HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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10th July, 2025
Number of foreign workers at new high
The number of foreign workers has reached a record high this year, surpassing 105,000, with the influx from non-EU countries gaining new momentum in early 2025.
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10th July, 2025
Revolut seeks EU crypto licence MiCA
Revolut Digital Assets Europe, the cryptocurrency arm of fintech firm Revolut operating within the European Economic Area, is pushing ahead with efforts to obtain a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licence, Revolut told Portfolio.
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8th July, 2025
Power outages hit 150,000 households
An estimated 150,000 customers were affected by widespread power outages following severe thunderstorms yesterday, state-owned energy group MVM, reported.
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8th July, 2025
Heavy storm disrupts traffic at Budapest airport
A violent storm temporarily prevented all planes from landing or taking off at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport on Monday, leading to numerous cancelled, delayed or diverted flights.
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4th July, 2025
Analysts assess impact of 3% mortgage scheme
According to a quick analysis by financial platform Bankmonitor, the new 3% loan for first-time home buyers offers an exceptionally favourable alternative to current market rates, which are in the 6.5-8% range, and will broaden access to credit for tens of thousands of buyers.
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3rd July, 2025
Orbán announces 3% mortgage for first-time buyers
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced a new scheme for those buying their first home, based on a mortgage rate of 3%.
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2nd July, 2025
Demand for homes slower in June
After a surge at the beginning of the year, demand for homes in Hungary slowed in June, but supply continued to grow, giving buyers the upper hand, real estate broker Ingatlan.com said in a report.
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30th June, 2025
MNB lists villages in need of ATMs
The MNB has issued a list of settlements with more than 500 residents where banks must install at least one ATM, as at present there are none.
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27th June, 2025
Forint strengthens against euro
While the forint exchange rate against the euro hovered around 401 during the night, the Hungarian currency managed to break through the 400 threshold to trade at 399.8 on Thursday morning.
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27th June, 2025
Liverpool FC signs Hungarians
Liverpool football club, winner of the English Premier League last season, has signed Hungarian national team left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, the club’s official X account announced on Thursday.
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26th June, 2025
BDPST consortium buys Marriott Hotel
CPI Europe has sold Duna Szálloda, a subsidiary which owns the Budapest Marriott Hotel, to a consortium of the BDPST Group and the Diorit Private Equity Fund managed by Gránit Alapkezelő in an open, international tender.
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26th June, 2025
GVH investigates Decathlon pricing
The Competition Authority (GVH) has begun proceedings against Tízpróba Magyarország, the Hungarian operator of the French Decathlon sports retail chain, over suspected unfair commercial practices.
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23rd June, 2025
Temu dominates e-retailers market
The combined gross turnover of the 15 largest online retailers in Hungary reached Ft 463.1 billion in 2024, a 12.4% rise on the previous year, according to PwC Hungary’s Digital Commerce Outlook.
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20th June, 2025
Court orders release of Chinese loan contracts
The state debt manager ÁKK has been ordered in a final court ruling to release the contracts related to a €1 billion Chinese loan agreement, it was announced by Democratic Coalition MP László Varju, who started the case.
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20th June, 2025
Wizz Air suspends Gulf flights
Wizz Air will expand its suspension of flights to and from the Middle East to include services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi from July 3 to September 15, citing heightened geopolitical tensions and associated airspace restrictions in the Middle East.
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19th June, 2025
Tisza takes commanding lead over Fidesz in poll
The Tisza Party, activated just over a year ago by Péter Magyar, now holds a significant lead over Fidesz, according to the latest Medián poll.
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19th June, 2025
Large factories shed jobs in past year
Hungary’s largest industrial firms have significantly reduced headcount over the past year, Telex reports.
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16th June, 2025
Inquiry launched into loss of Klimt painting
Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár has ordered an investigation into how someone at his ministry approved the export of a Gustav Klimt painting, which later appeared in a Vienna gallery.
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13th June, 2025
Uber expands to Miskolc
A year after relaunching in Hungary, Uber is expanding its presence beyond Budapest by making its services available in Miskolc, starting June 13.
