Transylvania

Bethlen Castle: A Hungarian family’s historic home restored – PHOTOS, VIDEOS

Renewed Bethlen Castle in Bonyha

The historic Bethlen Castle was inaugurated in Transylvania, marking a triumph for Hungarian cultural preservation. Local people take great pride of the renovation, hoping that it will create a kind of castle tourism, attract visitors and generate employment opportunities.

Pride in cultural heritage

The Hungarian people, who cherish the legacies of their ancestors in the Carpathian Basin, are actively engaged in safeguarding this treasure. According to Turizmus.com, János Nagy, the State Secretary and leader of the Prime Minister’s Office, expressed these sentiments during the inauguration of the restored Bethlen Castle in Szászbonyha, Transylvania. The Bethlen Castle stands as a testament to Hungary’s unwavering commitment to preserving its cultural heritage. The Bethlen family reclaimed the castle and donated it to the Transylvanian Reformed Church District (EREK). This generous gesture has garnered recognition as a model of cultural value preservation.

A 5,000-year-old castle reborn

In 2017, the Transylvanian Reformed Women’s Association embarked on a mission. It was to restore and revitalise the 5,000-year-old Bethlen Castle, the birthplace of Kata Bethlen the Orphan. The castle had fallen into disrepair during the communist era and was returned to its rightful owners in a dilapidated state. At that time, a petition gathered over 6,000 signatures, urging Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to support this noble cause. The Hungarian government heeded the call and provided HUF 2 billion (EUR 5,219,324) to achieve the community objective. János Nagy praised the Women’s Association for its longstanding commitment to helping the sick, the elderly, widows, orphans, the underprivileged, large families and children. Beyond its charitable activities, the association has also embraced the noble responsibility of preserving and enriching cultural values.

Here are some photos from maszol.ro, a Hungarian newspaper in Romania:

An expression of gratitude

The inauguration ceremony took place in the castle’s courtyard. Bishop Béla Kató of the REF encouraged over 4,000 faithful individuals from across Transylvania to express their gratitude for this remarkable restoration. Hunor Kelemen, the President of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance of Romania (RMDSZ), commended the restoration of the historic heritage, underlining how it bolsters the Hungarian community’s national identity. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Bethlen family for their generous act of donating their historical heritage. Kelemen also acknowledged the church’s exceptional stewardship in restoring numerous churches and historic buildings.

Celebration:

The Future Vision for Bethlen Castle

The precise role of the newly inaugurated Bethlen Castle remains undisclosed. However, according to the Transylvanian portal Kronika.ro, the castle will serve as a community space for the Women’s Association. Additionally, it will house a permanent exhibition dedicated to Transylvanian noble families and the renowned writer Kata Bethlen, a prominent figure among the Reformed. The Women’s Association also hopes to boost tourism to the castle, despite the absence of immediate accommodations in the vicinity.

The inauguration of the Bethlen Castle stands as a resounding testament to Hungary’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage. It breathes new life into an invaluable piece of history, fostering a sense of unity within the Hungarian community in Transylvania.

If you want to read more about castles, check out our previous articles on the most spectacular Hungarian castles and the iconic Buda Castle, which ranks among the top 10 of Europe’s most charming castles.

Here is a video of the castle’s inauguration by Hunor Kelemen, the president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ):

Watch fires demanding the autonomy of Szeklerland in Romania

Watch fires lit demanding Szekler autonomy

Watch fires were lit on Sunday, Szekler Autonomy Day.

In Szeklerland, watch fires were lit in over 100 settlements to signal the region’s demand for territorial autonomy, Zoltán Gazda, who heads the Sepsi District chapter of the Szekler National Council said. Here is a map showing the settlements where the watch fires were lit today. The inscription says: “Territorial autonomy for Szeklerland!”

A manifesto signed by the president of the Szekler National Council, Balázs Izsák, was read aloud as the fires were lit after dark. In a statement issued earlier on Sunday by the state secretariat for policy concerning Hungarian communities abroad, Katalin Szili, an advisor to the prime minister, said Hungary supported the demand for self-administration of Hungarian communities beyond the country’s borders.

