Orbán government changes from January, one ministry will cease to exist
The tasks of the Finance Ministry will be taken over by the National Economy Ministry from January 1, 2025, according to an amendment approved by Parliament on Friday.
The amendment was adopted with 125 votes in favour, 49 against and 7 abstentions. The Finance Ministry will be merged into the National Economy Ministry and cease to exist from December 31, 2025.
Hungary in relatively safe position regarding energy security for next few months, says PM Orbán
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Friday that Hungary is in a relatively safe situation regarding energy security for a few months, and it will be able to work together with the new government in Sofia to extend this positive period.
Orbán told Bulgarian journalists after talks with Boyko Borisov, leader of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party which won the early parliamentary election in October, that he was certain that Borisov would be able to stabilise the political situation in Bulgaria. He added that it was important to Hungary and for the European Union that a stable government would be set up in Sofia.
Commenting on the issue of gas supplies, he said Borisov had always been helpful in preventing the stoppage of gas supplies from Bulgaria to Hungary. Orbán added that some 7 billion of the approximately 9 billion cubic metres of gas that Hungary receives arrives through Bulgaria, so the country played a key role in Hungary’s security.
He also said that an agreement had been made with the US to suspend the sanctions against Gazprombank for three months, so the danger has been eliminated there. Additionally, an agreement has been made with Russia about an alternative method of making payments, he added.
Commenting on sanctions against Russia, Orbán said talks were ongoing in the EU, and a decision would have to be made by the end of January. In response to a question whether the community should wait until the inauguration of the new US president concerning the issue of sanctions against Moscow, Orbán said the 27 member states had to make a decision together and proposed “strategic patience” in the matter.
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PHOTOS: Brand-new, Hungarian-made articulated e-buses will serve passengers from 2025
The brand-new Credobus Electronell 18 will be the first articulated e-bus manufactured in Győr and Mosonmagyaróvár. The first bus was presented at Budapest’s Népliget bus station. Check out some photos in our article below.
According to Világgazdaság, the Kravtex-Kühne group presented its latest innovation in cooperation with Volánbusz at the Népliget bus station in Budapest. The lightweight vehicle’s own mass is 4 tonnes lower than that of a traditional articulated bus. It has fewer battery modules, and its operation is more economical than its competitors’. Volánbusz is to test the first Electronell model at the beginning of 2025.
Kravtex-Kühne presented the first model in cooperation with the Hungarian state-owned Volánbusz company at the Népliget bus station in Budapest on 18 December. Lóránd Bói, a deputy secretary of the Ministry of Construction and Transport, said it was their utmost priority to serve passengers with modern vehicles.
He added they could reduce the average age of the vehicles from 13 to 10 years. Kravtex-Kühne played a key part in that project since more than half of the active buses were manufactured by that company.
Dr István Krankovics, the CEO of Kravtex Ltd, said the R+D behind the buses cost HUF 1.5 billion (EUR 3.63 million), but HUF 400 million (EUR 967,000) was covered by state support.
He added that the Kravtex-Kühne group is a market leader in Hungary, manufacturing 3,000 buses. He expressed their readiness to participate in the Hungarian public transport system’s electrification.
State support for articulated e-buses
László Kormányos, the technological and operational deputy CEO of the MÁV and Volánbusz conglomerate, said 100 e-buses arrived in the agglomeration of Budapest in 2022 and 2023, but only 6 to the rural cities. In 2025, they plan to deliver 20 more e-buses in six smaller settlements.
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Good news: 2025 will be a better year in Hungary’s property market, says Duna House
After this year’s reversal of trends, a strengthening real estate market in terms of transaction numbers and prices, an ever-widening customer base, and a further 10pc expansion of the credit market are expected next year, listed real estate broker Duna House said in its forecast for 2025 on Friday.
The company said government measures, like the Home Purchase Subsidy Scheme (CSOK) Plus, housing allowance from employers used for rent and loan repayments, state-subsidised credit for young Hungarian blue-collar workers, could raise demand and from the investor side capital from government bond payments could add 20,000 transactions.
Duna House expects supply will not be able to keep up with buyer interest, so it is possible that prices will start to increase to a greater or lesser extent depending on the property type, condition and location. Annual price increase could be around 10-20pc in 2025.
The company said annual home sales this year could be around the middle of the 110,000-130,000 band, which is an approximately 14pc increase compared to 2023 and a two-year high.
Central bank issues instructions to boost competition on home insurance market
The National Bank of Hungary (NBH) has issued four executive circulars in connection with the annual home insurance campaign due in March instructing insurers and insurance brokers on best practices to boost competition on the home insurance market, the central bank said on Friday.
The NBH instructed insurers on displaying data to help consumers compare offers and switch insurers.
It also made the conditions for announcing consumer-friendly home insurance premiums more flexible to make these policies more competitive with conventional ones.
The NBH also made it clear in the customer information document that contracts cancelled during the campaign uniformly terminate on April 30 (until which date the premiums must be paid). In order to protect their property, the customers concerned must have a new insurance policy from May 1.
