A demonstration against the European Union’s Migration Pact took place in Budapest on Friday afternoon, with protesters marching from Kodály körönd to Kossuth Square near Parliament. The event brought together supporters of Fidesz and the Our Homeland Movement (Mi Hazánk), while Prime Minister Péter Magyar became a focal point of the protest after appearing on a balcony overlooking the route.

Protesters march through central Budapest

The demonstration, organised under the slogan “Peaceful March Against the Migration Pact”, began at 5 PM at Kodály körönd. Participants walked towards Parliament while chanting slogans including “Viktor! Viktor!” and “Traitors!”

Among those present was Our Homeland Movement leader László Toroczkai, who had previously announced his participation. Fidesz politician Balázs Németh also attended the event and shared several videos from the scene on social media.

According to organisers and supporters, the protest was intended to express opposition to the EU Migration Pact, which will begin to be implemented across the European Union from 12 June 2026.

Péter Magyar appears on balcony

As demonstrators passed the Prime Minister’s Office, Péter Magyar appeared on a balcony and applauded the crowd. Videos shared online show the prime minister smiling, waving a Hungarian flag and making heart gestures toward the protesters.

The reaction from the crowd was mixed. Some demonstrators booed and chanted anti-Tisza slogans, while others continued marching without engaging. According to footage published by both government critics and supporters, verbal exchanges took place between protesters and the prime minister, although no serious incidents were reported.

Following the event, Magyar wrote on social media that he had greeted what he described as a roughly 1,000-person demonstration organised jointly by Fidesz and Mi Hazánk.

He later published a video showing protesters making insulting gestures and shouting abuse, while he responded with heart signs:

Debate over what the migration pact actually means

Toroczkai and several protest organisers argued that the new rules will force EU member states either to accept migrants or pay financial contributions if they refuse.

However, members of the governing Tisza administration have rejected that interpretation. According to Telex, Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai stated that the government opposes both migration quotas and illegal migration, adding that Hungary will maintain and renovate its border fence.

Earlier this week in Parliament, Prime Minister Péter Magyar argued that the pact contains several stricter migration measures than previous EU policies, including faster procedures and stronger border controls. He also said that member states may choose alternative forms of solidarity, such as providing technical or operational assistance to countries under migration pressure, rather than accepting relocated migrants.

According to Telex, Hungary’s potential obligation under the solidarity mechanism would be limited and could be replaced by assistance offered to frontline states such as Greece or Malta.

Unverified migrant rumour fuelled mobilisation

The protest came shortly after reports circulated on social media claiming that dozens of Middle Eastern migrants had secretly arrived at the Kecskemét air base under Polish military escort.

The claim originated from an anonymous article published by the pro-Fidesz outlet Pesti Srácok. However, fact-checking outlet Lakmusz reported that it found no evidence supporting the allegations. The claims were also denied by the Ministry of Defence and Hungary’s immigration authority, while available flight data showed no indication of such arrivals.

Despite the lack of evidence, the story spread rapidly online and was cited by several users encouraging participation in Friday’s demonstration.

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