Read also:

  • Government supporting Szekler autonomy in Romania – Read more HERE
  • Romanian ambassador consulted over ‘disgraceful events’ at Transylvanian military cemetery – Details in THISarticle

Transylvania church rebuilt with support from Hungary

A Reformed church in Cecalaca (Csekelaka), Romania, rebuilt with support from the state of Hungary was inaugurated on Sunday. State secretary János Nagy said maintaining Hungarian identity meant holding on to one’s roots and Christian identity, not only in Transylvania but in Hungary, too.

Pastor András Ambrus said the tower of the congregation’s original church, consecrated in 1821, had started to sink, threatening the nave. The congregation got support from the Hungarian government to renovate the church on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, but a decision was taken to use the funding to build a new church instead, he added.

The more than 100 million forints (EUR 260,000) in support from the Hungarian government covered the largest part of the cost of the new church. Funding from the Romanian government paid for the church’s windows and doors.

Government supporting Szekler autonomy in Romania

Autonomy Szeklerland

Hungary has a constitutional responsibility for the fate of Hungarians living outside of the country’s borders, such as the Szeklers, the state secretary for Hungarian communities abroad said in the village of Tevel, in the southwest of Hungary, on Saturday.

Árpád János Potápi spoke as a watch fire was lit in solidarity on the eve of Szekler Autonomy Day.

The region is home to the Bukovina Szeklers, who migrated after a massacre by the Habsburg army from their home of Siculeni (Madéfalva) more than 250 years ago, eventually making their way to the south of Hungary.

Potapi, himself a descendant of the Bukovina Szeklers, noted that the Szekler National Council had decided in 2015 to celebrate Szekler Autonomy Day every year on the last Sunday of October.

The mayors of Tevel and of Siculeni, in Romania, also spoke at the event. Here are some photos:

Read also:

  • Hungarian autonomy commissioner to Romanians: “don’t believe your politicians!” – Read more HERE

Romanian ambassador consulted over ‘disgraceful events’ at Transylvanian military cemetery

Romanian extremists Hungarians, go home to Mongolia

A foreign ministry official has held consultations with Romania’s ambassador to Budapest regarding “disgraceful” events at Valea Uzului (Úzvölgy) military cemetery in Szeklerland, and the diplomat promised to take appropriate action.

Levente Magyar, parliamentary state secretary of the foreign ministry, referred to Romanian extremists who last weekend vandalised and held picnics on the graves of first world war Hungarian soldiers (read our report HERE).

He said the Romanian authorities had been “passive observers of these disgraceful events”.

The Hungarian official also noted a final court ruling issued in the summer that ordered the removal of illegally placed concrete crosses.

He discussed these issues with the Romanian ambassador on Tuesday, and they agreed that the relevant authorities should agree on a long-term solution.

Magyar referred to an “open wound in bilateral relations”. But Hungary wants to focus instead on how the two countries can be better connected with roads and railway lines and help Romania join the Schengen agreement, he said.

Magyar said the issue hurt bilateral relations and trampled on basic human values.

Read also:

Romanian extremists: Hungarians, go home to Mongolia! – PHOTOS, VIDEOS

Romanian extremists Hungarians, go home to Mongolia

Romanian nationalist organisations protested against Hungary and Hungarians in the Úzvölgye cemetery, where they claim Romanian soldiers rest. Even though the Romanian defence ministry said there were no Romanian soldiers buried in the cemetery in 2019, they scolded the Hungarians, the Jews, and the migrants.

According to index.hu, two Romanian extremist organisations commemorated the Day of the Romanian Army (25 October) three days earlier in the cemetery of the unpopulated Úzvölgye. Members of the Nation’s Way (Calea Neamului) and the Orthodoxian Brotherhood (Fratia Ortodoxa) swarmed the cemetery, painted some wood crosses, hoisted a Romanian flag, and put out some Romanian inscriptions on small plates saying that there were Romanian heroes.