Another circular concerns the term discounts offered by several insurers (the principle that those who contract for a longer period pay a lower premium). Due to rapidly changing customer needs, the NBH considers a maximum three-year discount to be good practice.
In the circular addressed to insurance brokers, the NBH said it expected insurance brokers to review the policies of customers with active home insurance contracts every two years. Insurance brokers must inform customers on whether their insurance policies cover the value of the insured assets. They must also inform customers on the option of consumer-friendly home insurance.
The NBH also touched on condominiums, calling on insurance brokers to develop online calculators to help condominiums with a maximum of six apartments choose between offers. For larger condominiums, the NBH urged insurance brokers to contact their representatives in January or February in order to review the condominiums’ property insurance.
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Forint reaches new historic lows against EUR, GBP, USD, 420/EUR rate expected in 2025
The forint is struggling against the euro, the British pound, the American dollar and the Polish zloty again. Against the GBP, it reached a new historic low yesterday (505/GBP), but it fell to a historic low against the zloty as well. Experts believe that the forint would pass a new psychological barrier in 2025. However, the new Hungarian National Bank governor seems supportive towards the introduction of the euro.
Hungarian forint reached new historic lows
The Hungarian forint was at a historic low against the euro in October 2022 with 434.11. Thankfully, that exchange rate did not remain for a long time. Due to the intervention of the Hungarian National Bank, the forint was saved then. But it seems the relief was only temporary. The exchange rate of the Hungarian national currency has been worsening ever since. Yesterday, it reached 416/EUR and, experts believe, it will exceed the 420/EUR limit in 2025.
The bad news is that the value loss is gradual, and the Hungarian National Bank does not seem to want to intervene and save it. Some economists believe the Orbán cabinet is weakening the forint on purpose because they need a weak forint to preserve the country’s competitiveness and make it attractive to foreign companies for exports.
The British pound reached a historic record against the forint yesterday with 505/GBP. The American dollar also strengthened, exceeding the 400/USD limit, Portfolio wrote.
New national bank governor for introducing the euro in Hungary
According to Economx, the currency exchange rate of the euro was above 416 today, and, in 2025, we will reach the 420/EUR level.
Based on the prognosis of the Hungarian National Bank, inflation in 2025 will be between 3.3% and 4.1%. ING Bank believes the average inflation will be around 4.2%. The bank expects a significant rise in state incomes due to higher taxes. Meanwhile, they listed the currency exchange rate swings of the forint and the expected significant wage rise as risks.
The bank expects the forint to end the year at the 410-413/EUR threshold. Mihály Varga, the Hungarian National Bank’s governor after March, could not define an exchange rate that would help the Hungarian economy next year.
However, during his hearing in the Parliament’s Economic Committee, he surprised the public by openly expressing support for the euro’s introduction in Hungary. Economist Géza Sebestyén said nobody could tell when Hungary would become a member of the eurozone but added that 2035 could be a realistic target.
We wrote about the spontaneous euroisation in THIS article.
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Analysts predict a bleak future for the Hungarian forint
National Bank of Hungary launches HUF 15,000 coin
Hungary’s 2025 budget approved, PM Orbán talked about peace budget before
The budget was passed with a vote of 125 for, 56 against and no abstentions. The preamble to legislation calls the 2025 budget the budget of the new economic policy. Next year, the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war will be finally within sight, and peace will allow more money to be spent on economic development, wage increases, home creation, and family support.
Tax benefits increase significantly
The preamble states that in the coming years, Hungary will be able to double the tax benefits for children, provide workers’ credit for working young people in addition to student loans and introduce new home creation and housing subsidies.
The Demján Sándor Programme will support SMEs, while the budget guarantees the payment bonus pension equal to one-month amount, family benefits, and includes the implementation of the 21 points of the new economic policy action plan.
The budget targets revenue of HUF 38,728bn and expenditures of HUF 42,851bn. The deficit target is HUF 4,122bn.
The total expenditure of the European Union development budget for 2025 was set at HUF 3,719bn, the total revenue at HUF 2,221bn, and the deficit at HUF 1,498bn.
The budget calculates with 3.4pc GDP growth and targets a 3.7pc-of-GDP fiscal deficit. It assumes inflation will be 3.2pc.
The year-end state debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to fall from 73.2pc this year to 72.6pc at the end of 2025.
Debt and utility protection
The budget allocates HUF 100bn to reserves.
Expenditures on debt servicing are set to climb from HUF 3,144bn this year to HUF 3,876bn next year.
The government continues to maintain its utility protection measures, the budget allocates HUF 880bn to Energy Ministry’s residential utility protection fund.
Expenditures on prenatal baby loans are set to climb from HUF 226bn to HUF 250bn. Local government’s spending on child nutrition tasks rise from HUF 105bn to HUF 145bn.
The budget allocates HUF 487bn for the payment of pensioner’s one-month bonus pension, up from HUF 449bn this year.
The budget of the health insurance fund exceeds HUF 4,706bn, after HUF 4,423bn this year.
The budget of the courts will increase from HUF 155bn to HUF 192bn next year.
