 800bn in contracts The Economy and Energy Ministry will conduct a comprehensive review of the former Energy Ministry’s contract portfolio after the previous ministry, under Csaba Lantos, made payments totalling Ft 800 billion in April and May, current minister István Kapitány announced. 15th July, 2026 August 20 events less costly this year The August 20 celebrations will be arranged for less than one-third of the initially planned budget and amid simpler, more rational and cost efficient organisation frameworks, Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai announced on his Facebook page on Tuesday. 14th July, 2026 Decathlon to open new store in Budapest French sports retailer Decathlon will open its first store in more than ten years in Budapest’s Third District from a Ft 750 million investment. 13th July, 2026 Hungarian visits to Croatia at new high Croatia welcomed a record number of Hungarian visitors in the first half, with arrivals rising 4.5% year-on-year to nearly 190,000 and overnight stays up 6.5% to 687,000, according to the Croatian National Tourist Board. 13th July, 2026 IKEA workers continue strike The strike by IKEA workers continued for the third consecutive day on Saturday. The two-hour work stoppage between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. affected all three Hungarian stores, said retail workers union leader Zoltán Karsai. 10th July, 2026 Hegedűs dances into NYTimes list of stylish people Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs has been included on a New York Times list of celebrities who have drawn attention to themselves this year with their appearance. 10th July, 2026 Upgrade planned for Balaton rail link Planning has begun for the modernisation of the railway track between Székesfehérvár and Lake Balaton, with the aim of upgrading the line for double-track operation and speeds of up to 160 km/h, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced on Thursday. 9th July, 2026 IKEA staff prepare for first-ever warning strike Employees at all three IKEA stores in Hungary are preparing to hold a warning strike in the next few days as wage negotiations between the company and the trade union failed, according to Zoltán Karsai, president of the retail workers’ union KASZ. 9th July, 2026 Gordon Ramsay Bar & Grill to open in Budapest Gordon Ramsay’s first Bar & Grill restaurant in Central Europe will open in Budapest on July 31, with online table reservations now available. 8th July, 2026 State news channels briefly off-air State television news channels were suspended for four hours on Tuesday, during which time the following message appeared on M1, hirado.hu and on M1’s Facebook page: 8th July, 2026 Ukrainians fill seasonal labour gap Ukrainian guest workers are likely to account for the largest share of seasonal agricultural labour in Hungary, particularly in the harvesting of elderberries, peppers and peaches, according to employment agency Menton Jobs. 7th July, 2026 Garancsi exits ad company after political deal Businessman István Garancsi, the owner of construction company Market Épitő, has sold ESMA Reklám, the company with exclusive rights for placing ads on utility poles, after a political agreement, HVG reports. 7th July, 2026 Huge mural depicts Szoboszlai “It is an honour for me to be given a place on a public square mural in Fehérvár”, Hungarian national football team captain Dominik Szoboszlai declared at the unveiling of a mural portraying him in Székesfehérvár, his hometown. 6th July, 2026 Polgár and Magyar play chess at US embassy Judit Polgár, the most successful female chess player of all time, played against Prime Minister Péter Magyar at the US embassy’s Independence Day reception in Budapest on Thursday, as inventor Ernő Rubik looked on. 6th July, 2026 New tram line from Gellért tér planned Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced on Friday that he had signed a funding agreement which practically lays the foundation for a new tram line to be built between Szent Gellért tér and Budafoki út. 3rd July, 2026 Pek-Snack exports gain momentum Frozen pastry maker the Pek-Snack Group increased its after-tax profit to Ft 619 million in 2025 from Ft 589 million a year earlier, while consolidated revenue remained broadly unchanged at Ft 12.7 billion. 3rd July, 2026 Two postal workers die on duty during heatwave Two postal workers died while on duty during last week’s heatwave, when temperatures exceeded 40°C, according to Blikk. 