HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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9th June, 2026
MPs vote to lower their salaries
At the Tisza Party’s proposal, Parliament voted unanimously on Monday to reduce MPs’ salaries.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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29th May, 2026
Mediaworks stops printing Népszava
Mediaworks Hungary has terminated its printing and distribution contracts with Népszava with immediate effect, meaning the newspaper’s May 29 issue will not appear.
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29th May, 2026
Gov’t to avert chaos at Champions League final
The government announced it will pay the roughly Ft 300 million owed to subcontractors involved in organising Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final on May 30 in Budapest after the event’s main contractor, Gyula Balásy’s Lounge Group, ran into financial trouble.
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28th May, 2026
Gov’t to revoke 1,000 diplomatic passports
Foreign Minister Anita Orbán has proposed revoking 943 diplomatic and service passports issued outside automatic entitlement rules, government spokeswoman Vanda Szondi announced on Wednesday.
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28th May, 2026
Real-time train tracking returns
Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy announced that the EMIG locomotive tracking system is once again available, restoring real-time information on train locations and delays.
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26th May, 2026
Billions in cultural grants returned amid scandal
Nearly Ft 1.7 billion in cultural grants have been repaid following growing scrutiny over controversial funding decisions by Hungary’s National Cultural Fund.
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26th May, 2026
Philadelphia-Budapest link revived
American Airlines has resumed direct flights between Philadelphia and Budapest after a six-year break, operating a seasonal Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner service until October 5.
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20th May, 2026
MÁV to lease InterCity carriages from Austria
State railway company MÁV will lease ten InterCity carriages from Austrian railways for the summer season to manage higher traffic at Lake Balaton, Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy said on Facebook on Tuesday.
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19th May, 2026
Török: Sulyok does not understand his role
Political analyst Gábor Török responded to the interview conducted by Index with President Tamás Sulyok by observing that Sulyok seems to have only now discovered that the head of state is not condemned to silence but can express his point of view.
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19th May, 2026
Marriott opens Moxy unit in party zone
Marriott International has opened its first Moxy-branded hotel in Hungary on Kazinczy utca in the party zone in Budapest’s Seventh District.
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18th May, 2026
DH Group makes acquisition in Italy
Duna House’s Italian subsidiary Hgroup will acquire the business unit of Fincontatto, a specialist in salary- and pension-backed loans.
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15th May, 2026
Economists urge Kapitány to uncap fuel prices
Economists are asking Economy and Energy Minister István Kapitány to abolish the protected price of gasoline, warning that otherwise there will be even bigger trouble.
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15th May, 2026
Sziget fest to honour Bródy
After a long period of uncertainty, this year’s Sziget Festival is set to take place on August 11-15, organisers confirmed at a Thursday press conference.
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13th May, 2026
Independent filling stations fear collapse
Independent petrol stations are facing a critical liquidity crisis, with many operators reportedly nearing bankruptcy as disruptions in fuel supply intensify, Portfolio reports.
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13th May, 2026
Eighth District to limit Airbnb rentals
Budapest’s Eighth District council is launching a public consultation on the regulation of short-term apartment rentals, with the aim of limiting rather than banning Airbnb-style accommodation.
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12th May, 2026
EU sues Hungary over retail tax
The European Commission is taking Hungary to the Court of Justice of the European Union over the windfall tax in the retail sector, arguing that the progressive turnover-based levy discriminates against foreign-owned companies, Portfolio reports.
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11th May, 2026
Russian spy expelled from Hungary
Artur Sushkov left Hungary on May 4 after Hungary expelled him quietly according to an article posted by VSquare.
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10th May, 2026
Magyar mocks TV2 news show after cancellation
Péter Magyar reacted sarcastically to reports that TV2’s flagship news programme “Tények” (“Facts”) will be cancelled, posting a farewell message aimed at what he called “the most despicable show the Hungarian media has ever seen” and “the uncrowned champions of Fidesz self-sabotage.”
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10th May, 2026
Hungary leads EU in incarceration rate
A Eurostat report released on Thursday shows that Hungary has the highest rate of incarceration relative to its population in the EU, with 193 prisoners per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, well above the EU average of 113.
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7th May, 2026
Aldi accelerates store modernisation
Aldi is renovating around two-thirds of its Hungarian stores by mid-May, with further upgrades planned later this year, as it seeks to pass on efficiency gains through lower prices, the discount chain said on Wednesday.
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6th May, 2026
Wáberer transfers Ft 100mn to Iványi community
Entrepreneur György Wáberer told Telex that he has transferred Ft 100 million to Gábor Iványi’s community to help reopen 13 educational centres previously shut down under the Fidesz government.
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6th May, 2026
Magyar accuses Fidesz of last-minute overspending
Péter Magyar claimed in a Facebook post that the outgoing Orbán government is attempting to “drain state coffers” in its final week by taking on new financial commitments and removing spending controls.
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5th May, 2026
BUX advances 10% in April
The stock exchange’s benchmark BUX index rose by 10.2% last month as daily turnover reached Ft 40.7 billion, the highest level since 2007, the BSE announced on Monday.
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