Additional budget increases
The budget includes HUF 1,305bn of support for local governments, compared to HUF 1,049bn this year. Local governments will have to pay a solidarity contribution, the amount of which will increase from HUF 307bn to HUF 360bn. Local governments will also have an obligation to pay after the surplus of their local business tax revenue for the amount of HUF 65bn.
According to the preamble, next year’s national defence spending will exceed HUF 1,750bn and law enforcement spending will reach HUF 1,400bn. Planned spending on national defence will reach 2pc of GDP in 2025.
The preamble says education spending will near HUF 3,900bn and more than HUF 3,700bn will be available for healthcare purposes. The cabinet is providing more than HUF 3,750bn for family support, and is spending HUF 7,200bn on retirement benefits and pension-type benefits.
More than 300 new investments will be launched in 2025, with a total cost exceeding HUF 8,100bn, of which the share for 2025 is HUF 480bn.
General government deficit reaches HUF 3,284bn in November
Hungary’s cash flow-based general government deficit reached HUF 3,284.3bn at the end of November, the Finance Ministry confirmed in a detailed release of data on Friday.
The central budget had a deficit of HUF 3,257.5bn at the end of the month and the social security funds were HUF 226.8bn in the red, but separate state funds were HUF 200.0bn in the black.
Alone in November, the general government deficit came to HUF 233.8bn.
“The government has stabilised the fiscal balance this year, while closely following the development of the deficit,” the ministry said. “The government remains committed to improving balance indicators, while putting the economy on the sustainable growth path,” it added.
Interest expenditures came to HUF 3,412.7bn in January-November, climbing by HUF 798.1bn from the base period, the ministry said, noting that the fall in forint interest rates started in 2023 was showing up in cash flow-based interest expenditures with a delay.
Accrual-based interest expenditures will decline substantially in 2025, it added.
The ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing the general government deficit: to 4.5pc in 2024, 3.7pc in 2025 and to under 3pc in 2026.
Several companies in great need of guest workers shocked by Orbán cabinet’s ban proposal – UPDATED
The Orbán cabinet may decide about the total ban on employing third-country guest workers in Hungary from 1 January. The news shocked several sectors in Hungary, especially the catering and the home delivery sector which are struggling with the lack of workforce. The Hungarian government may decide on a total ban due to domestic reasons. However, even the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s head says the government should not move so urgently on such a delicate issue.
Immigrants take the work from the Hungarians, said Orbán’s Fidesz
The Orbán cabinet has been one of the greatest advocates of stopping illegal migration to Europe from the Middle East and Africa. In the previous decade, the prime minister and his Fidesz party accepted harsh rules against illegal migrants, built a fence at the Southern borders and allied with European and North American forces that are against migration.
In 2015, they started a billboard campaign saying that migrants take the work from Hungarians, so they should be stopped before entering the country. The campaign was successful, but rural Fidesz leaders active in the electoral districts and mayors see changes in the issue locally.
Some were complaining about the growing number of legal migrants who come to Hungary to work here for 2+1 years and “take the work from the locals”. Of course, the second part of the statement is factually untrue. The Hungarian economy could employ tens of thousands because it struggles with a structural labour shortage. Others were complaining about the possible security challenges the newcomers generated.
Read also: Shocking proposal: Hungary plans ban on non-EU guest workers starting 1 January
Fidesz grassroots complained about the guest workers
However, optics are crucial for the government and its communication. Based on a 2023 poll by Publicus, 53% of Fidesz voters disapprove of the influx of guest workers. Their support is essential in 2026 when Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party has a realistic chance to defeat Orbán.
PM Orbán heard the complaints from Fidesz grassroots and seems to have decided to act. Based on a previous report, the government may decide on the issue next Wednesday, so the sectors affected and somewhat paralysed by the news do not have much time to act.
According to g7.hu, only a fraction of the number of 2023 guest workers came this year. However, for example, in the catering sector, firms close one after the other because there are no employees for the night and weekend shifts. Orbán promised significant economic growth for next year, which is also hard to imagine without a new workforce, József Nógrádi, trade director of the Trenkwalder group, said.
Will the ban be postponed?
Therefore, lobbying started to postpone the effect of the new measure for at least six months.
We know the government would not like to ban the Georgian workforce, but they will not be enough to fill the gaps in the Hungarian labour market. Others lobby to exempt the Philippines, criticising Vietnamese, who – after acquiring their permit – go to Germany to receive higher salaries.
The new head of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also surprised to hear about the government proposal. When he replaced government-close László Parragh, he said he agreed to a new cooperation framework, which means they can take part in the drafting process of new measures from the beginning. However, this time, nobody asked for their opinion.
Georgia is not enough
Elek Nagy said the government wants to make agreements with the home countries of the guest workers about taking them back if needed. Hungary had such a contract only with Georgia, which is the reason for the Caucasian country’s exemption.
Nagy believes the Hungarian reserves are not enough to satisfy the needs of the economy. Meanwhile, Georgia’s population is just 3.5 million, while the Philippines has almost 120 million inhabitants. Consequently, signing new treaties with more populous countries is crucial.
Experts believe a ban would not immediately have a devastating effect because most guest workers can remain here for months or even 1-2 years.