2nd July, 2026 Debrecen mayor calls on Semcorp to leave Semcorp should cease operations in Debrecen and relocate production elsewhere, as its owners have not maintained environmental standards in accordance with the permit issued for the factory, mayor László Papp declared in a video statement following talks with company representatives on Wednesday. 2nd July, 2026 First direct link to Saudi Arabia open Flynas has inaugurated a direct service between Riyadh and Budapest, marking the first non-stop air connection between Hungary and Saudi Arabia, Budapest Airport CEO François Berisot announced at a press event following the arrival of the inaugural flight. 30th June, 2026 Budapest abolishes parking meters Budapest will remove all on-street parking meters from July 1, meaning that parking can only be paid for via mobile app, SMS, or phone call. 26th June, 2026 8th District imposes new limits on Airbnb rentals The Eighth District city council has approved a new regulatory framework for short-term rentals, introducing district-, neighbourhood-, and condominium-level caps on Airbnb-style accommodations. 25th June, 2026 Nationwide fire ban imposed due to heatwave The government will introduce a nationwide ban on outdoor fire from June 25 due to prolonged dry weather and the heightened wildfire risk caused by the current heatwave, according to an announcement by the food safety office Nébih. 25th June, 2026 Water restrictions imposed in Zalaegerszeg First-level water use restrictions have been introduced in Zalaegerszeg, Fidesz mayor Zoltán Balaicz announced on Facebook. 24th June, 2026 Man who threw pride flags into Danube arrested Police have arrested and questioned a 58-year-old man from Mogyoród on suspicion of vandalism after he removed Pride flags from the Erzsébet Bridge on the weekend and threw them into the Danube. 24th June, 2026 Hungary expands Gripen fleet Four additional Gripen C fighters were added to the Hungarian Air Force at a ceremony in Kecskemét on Tuesday, the fruit of a Swedish-Hungarian agreement signed in February 2024. 23rd June, 2026 MNB pension calculator to aid retirement planning The MNB has introduced a free online voluntary pension fund calculator following consultations with the pension fund sector. 23rd June, 2026 Serious water restrictions in Hajdú-Bihar village Water use restrictions have been introduced in a village in eastern Hungary after prolonged heat drove consumption to levels that nearly exhausted the local supply reservoir, according to RTL. 22nd June, 2026 Tisza to cap mayors’ salaries A bill submitted by Tibor Szabó on behalf of the Tisza Party would freeze mayors’ salaries and significantly reduce the remuneration of county government leaders. 22nd June, 2026 Kayaking championships moved to Szeged The university kayaking world championship will be held at the Maty-ér course in Szeged instead of the Kovács Katalin National Kayak-Canoe Academy on Lake Velence, organisers announced on Thursday. 18th June, 2026 Hungary last in EU in household consumption Hungarian household final consumption equated to 73% of the EU average in 2025, placing the country jointly last in the bloc alongside Latvia, according to a Eurostat report published on Wednesday. 18th June, 2026 Movie filming closes section of Metro Budapest’s M2 metro line will not be running between Deák Ferenc tér and Örs vezér tere on Saturday and Sunday, after parts of the tunnel have been made available to the producers of a major American action movie. 17th June, 2026 RTL and HVG lead list of most trusted news sources RTL News and the weekly HVG are considered the most reliable sources of news by Hungarians, according to a survey by the Reuters Institute. 17th June, 2026 Rich got 14% richer in 2025 The 25th edition of Hungary’s “100 Richest” list shows a continued expansion of private wealth, with the combined fortunes of the top 100 rising by 14% last year to Ft 12.6 trillion. 16th June, 2026 Fidesz media shrivel up as state funds run dry Mediaworks Hungary is carrying out a structural and portfolio transformation which could entail the loss of nearly 200 jobs and the demise of several pro-Fidesz newspapers that were largely financed by the government before the April elections, HVG reports. 16th June, 2026 Forint, stocks rally on Middle East peace plans The forint strengthened to five-year highs on Monday, with the euro briefly slipping below Ft 350 on the interbank market, following the announcement of a possible end to hostilities between Iran and the US. 12th June, 2026 Gov’t reviews Ft 451bn Mohács bridge project The government has launched a comprehensive review of the new Danube bridge project near Mohács and its associated road network following the revelation that the project’s original budget of Ft 381 billion was expanded not long before the parliamentary elections to Ft 451 billion. 