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12th June, 2025
MPs authorise local councils to exclude outsiders
Parliament on Wednesday adopted a bill that gives local governments the power to restrict who can settle in their municipalities.
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12th June, 2025
MOHU makes fortune on unreturned bottles
According to its 2024 annual report, MOHU recorded Ft 32.9 billion in income from empty bottles that were never returned for cash, Szabad Europa reports.
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11th June, 2025
Magyar and Vitézy blame Lázár for railway chaos
Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar and transport expert Dávid Vitézy have both strongly criticised Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár following major disruptions on Hungary’s railways over the weekend.
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5th June, 2025
Gránit Bank launches AI Agent in loan processing
Gránit Bank has launched a new AI Agent-supported mortgage application process designed to shorten disbursement times and increase the efficiency of loan administration, the bank said in a statement on Wednesday.
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4th June, 2025
MNB unveils plans to counter cyber fraud
The MNB intends to launch a comprehensive “five-strike” plan to combat cyber fraud, deputy governor Barnabás Virág announced at a press conference.
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3rd June, 2025
Sulyok sends bill back to Parliament
President Tamás Sulyok did not sign into law on Friday a regulation which would have elevated decrees on the state of emergency to the level of law, this emerged from a letter that Sulyok sent to Speaker László Kövér as he sent the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration.
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3rd June, 2025
Former foreign minister Jeszenszky assaulted
A man attacked former foreign minister Géza Jeszenszky with a hammer on Sunday afternoon, causing a fractured skull but no fatal injuries.
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2nd June, 2025
Hungary could lose all RRF funds
The European Commission is expected to formally announce on June 4 that it will not extend the €650 billion Recovery Fund (RRF) beyond the August 2026 deadline and is urging member states to accelerate the absorption of funds, Brussels website Politico reports.
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29th May, 2025
Dating site Puncs posts strong profits
Puncs, the Hungarian dating site known for linking wealthy “sugar daddies” with younger “sugar babies,” continues to generate solid profits despite recurring controversy.
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28th May, 2025
MÁV offering refunds for late trains
For the first time in its history, state railway company MÁV will issue refunds to passengers as compensation for delayed trains, Construction and Transport Minister János confirmed yesterday.
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28th May, 2025
Public transit will run later
Suburban trains and Volánbusz services serving Budapest and surrounding areas will run later from June 1 as they adjust to the extended timetables of metro lines, Transport Minister János Lázár announced at Tuesday’s Transport Info press conference.
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27th May, 2025
Banks raise red flag over transparency bill
Banks have warned that the government’s transparency bill on cutting off foreign funding for NGOs, media outlets and others is eroding confidence in the domestic financial system, which could lead to capital flight from the sector.
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27th May, 2025
Garancsi offers football club for Ft 1
The public feud, ongoing for years, between government-favoured construction mogul István Garancsi and Székesfehérvár’s Fidesz mayor András Cser-Palkovics has reached a new level in a dispute over the town’s football club.
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26th May, 2025
Poll shows seven-point lead for Tisza
The Tisza Party would defeat Fidesz by seven percentage points if parliamentary elections were held on Sunday, according to the results of a fresh poll conducted by the Publicus Institute for Népszava.
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26th May, 2025
Mezőkövesd spa to get Ft 4bn upgrade
The Zsóry Spa in Mezőkövesd, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, will undergo a Ft 4.4 billion upgrade, András Tállai, a state secretary at the Agriculture Ministry, said on Friday.
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23rd May, 2025
MNB leadership cuts workforce by 15%
The MNB Hungary has said it will reduce its staff by 15%, approximately 266 jobs, as part of a cost-cutting and efficiency drive under its new leadership.
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22nd May, 2025
Kósa wants ministerial control over baby names
Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa has proposed shifting authority over first name approvals from the Research Institute for Linguistics to the Minister of Culture.
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22nd May, 2025
Hungary’s tax regime atypical in EU
Hungary’s tax regime stands out in the region with a unique model combining business-friendly corporate tax rates with extra-high levies on consumption, according to the latest tax guide by consultant Forvis Mazars, which covered 22 European and three Central Asian countries in its annual report.