Interestingly, other Central and Eastern European countries try to ease the employment of guest workers.
The number of third-country employees in Hungary stays around 70-80 thousand, but the growth in their number is constant. Between 2019 and 2024, for example, that number increased from 60 thousand to almost 100 thousand.
UPDATE: Hungary committed to contributing to efforts aimed at stopping migration
Hungary is committed to continuing its contribution to the success of international ambitions aiming at stopping illegal migration and tackle its root causes, the foreign minister said in New York on Thursday.
The ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as telling the United Nations General Assembly session focusing on migration that it was not an exaggeration to say that we are living in an era of dangers and as an impact under the threat of terror and extremist ideologies, there are more and more people in the world who are forced to leave their homes. In the last ten years, more than 120 million people became migrants, refugees, IDPs, he added.
“In this very complicated situation I think there are two very important aspects we do have to take into consideration. First, international law must be respected. With this we can avoid additional massive migratory waves to break out putting the security and safety of countries at risk. And on the other hand, instead of managing or inspiring migration, we should work on tackling the root causes,” the minister said.
“International law makes a very very clear difference between migrants and refugees. Unfortunately nowadays the expression and legal status of refugees is being misused, which is a very dangerous phenomenon. International law speaks very clearly: if someone is forced to leave his or her home, he or she is entitled to stay on the territory of the first safe country. And international law doesn’t speak about second, fifth, tenth or twentieth safe country,” he added.
“Therefore, violation of a border between two safe countries must not be taken into consideration as a human rights issue, but as a security issue and as a crime,” he said.
“Hungary’s example is the real one here, we have been under a double pressure by migration and the refugees for the last ten years. On one hand we have been living for more than a 1,000 days in the neighbourhood of the war in Ukraine from where we have received 1.4 million refugees. They have full access to our schools, kindergartens, health care, and to the labour market. We have been carrying out the biggest ever humanitarian operation of our country. We let everybody come in from Ukraine who are fleeing from the war because for them we are the first safe country. But at our southern border we are under a huge migratory pressure. There we are protesting the external border of the European Union laid on the busiest land route. During the last 3.5 years we have stopped more than half a million illegal migrants.
Hungary remains committed to protecting its borders and remain maintaining its sovereign right to make a decision on who can enter our country and with whom we are ready to live together, said the minister.
He said that “in the meantime, we give all our support to those who are fleeing from the war in Ukraine. And we support all kinds of initiatives which are pointed at peace being made in our neighbourhood, which is the only way to save lives of the people, ending suffering of the families, and stop forcing people to leave their homes.”
But in the meantime, inspiring people to leave their homes brings forward many risks on countries of transit and destination puts the lives of people who are leaving their homes at risk on many occasions and feeds the business model of smugglers and traffickers. So instead of inspiring people to leave their homes, we do have to stop migration by tackling the root causes on the spot. We have to carry out development programmes, by those creating new jobs, creating better education, and better access to health care where it is needed.
Over the last five years, Hungary has spent some 2 billion euros on development assistance focusing on humanitarian help, especially to the Christian communities who are among the most persecuted communities in many parts of the world., the minister noted.
“Hungary is committed to continue to contribute to the success of international ambitions aiming at stopping migration, tackling the root causes and carrying out development programmes in all parts of the world to make the lives of people better where they have been living,” he said.
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MOL more than doubles its solar energy production with new acquisition
Hungarian oil and gas company MOL on Thursday said it agreed with German-owned Optimum Vogt to acquire 100pc of Naperőmű Farm, which oversees construction of a 66 MWp photovoltaic plant in Ballószög (C Hungary).
Trial runs of the plant are expected to start in January 2025. The transaction more than doubles MOL’s renewable energy generation capacity, MOL said.
The electricity generated by the plant will be sold through listed alternative energy company Alteo. The facility will generate electricity equivalent to the consumption of 20,000 average Hungarian detached family homes.
The MOL group has 6 solar parks in Hungary, with combined capacity of 31.5 MW, and it also has photovoltaic capacity of 13.6 MW in Croatia. In line with its strategy, MOL aims to increase its renewable energy generation capacity to 200 MW by 2026 at group level through further solar park investments in both countries. As part of this, MOL Petrolkémia recently announced plans to build a 48 MW solar park in Tiszaújváros, scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2026.
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FM Szijjártó believes that the Biden administration hinders the Paks NPP expansion
The foreign minister said that “it is a political revenge by the failed US Democratic administration” that the expansion of Hungary’s nuclear power plant at Paks had not been exempted from sanctions against Russia’s Gazprombank, but there is no reason for concern.
The foreign ministry cited Péter Szijjártó as saying in New York that the outgoing US administration’s recent one-sided steps made energy supplies for the entire region more difficult, and the sanctions against Gazprombank resulted in a difficult situation to those countries that “do not represent mainstream politics, but represent conservative, patriotic, national policies, and their policies much rather coincide with the incoming US president’s”.
“The US government obviously knew precisely well what effects these measures would have, and they knew precisely well which countries they cause problems to,” he added.
“But everyone can rest assured, because we are eliminating these risks. We have partly already taken the necessary legal, technical and technological steps, and will take more in the upcoming period. Hungary’s energy supplies are secure and will be secure as long as we are in government,” he said.