12th June, 2026 Gov’t to end five-year mortgage interest freeze The government has published for public consultation a draft regulation ending the mortgage interest rate freeze on September 30, bringing a measure in place for nearly five years to a close. 11th June, 2026 Gov’t rushes €1bn grid upgrade tenders Although the European Commission has only begun assessing Hungary’s revised Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) plans, the government has already launched two public consultations regarding €1.4 billion in energy investments. 11th June, 2026 Pop star to be honoured with statue Miklós Fenyő, a legendary figure of Hungarian rock and roll, who died earlier this year, will be honoured with a statue in Budapest’s 13th District. 10th June, 2026 Mohács bridge costs grow to Ft 451bn The total cost of the Danube bridge project at Mohács has reached Ft 451 billion, due to an unjustified double-lane design for the bridge and associated road network, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy said yesterday. 10th June, 2026 Telekom IT workers to stage protest over pay offer Employees of Deutsche Telekom ITTC Hungary, part of Deutsche Telekom, will hold a short demonstration on Wednesday morning in four Hungarian cities, in protest at the company’s proposed wage increase. 9th June, 2026 MPs vote to lower their salaries At the Tisza Party’s proposal, Parliament voted unanimously on Monday to reduce MPs’ salaries. 9th June, 2026 FX reserves reach historic high Hungary’s international reserves stood at a new record high of €61.1 billion at the end of May, up from €60.6 billion in the previous month and €15 billion one year earlier, the MNB announced. 5th June, 2026 Tarr orders audit of loaned museum collections The government will review the status of museum artifacts and artworks currently on loan to public institutions and private individuals, Zoltán Tarr, Minister for Social Relations and Culture, announced on Wednesday. 5th June, 2026 Chef leaves Michelin star restaurant Chef István Pesti will leave the Platán Gourmet Restaurant, in Tata, on July 31, ending the current chapter of Hungary’s only two-Michelin-starred restaurant outside Budapest. 4th June, 2026 LGBTQ TV channel approved The Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) has registered a new linear television channel, Szivárvány (Rainbow) TV, marking the launch of Hungary’s first LGBTQ-focused broadcast channel. 4th June, 2026 Sziget Festival Bridge to be reconstructed The full reconstruction of the K Bridge connecting Budapest’s Third District to Hajógyári (Shipyard) Island, site of the annual Sziget Festival, is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026, with completion expected by the end of 2027. 3rd June, 2026 Tarr plans reform of public media Minister for Social Relations and Culture Zoltán Tarr has pledged a two-phase overhaul of Hungary’s public media system following talks with EU Rule of Law Commissioner Michael McGrath in Budapest. 3rd June, 2026 BKK introduces mandatory tracking app for taxis The Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) has launched TaxiTrack, a digital platform designed to support safer and more transparent taxi services in the city, which became mandatory for all taxi operators on June 1. 2nd June, 2026 Public donated Ft 3bn to Tisza in 2025 Hungarians donated more than Ft 3.1 billion to the Tisza Party in 2025, according to the annual financial report released by party leader and Prime Minister Péter Magyar. 2nd June, 2026 Budapest overnight public transport expands Night public transport in Budapest and its surroundings will be reorganised from July 1, with more frequent services, improved co-ordination and stronger links between the city centre, outer districts and nearby settlements, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy said on Monday. 1st June, 2026 Former mayor charged in canopy walkway case Prosecutors have filed charges against former Nyírmártonfalva mayor Mihály Filemon and a business associate in connection with the controversial canopy walkway project built in a forest that was later cleared of trees. 1st June, 2026 Samsung expansion suspected behind land sales According to reporting by Telex, the town of Göd is purchasing privately owned plots at a government-set agricultural land valuation before reclassifying them as investment land and reselling them at a significantly higher price to a South Korean industrial investor.
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