According to local newspapers, people came from Bucharest and Moldovan counties by bus. Thus, it was an organised “trip”, not something spontaneous. There were a lot of police officers, but there were no disorders because nobody was there apart from the “protestors”.

Romanian extremists verbally attacked the Hungarian community

The partakers verbally attacked the Hungarian community, saying they should go home to Mongolia and that Hungary is no longer on the map of Europe. Furthermore, they expressed that the barbaric Hungarians arrived in the Carpathian Basin only in 1290 instead of 895-896, the time of the Conquest of the Carpathian Basin by Árpád and the seven Hungarian tribes. Furthermore, the extremists highlighted that Transylvania was entirely Romanian soil (despite the more than one million Hungarians living there).

The 200 “protestors” said Romania belonged to Romanians and should remain their homeland instead of a place where foreign migrants come. Furthermore, Romanian schools should not teach about the History of the Jews or the Holocaust. They believe the students should hear about Romania’s history there.

Here are some photos and videos:

The plate, the cross and the flag:

Here is how they painted the newly placed crosses there, commemorating the Romanian soldiers not buried there:

Read also:

Most beautiful in Hungary: She is Miss Hungary 2023 – PHOTOS

tünde blága miss universe hungary 2023

The winner of Miss Universe Hungary 2023 has been chosen. This year’s most beautiful woman is 27 years old, is from Transylvania, Romania and has already published a book!

The national finals of Miss Universe Hungary 2023 were held on 29 September. It was decided from among 16 women who will represent Hungary in El Salvador this November, Femina reports.

In the end, the winner was Tünde Blága from Transylvania.

 

A bejegyzés megtekintése az Instagramon

 

Miss Universe Hungary (@missuniversehungary_) által megosztott bejegyzés

Her story

The lucky winner was Tünde Blága, who was crowned at the end of the competition. She was born on 30 May 1996 in Szeklerland. She wrote on her website that she had been attracted to the world of glamour and catwalks since she was a little girl. All her life, she has been consciously preparing to become a beauty queen one day.

She won third place in her first beauty contest in Târgu Mureș, was elected the face of Transylvania in 2016, and won the Miss Earth Hungary title. In 2019, she travelled to the Miss Earth World Contest in the Philippines. She spent a month in the beautiful country.

She earns her living as a model. However, she has also published a book entitled Hideg korona (Cold Crown), which you can see below:

From a small village to being a beauty queen

She writes on her website:

“There is a wonderful little village in Transylvania. There, I started to dream the life I am living now. When I was a little girl I dreamed of becoming a beauty queen, able to reach people, able to do good and help others. I was not born into a wealthy family, but I brought a very strong faith from home that has accompanied me all the way, and my trust in God has helped me through every difficulty.

My path to my goals was very bumpy, full of trials and challenges, but eventually led me to the crown.”

She knows that being a beauty queen is a huge responsibility:

Living my everyday life like this is not only a challenge because I am a role model for many girls, but also a responsibility, as it can affect their future.

Tünde is also invested in the well-being of society and nature around us:

I also have a particular interest in social responsibility, health, education, the environment or the fight against poverty.

The Miss Universe world pageant will take place on 18 November in El Salvador.

Good Hungary-Romania relations benefit ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania

Hungary foreign minister

Hungary must maintain the best possible relations with neighbouring countries because it also benefits ethnic Hungarians living there, as demonstrated in the case of Hungary and Romania, the foreign minister said on Thursday.

The ministry cited Péter Szijjártó telling a joint press conference with Hunor Kelemen, president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), that the government considered national communities as a link and resource, which also applies to the ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania and Szekler land. The performance of RMDSZ has been proof that this approach is correct, as the party’s activities have “considerably contributed to the development of bilateral cooperation”, he added.

He said that especially in the current period burdened by crises, “Hungary cannot afford not to maintain effective bilateral cooperation based on mutual respect and serving mutual interests”.