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21st May, 2025
European editors condemn bill on foreign funding
A group of 85 editors-in-chief and publishers from 22 countries have issued a joint statement denouncing Hungary’s proposed “transparency law,” warning that it endangers press freedom and democratic debate.
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20th May, 2025
Ft 19trn sits idle in cash and deposits
Hungarian households held Ft 19.2 trillion in cash and uncommitted bank deposits in the first quarter of 2025, up 12.4% year-on-year, according to preliminary MNB data.
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20th May, 2025
Novel sells for over Ft 2mn at auction
A two-volume dedicated copy of the novel Egri Csillagok (Eclipse of the Crescent Moon) by Géza Gárdonyi fetched more than Ft 2 million at an auction hosted by Antikvárium.hu that ended on Sunday evening.
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16th May, 2025
MOL summons employees back to the office
The MOL Group will discontinue its home office policy starting July 1, making in-office work the default mode across the company.
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16th May, 2025
Danubius launches Ft 13bn investment
Danubius Hotels has announced a Ft 13 billion investment for 2025, part of a five-year, Ft 35 billion modernisation programme.
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15th May, 2025
MOL finds success with a different kind of fuel
Fresh Corner, MOL’s flagship food and coffee retail brand, has grown into one of Central Europe’s largest forecourt hospitality networks, officials told a press conference marking the chain’s tenth anniversary on Wednesday.
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14th May, 2025
Filmmaker Béla Tarr to speak at Budapest Pride
Renowned film director and screenwriter Béla Tarr will deliver the opening speech at this year’s Budapest Pride on June 6, the event’s organisers announced yesterday via Facebook.
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12th May, 2025
Companies burdened by high electricity prices
Electricity prices for Hungarian businesses surged in the second half of 2024 as prices paid by non-residential users were among the highest in the EU, Portfolio reports, citing data from Eurostat.
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8th May, 2025
NAV shuts down Ft 1bn invoice factory
A total of 26 people were questioned as suspects, and three people have been arrested on suspicion of operating a company network and invoice factory.
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8th May, 2025
Bronze Age hoard sheds light on murky era
More than 900 Bronze Age jewels and weapons were recently found with the help of metal detectors on Somló Hill in western Hungary.
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7th May, 2025
ECJ rules in favour of borrowers on forex loans
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) in a ruling issued on April 30 found that passing the full currency risk onto borrowers, without adequate prior information, constitutes an unfair contractual term and, as a result, such contracts can be rendered void.
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5th May, 2025
Budapest new-build home prices soar
The average price of newly built homes in Budapest has soared over the past year, fuelled by tightening supply and strong demand, real estate brokerage Duna House says in its latest report.
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5th May, 2025
Duna House AGM approves Ft 750mn dividend
Shareholders of BSE-listed real estate broker Duna House agreed to pay Ft 750 million in dividends to ordinary shareholders, equating to Ft 21.81 per share, and a further Ft 124 million to holders of employee shares, at Wednesday’s annual general meeting.
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29th April, 2025
Far fewer learning foreign languages
The number of those sitting for foreign language examinations plummeted among those over 30 years age from 11,389 in 2015 to 1,170 in 2024, according to data provided by the Education Office Language Accreditation Department.
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29th April, 2025
Cybercrime losses reach Ft 8bn in three months
Cybercriminals caused over Ft 8.2 billion in damage in Hungary between October and December of last year, with nearly Ft 2.5 billion linked to bank card fraud and Ft 5.7 billion to electronic payments, CIB bank, reports, citing MNB data.
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28th April, 2025
Csányi splits chairman and CEO roles
After 33 years, chairman and CEO Sándor Csányi is stepping down as chief executive of OTP, while retaining his post as chairman of the board, the 72-year-old businessman announced at OTP’s AGM on Friday.
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24th April, 2025
Ministry rejects use of traffic cameras for fines
The Interior Ministry has rejected a proposal by Dávid Vitézy to allow number plate recognition cameras to issue fines for traffic violations, such as blocking public transport or driving in bus lanes.
