Spending New Year’s Eve in Budapest? Fireworks will be banned in touristy district – MAP

Last year’s New Year’s Eve in Budapest highlighted the dangers of uncontrolled fireworks, with chaotic scenes at Vörösmarty Square leading to injuries and public outcry. In response, District 5 has introduced a strict ban on pyrotechnic devices in high-traffic areas, aiming to ensure safer celebrations this year.

Last year’s dangerous celebrations

As we have reported HERE, last year’s New Year’s Eve in Budapest turned dangerous as uncontrolled fireworks in Vörösmarty Square caused chaos and injuries among the celebrating crowds. Footage aired by RTL showed fireworks launched in a cordoned-off area without oversight, leading to accidents where fireworks landed in the crowd. One woman suffered burns to her hand and had her coat catch fire. The lack of regulation and authority control over pyrotechnic use has raised serious safety concerns, prompting Alex Gábor Kovács, leader of Tiéd a Belváros, to call for stricter rules on the sale and use of fireworks to prevent such incidents in the future.

A safer New Year’s Eve in Budapest

As HVG reports, Budapest’s District 5 has introduced a strict ban on pyrotechnic devices in high-traffic areas for New Year’s Eve, with fines of up to HUF 200,000 (EUR 488.77) for violators. Key locations such as Vörösmarty Square, Erzsébet Square, and St. Stephen’s Square in front of the Basilica will be firework-free zones. The decree, passed unanimously by the district’s representative body, also extends to other busy areas in the city centre, aiming to ensure safety during the festive period.

Photo: depositphotos.com

The affected areas

The decision comes after last year’s New Year’s Eve celebrations saw fireworks dangerously exploding among crowds in downtown Budapest, prompting public outcry. The ban, initially proposed by opposition leader Alex Gábor Kovács, was formalised by the district’s Fidesz mayor, Péter Szentgyörgyvölgyi. The new rules prohibit the use of fireworks in categories 1, 2, and 3 within the designated areas from 6 PM on 28 December to 6 AM on 1 January, with stricter enforcement planned in collaboration with the Budapest Police Headquarters. Here is a map of the affected areas:

Photo: Nemzeti Jogszabálytár

Firecrackers remain prohibited

While the ban only applies to District 5, firecrackers are still permitted in other parts of Hungary under existing national laws. Firecrackers remain prohibited nationwide year-round, with penalties reaching HUF 150,000 (EUR 366.58) for violations. Unused or defective third-category fireworks must be returned to distributors within five days after New Year’s Eve. These measures aim to balance festive celebrations with public safety, marking a significant change in the celebration of New Year’s Eve in Budapest.

Read also:

• Will fireworks be banned in the city centre of Budapest?
• The most popular spots in Hungary for New Year’s Eve

Featured image: depositphotos.com