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Unprecedented in the history of Hungarian democracy: opposition journalists subjected to lie detector test
In an unprecedented move, Hungary’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution has forced opposition journalists from Magyar Hang to undergo polygraph tests. The investigation stems from a now-retracted false story about Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Hungary. Despite the pressure, the opposition journalists remain determined, vowing to stand by their work and continue reporting without fear.
Opposition journalists to take a polygraph test
As HVG reports, in an unusual move, Hungary’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution conducted investigations, including polygraph tests, on three key employees of Magyar Hang, a publication known for its critical stance towards the government. Those tested were Tamás Koncz, journalist; Csaba Lukács, the newspaper’s director; and Zsombor György, editor-in-chief. Magyar Hang revealed that this marks the first time such measures have been used against journalists in Hungary’s democratic history. Despite requesting the polygraph results, the opposition journalists have yet to receive them.
False story about Assad fleeing to Hungary
The investigation was sparked by the spread of a false story claiming that deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad had fled to Hungary on a passenger plane. Initially picked up by Magyar Hang and later amplified by journalist Péter Magyar, the misinformation created a stir before being debunked. While Magyar Hang issued an apology for publishing the erroneous report, Péter Magyar did not directly apologise, merely clarifying the story’s inaccuracy after the fact. In a statement, Magyar Hang emphasised that independent journalism poses no threat to national security even when it makes mistakes. In a press release, Magyar Hang writes:
The season of Advent is all about love and reconciliation, but the Hungarian Government is using it to discredit an independent newspaper and to harass and intimidate its journalists. Our conscience is clear, we have nothing to hide. We are not afraid and we will not give up, but we will cooperate with the authorities in any way we can. Independent journalism, even if we sometimes make mistakes, is not a threat to national security.
Commitment to truth and transparency
Despite the scrutiny, the opposition journalists have vowed to stand their ground. They expressed hope that state authorities would handle the investigation responsibly and avoid misusing private information for political propaganda. In addition, the team reaffirmed their commitment to truth and transparency, insisting they would continue their work without fear. Magyar Hang writes:
Although we asked for it, we could not get the results of the polygraph examination. We believe that there are still people working for the state who are committed to their country, and that the details of the investigation, which also touched on private matters, will not be manipulated and distorted and published in the government propaganda press.
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Average gross wage climbs again in Hungary significantly
The average gross wage in Hungary rose 12.9pc year-on-year to HUF 637,200 in October, data released by the Central Statistics Office (KSH) on Friday show.
Net wages climbed at the same pace to HUF 423,800. Real wages rose 9.4pc, calculating with October CPI of 3.2pc. The gross median wage increased 15.9pc to HUF 529,000. Hungary’s statutory monthly minimum wage was raised by 15pc to HUF 266,800 for unskilled labourers and by 10pc to HUF 326,000 for skilled workers from December 1, 2023.
Excluding Hungarians working full time in fostered work programmes — who earned on average gross HUF 131,600 in October — the average gross monthly wage was HUF 647,400.
The average gross wage in the business sector, which includes state-owned companies, rose 12.0pc to HUF 642,100. The average gross wage in the public sector climbed 15.8pc to HUF 616,900. In the non-profit sector, the average gross wage increased 14.7pc to HUF 646,700.
For the period January-October, gross wages averaged HUF 633,900 and net wages came to HUF 421,500, both up 13.6pc from the same period a year earlier.
As a result of favourable wage dynamics and persistently low inflation, real wages have been increasing continuously and significantly for 14 months, Sándor Czomba, the state secretary for employment policy, said in a statement.
Thanks to the government’s measures, the purchasing power of family’s incomes is steadily increasing, which boosts consumption, and contributes to the Hungarian economy achieving growth above 3pc in 2025.
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Cheap Wizz Air flights dry up after Easter, Budapest flight to Eastern metropolis may return
Even the cheapest, 10-15-euro-flights of Wizz Air are extremely expensive after the Easter period: you can only buy tickets for 40-50 euros. Experts believe current high prices will fall later. Meanwhile, there is a chance that the Budapest-Astana flight will return in 2025. You may check out the details below.
Will Wizz Air compete with high prices in 2025?
According to Okosutas, a Hungarian air travel news outlet, Wizz Air prices are strange in the first half of 2025. There are many cheap, 10-15-euro flights until the end of March. At the beginning of April, the prices start to increase due to Easter, when demand is higher. However, the Hungarian low-cost airline keeps ticket prices high even after the festivities. As a result, otherwise cheap flights for 10-15 euros cost more than 40 euros, a significant difference.
Okosutas believes there is no reason to believe demand will remain high even after the Easter period. However, the portal thinks the current high prices will decrease soon to 15-20 euros. Consequently, the news outlet does not recommend that anybody buy spring or summer tickets now.
In the case of Ryanair, the price increase has been gradual from February. However, prices for March and April are also expected to decline in the next few weeks, so it is worth waiting until then.