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24th April, 2025
TV2 CEO fired after interview
TV2’s CEO Pavel Stanchev is leaving his post by mutual consent after six years, the Fidesz-aligned broadcaster informed Telex on Tuesday night in a short statement.
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23rd April, 2025
Hungary’s EU fine surpasses €500mn
Hungary’s penalty for defying a 2020 EU court ruling on asylum laws has exceeded €512 million, ATV reports.
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23rd April, 2025
Foreign demand for property recovers
Property purchases by non-EU citizens in Hungary rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2024, as 3,647 transactions were submitted for clearance, of which 3,485 were approved, real estate brokerage Duna House reports.
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22nd April, 2025
Anti-drug chief appalled by pro-pot party
The annual pro-marijuana demonstration staged by the Two-Tailed Dog Party on Sunday will be the last, government commissioner for eradicating the illegal drugs trade, László Horváth posted on Facebook on Sunday.
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22nd April, 2025
Uber introduces 12-hour driving limit in Budapest
Uber has announced a Driving Time Limit feature in Budapest to enhance road safety by reducing fatigue-related accidents, starting April 21.
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17th April, 2025
Daily motorway tickets generate Ft 9bn in one year
More than two million daily motorway vignettes were sold between April 2024, when this option was first introduced, and the end of March 2025, with roughly 70% of the stickers purchased for foreign-registered vehicles, the state motorway operator NÚSZ announced on Wednesday.
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17th April, 2025
Toy markets get an Easter boost
Families with young children are planning to spend Ft 5,000-10,000 on average on toys in the Easter holiday period, according to a survey by toy retailer Regio Játékkereskedelmi.
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16th April, 2025
MPs suspend Hadházy’s immunity
Independent MP Ákos Hadházy downplayed concerns after Parliament suspended his immunity from prosecution on Monday, calling it “a simple little screw-up”.
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16th April, 2025
Only half of scooters are insured
More than half of the 650,000-700,000 scooters on Hungarian roads lack mandatory third-party insurance, according to the independent insurance brokers association Fbamsz.
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14th April, 2025
Retailers resist mandatory cash option
The Retail Association (OKSZ) is asking the government to amend the draft law that requires all retailers to offer the option of cash payment.
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11th April, 2025
Auchan opens first AI-powered cashierless store
Retail chain Auchan has opened its first cashier-less store in Budapest after a Ft 100 million investment.
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11th April, 2025
OTP hit by large-scale cyberattack
OTP bank experienced a large-scale denial-of-service attack on Thursday, disrupting access to its digital banking platforms, the lender announced.
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10th April, 2025
Banks agree to fee restraint under gov’t pressure
At the urging of both the government and the central bank, the Bank Association has encouraged its members to voluntarily review certain charges and offer fee reductions to customers, president of the organisation Levente Kovács said on Wednesday.
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10th April, 2025
Nobel physicist Krausz quits Russian academy
For reasons of conscience, Hungarian Nobel Physics Prize winner Ferenc Krausz is giving up his membership in the Russian Academy of Sciences, he announced in a social media post on Wednesday.
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4th April, 2025
Pharma sector remains major economic driver
Hungary is the world’s 19th largest pharmaceutical exporter, as drugmakers here generate more than 80% of their revenues from exports, which exceeded €9 billion in 2023, speakers said at the 35th anniversary celebration of the pharmaceutical manufacturers’ association Magyosz.
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4th April, 2025
OTP announces record dividend
The board of OTP bank will propose a dividend payment of Ft 964.3 per share at the April 25 AGM, the largest ever in the history of the company.
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3rd April, 2025
Proposed US sanction on Russia could hit Hungary
A bipartisan proposal by US senators would impose a 500% tariff on US exports from countries that do not abandon their Russian energy imports, if Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to refuse to engage in good faith ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine or violates any agreement, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.
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3rd April, 2025
Tesco fully outsources home delivery
Tesco’s home delivery services will be handled exclusively by external providers Dodo and Wolt, the retail chain announced yesterday.
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