New Hungarian law would overhaul aviation legislation, everything could change at Budapest Airport

The Hungarian government has put a proposal for a law amendment up for public debate. The amendment would reform the legislation on air transport. It would allow the operation of a state-owned international commercial airport to be transferred to a state-owned company.

Law amendment up for debate

According to Index, the Hungarian government on Tuesday uploaded a draft law that would amend Act XCVII of 1995 on aviation, if passed. Under the proposal, the operation of a state-owned international commercial airport may be transferred to a state-owned company.

On this basis, the provisions of Act CXXII of 2009 on the more economical operation of publicly owned companies do not apply if the operation of a state-owned airport is carried out by a company under state control, hvg.hu reports.

Government’s aim to buy Budapest Airport

The government’s openly stated aim is to buy Liszt Ferenc International Airport in the near future. According to Index, this amendment could be a precursor to that. Negotiations on the acquisition are being led by Economic Development Minister Márton Nagy. He said earlier that the financing for the acquisition of Budapest Airport could be a package deal, and that negotiations are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The purchase price is not official; however, Bloomberg wrote in September that it was worth around EUR 4 billion.

The minister told Index earlier that the “airport is a national strategic issue”. According to him, it was “a huge mistake, but perhaps also a sin” that the previous government sold it to foreigners. He said this mistake must be corrected. “I was tasked with negotiating the purchase of the airport. Negotiations have started and are ongoing, but I cannot give you any more details at this stage,” Nagy told Index.

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