Meanwhile, some low-cost airlines offer tickets for favourable prices now. One example is the Norwegian. If you book your March or May ticket from Budapest now, you will only have to pay 35-45 euros, which is their lowest price.
Budapest-Astana flight may return next year
According to Kazakh media sources, the direct flight connecting Budapest Airport and Astana may return in 2025. The flight was announced by Kazakhstan’s deputy transport minister. He added that 10 new international routes were planned to be relaunched from Astana in 2025 including Rome, Munich and Budapest. However, he did not specify which airline would carry passengers between the Hungarian and the Kazakh capitals.
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PM Orbán says Christmas ceasefire and large-scale POW swap are realistic
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday that there was no consensus within the European Union regarding the war in Ukraine, so everything had to be done in connection with the war within the framework of bilateral diplomacy and not on behalf of the Hungarian EU presidency.
Ceasefire at Orthodox Christmas?
Orbán told a joint press conference with President of the European Council Antonio Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen after the EU summit in Brussels that the Ukraine war was the most important political issue but he had essentially no room for maneuvering on the matter because there was no consensus in the EU and it was therefore not possible to act on behalf of the European Council.
“So everything that could be done in the issue of the war had to be done independently from the presidency, not under the presidency’s framework. Actually under the arrangements of bilateral diplomacy,” Orbán said.
Orbán said much had been done, for instance a proposal for a Christmas ceasefire which had been presented outside the framework of the presidency.
In response to a question, he said he was aware that everyone wanted lasting peace and was thinking along the line of greater geopolitical context but Hungary had its own limits such as its size and its international influence corresponded to that.
He said he could see no obstacle to preventing the death of people in the frontline during the two or three days of Orthodox Christmas and to an agreement between the sides about the exchange of 700 prisoners from each side.
He added that this might be a small achievement compared to geopolitical goals, but if a few thousand fewer people die during Christmas, and if a few hundred or thousand fathers can return home to their families, it will be a European value.
We must take back leadership from the generals
Answering another question, Orbán said that he had seen in the past three years that there was no solution to the war on the battlefield. “I have seen some combative statements, military maneuvers, new weapons, hundreds of thousands dying, hundreds of thousands getting crippled, and who knows how many widows and orphans,” he added. Orbán said it was time for diplomacy to take back leadership from the generals, otherwise the war will not end within the foreseeable future.
In response to a question about how Donald Trump would end the Russia-Ukraine war as US president “in 24 hours”, Orbán said he had no authorisation to talk about the plans of other leaders. He said he had personally met Trump in the past two weeks, had a very long discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and also met the president of Turkiye. He added that “even if everyone has something on their mind” he could only speak about his own plans.
Assessing the Hungarian presidency coming to an end on December 31, Orbán expressed thanks to von der Leyen and the EC for their excellent cooperation, and said that they had been able to put aside all political disputes in order to advance important matters. He also expressed thanks to Costa and his predecessor Charles Michel, saying that they had also done much in the interest of success.
Hungary’s political presidency
Orbán said there had been unprecedented security challenges in the past six months, with wars in Ukraine, in the Middle East and Africa, with a permanent danger of escalation. Illegal migration and its consequences threaten with the disintegration of the Schengen area, and economic indicators show that the EU is losing its global competitiveness, falling increasingly behind the main economic competitors.
In the meantime, the other global players have ambitious plans, with “some wanting to stay great and some wanting to become great”. As a result, Orbán said it had been decided that Hungary would operate a political presidency and not a bureaucratic one. He added that a great amount of work had been invested in the past six months, with the entire Hungarian state apparatus working to ensure that progress was being made.
In terms of competitiveness, Orbán said the Budapest declaration deserved historic attention considering that it calls for “a revolutionary streamlining”, affordable energy, supporting SMEs, and sets deadlines for the fulfillment of each task.
Orbán said another important point of the Hungarian presidency was that ministers responsible for demographic challenges met for the first time in the EU’s history to discuss the future of Europe’s demographics.
He also said that progress had been made in enlargement policy in the Western Balkans which had been blocked for a long time, talks could be started with Albania, three intergovernmental conferences were held and the organisation of an intergovernmental conference with Serbia is within reach.
Romania, Bulgaria Schengen accession huge success, says Orbán
The Hungarian prime minister noted that a decision about the full membership of Bulgaria and Romania in the EU’s Schengen zone had been made under the Hungarian presidency. The issue he said had been on the agenda for the past thirteen years and Hungary had held talks over six months with countries that had opposed the integration of the two countries. As a result, the full integration of the two countries will take effect on January 1, he said.
The current Hungarian presidency was the first occasion that 27 agriculture ministers managed to reach an agreement on the Common Agricultural Policy’s future, he said.
Orbán said that “we have also managed to adopt a declaration on fighting anti-Semitism and promoting Jewish life”. The declaration establishes that there is an alarmingly high-level of anti-Semitism in the EU and the community has a shared responsibility to make every possible effort towards reducing it, he said.
Orbán said that he became increasingly convinced over the past six months that the only possible way to the success, even the survival, of the European Union was if the EU makes itself more ambitious and undertakes “great things”.
“The Hungarian presidency’s slogan to make Europe great again was not a joke,” the prime minister said, adding that this was the only way for the EU to regain its competitiveness and to survive.
Asked about transatlantic cooperation, Orbán said there was full agreement at the summit that the future and security of Europe depended heavily on whether transatlantic cooperation could be maintained.
As regards the inauguration of the new US president on January 20, Orbán’s advice to the EU was to have “strategic patience and calm”, suggesting that “they should do nothing that would make future strategic cooperation within transatlantic relations more difficult”.
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- Russia’s decision: Hungary and Slovakia on the list of unfriendly countries
Ukrainian cyber criminal arrested in connection to €800,000 scam in Hungary!
A criminal gang has caused hundreds of millions of forints of damage in Hungary using sophisticated phishing methods. So far, two main suspects, a Ukrainian and a Hungarian, have been arrested in the case, and 23 people who helped the criminals by opening bank accounts and laundering money have been questioned.
Scammers have mastered the use of technology to obtain victims’ online banking credentials. Their methods included sending fake bank notifications and emails to deceive victims. These were used to trick them into downloading programs such as AnyDesk, which allowed remote access to their devices. Once they had access to the data, they carried out unauthorised transactions.
The money was then moved through a complex money laundering scheme. Transactions were routed in several steps, often to different destination accounts and cryptocurrencies, in order to cover their tracks. This method not only harmed the victims, but also contributed to international financial crime.
According to Portfolio, investigations have revealed that the criminal organisation has so far defrauded more than 30 victims of a total of HUF 330 million (EUR 806,353). In the largest known case, the criminals transferred HUF 70 million (EUR 171,149) from a single bank account to various accounts and then made the money disappear.
The cyber criminal gang
The central figure in the network was a 24-year-old Ukrainian who ran the organisation from Montenegro. He coordinated the fraud committed in Hungary and the distribution of the embezzled funds. He was arrested in Austria and extradited to Hungary through international police cooperation. He is currently in custody and the court has ordered his arrest.
Investigators found that, in addition to the Ukrainian, a 26-year-old Hungarian man also played a key role in the criminal organisation. He was directly involved in several financial transactions that facilitated the fraud. During the investigation, several members of the criminal gang were identified who performed different tasks. Some were responsible for opening fake accounts, others for obtaining victims’ details or transporting money.
The funds obtained have often been hidden in the form of various cryptocurrencies to make identification and tracing more difficult. This activity has led to serious international criminal activity, as many foreign actors may have been involved in the money laundering process.
The Pest County Police Headquarters is continuing to prosecute the members of the criminal conspiracy for commercial fraud and money laundering of a particularly high value. The authorities are currently investigating the further activities of the network and are looking for new participants in order to fully uncover the activities of the criminal organisation.
This case highlights the serious damage that online fraud and phishing schemes can cause to individuals and the financial system. Criminals are using sophisticated techniques and organising themselves on an international scale, presenting new challenges for the authorities. The results of the investigation so far are an important step in dismantling the criminal network, but the full investigation may take longer.
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According to Hungarian FM Szijjártó, the President of Ukraine launched an “ugly campaign” of provocation
The President of Ukraine has launched “an ugly campaign” against Hungary in the international arena in recent days, but “one should not fall for his provocations”, the foreign minister said on Thursday, prior to attending a general assembly meeting of the United Nations in New York.
According to a foreign ministry statement, Péter Szijjártó said that the Hungarian government’s position had proven right during the past one thousand days of the war in Ukraine: the war has no solution on the battlefield and the only way to settle the armed conflict is through negotiations.
He said that “after more than one thousand days there are still those who are unable to see that an overall new reality has developed: the Russians are forging ahead more and more intensively day-by-day against Ukraine, while here, in the United States a pro-peace politician has won the presidential election and his inauguration is getting closer and closer”.
Szijjártó said it was regrettable that “the American Democrats and Western European liberals have launched a bitter attack in a last-ditch effort” to thwart the efforts towards peace of the incoming president who will take office on 20 January. He noted that President-elect Donald Trump had made a clear statement in recent days promoting peace and calling for peace talks.
“It is high time for Western European leaders to understand that Donald Trump is a serious person… He made clear during his presidential campaign that he had an interest in creating peace fast, and this must be taken seriously,” Szijjártó said.
After Trump’s taking office, standpoints about migration will change around the world, the foreign minister said.
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Top Hungary news: Debrecen Airport, Russia’s decision, changes to Budapest tram, new retail stores, 100-metre Christmas tree — 19 December, 2024
We’ve rounded up today’s best Hungary news; check them out below!
Featured Hungary news:
- Debrecen Airport renewal on the agenda to recover pre-pandemic passenger volumes
- Russia’s decision: Hungary and Slovakia on the list of unfriendly countries
- Attention: Changes to Budapest’s busiest tram service during the festive season
- Remarkable cabasset helmet found in Visegrád during archaeological excavation – PHOTOS
Business:
- Two of Hungary’s favourite retail chains open new stores: here is where and when!
Politics:
- Official: Budapest Assembly approves 2025 budget
- Orbán accuses Brussels of pushing for regime change in Hungary since 2010
Christmas:
- A world-class attraction: Budapest’s 100-meter Christmas tree
- 5 Hungarian Christmas recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Remarkable cabasset helmet found in Visegrád during archaeological excavation – PHOTOS
Archaeological excavations in Visegrád have uncovered a remarkable collection of artefacts, shedding light on the intense sieges that shaped the region in the 16th and 17th centuries. Among the findings is a rare fragment of a cabasset helmet, a key piece of military equipment from the period.
Archaeological discoveries at Visegrád
As we have reported HERE, Archaeological discoveries at Visegrád have shed light on medieval architectural innovation. Using 3D scanning, experts reconstructed the Franciscan Church sanctuary vault, linking it to designs preserved at St Stephen’s Church in Vienna. Notably, carvings by Anton Pilgram, a pioneering master builder, reveal his early use of curved rib vaults at Visegrád, a technique later refined in Vienna. This milestone, part of the Visegrád Renaissance Development Programme, celebrates the town’s rich cultural heritage and its influence on Central European architecture.
New findings
According to the National Archaeological Institute, archaeological excavations at the Visegrád Citadel’s Anjou-period dry moat have uncovered a wealth of artefacts, many linked to the sieges that took place during the early modern period. Among the discoveries are fragments of small arms, cannonballs, arrowheads, and the remains of stabbing and cutting weapons, all dating from the mid-16th to early 17th centuries. The intensity of the conflict is evident from the presence of small arms ammunition and pickaxe damage on several objects, reflecting the fierce battles fought in and around the citadel during this tumultuous period in history.
Cabasset helmet
One of the most striking finds is a fragmentary cabasset helmet, a type of conical infantry helmet that was widely used across Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. The helmet is decorated with copper rosettes along its rim and features an ornate copper feather swivel at the back. This design suggests that the helmet belonged to a soldier, likely a Habsburg mercenary, and was part of their armament during or after the Fifteen Years’ War.
A comparison with similar helmets in the Visegrád Museum’s collection further highlights the uniqueness of this find. The example on display in the Solomon’s Tower exhibition shares the same feather swivel, making it an exact parallel, while another helmet in the palace weapons exhibition is simpler in design, reflecting a more common type of equipment used by infantrymen at the time.
The Visegrád excavation forms part of the larger Visegrád Renaissance project, which aims to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of the region. The project, managed by Várkapitányság Ltd., continues to shed light on Visegrád’s significant role in Central European history. This cabasset helmet, despite its fragmentary state, offers valuable historical information due to its well-dated archaeological context, aided by accompanying numismatic finds.
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The Hungarian population is shrinking drastically
Hungary’s population is shrinking: the number of births fell by 8.4 percent in November compared with the same month in the previous year, while deaths went down by 4.7 percent, according to preliminary data published by the Central Statistical Office (KSH) on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the number of marriages went down by 12 percent with 2,724 couples tying the knot.
Fully 6,196 children were born in November, while there were 10,267 deaths, KSH reports.
The natural population loss was 4,071 people compared with 4,005 in November 2023.
Fully 77,703 children were born between December 2023 and November 2024, 9.7 percent less than in the same period twelve months earlier. Altogether 127,835 people died between December 2023 and November 2024, 0.2 percent less than in the year before.
There were 8.1 live births and 13.1 deaths per thousand inhabitants in the first eleven months.
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Attention: Changes to Budapest’s busiest tram service during the festive season
Budapest’s iconic tram lines 4 and 6, among the city’s most frequented public transport routes, will face significant service changes between 27 December 2024, and 5 January 2025. A damaged water pipe beneath the tracks near Irinyi József Street necessitates urgent repairs, affecting tram operations on the southern section of the route.
Adjusted tram service
During the maintenance period, trams will only run between Széll Kálmán Square and Corvin-negyed under the joint 4-6 label, Világgazdaság reports based on BKK’s statement. To ensure connectivity, replacement buses will operate on the affected sections:
- Between Újbuda-központ and Corvin-negyed with route number 4.
- Between Móricz Zsigmond körtér and Corvin-negyed with route number 6.
The replacement buses will stop at key points, including Üllői Road, where passengers heading toward Széll Kálmán Square are advised to transfer to the tram or metro at the Ferenc körút stop.
Alternative routes
The Budapest Transport Center (BKK) recommends several alternative transport options during the repair works:
- M3 metro combined with M4 metro via Kálvin Square for seamless travel to Újbuda-központ.
- M4 metro or tram 47 for routes starting from Újbuda-központ.
- M4 metro, bus 7, or trams 47 and 49 for connections from Móricz Zsigmond körtér.
- Buses 107 and 133E for journeys originating near Budafoki Road.
- Tram 2 for those travelling from Boráros Square towards the city centre.
Practical travel tips
Passengers are encouraged to use the BudapestGO app, which provides real-time route information and allows users to purchase tickets and passes conveniently. Additionally, BKK staff will be available at key locations to assist travellers during this period.
The repair work has been scheduled strategically during the winter school holidays and festive season to minimize disruptions. Despite the temporary changes, the availability of replacement buses and alternative routes ensures that passengers can still travel efficiently across the city.
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