Szijjártó said the government would continue to support RMDSZ’s activities in order to ensure that the ethnic Hungarian communities further strengthen in Transylvania and Szekler land.

Kelemen said it was important to improve living conditions for ethnic Hungarians in Romania, in order to stop the shrinking of the community. This requires good relations between the two countries and pragmatic cooperation, he added.

“We don’t need to agree on everything … what’s most important is that the two states identify common points of view and there are a whole lot of them,” he said.

Deputy PM: Schools best tool to preserve identity, communities and culture of Hungarians across borders

school buses transylvania

Maintaining schools and Hungarian-language education is key to preserving Hungarian communities across the borders, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén said on Monday, at the inauguration of 38 school buses for transporting Hungarian children to school in Transylvania.

Unveiling buses operated by the Rákoczi Foundation, Semjén said currently 252,000 children were enrolled in Hungarian-language education in the Carpathian Basin, in 1,700 kindergartens, 1,243 elementary schools, 259 secondary schools and 20 colleges of tertiary education, he said.

The Hungarian government also supports many children in Hungarian education with a HUF 100,000 (EUR 260) annual grant, he added.

Gergely Gulyás, the head of the prime minister’s office, said that schools were the “best tool to preserve the identity, communities and culture of Hungarians across the borders”. The government has taken on the responsibility of caring for the lives of Hungarians across the borders, as enshrined in the Fundamental Law, he said.

The government supported the purchase of the buses with a HUF 500 million (EUR 1.3 million) grant, and the Rákóczi Foundation provided HUF 150 million (EUR 391,000), he said.

Hunor Kelemen, the head of the ethnic Hungarian RMDSZ party in Romania, said the school bus programme would help 2,500 children to attend Hungarian-language schools in the country.

One of the jewels of Cluj Napoca renovated with Hungarian support

Transylvania

A parish house that belongs to the Reformed Church in Cluj Napoca (Kolozsvár), Romania, was inaugurated on Sunday, after undergoing a renovation supported by the Hungarian government.

Árpád János Potápi, the state secretary for policy affecting Hungarians beyond the borders, acknowledged the work of historical Hungarian churches in preserving Hungarian identity and faith. He also paid tribute to the role of Cluj Napoca in Hungarian history and its contribution to the Hungarian nation.

Béla Kató, a bishop for the Reformed Diocese of Transylvania, said the renovation was undertaken not just to preserve a landmark building, but to serve the local youth as “leaven for the future”.

The inauguration coincided with the start of the 14th Kolozsvár Hungarian Days in Romania.

Romanian extremists vandalise cemetery of Hungarian heroes?

úzvölgye valea uzului military cemetery

Police complaints were lodged on Monday by Csaba Borboly, Harghita County Council President, and Sándor Birtalan, Mayor of Sânmartin (Csíkszentmárton), after unknown persons vandalised information boards at the military cemetery in Valea Uzului (Úzvölgye), Romania. Mostly Hungarian soldiers are buried in the cemetery.

The Harghita County Municipality said in a statement that the incidents were detected on Monday and a complaint was filed with the county police for damage to public property, a Hungarian tabloid, Blikk, reported.

The information boards installed on the brick fence of the cemetery contain information in Hungarian and Romanian about the history of the area and the battles fought in the valley of Úz. According to the photos taken on site, more than a third of one of the signs has been broken by unknown perpetrators.

The municipalities concerned are asking for the authorities’ help in identifying those responsible for the damage, for legal action and for information on the progress of the investigation. They stress the importance of a swift and effective investigation of the case in order to maintain public order and safety and to respect public property.

This is the second police complaint in a month about the international military cemetery by the municipalities concerned. A few weeks ago, the mayor’s office of Sânmartin filed a criminal complaint with the Harghita County Police about the putting up of crosses at the cemetery on 8 July.

On 8 July, supporters of the Path of the Nation (Calea Neamului) and other Romanian organisations erected 150 wooden crosses in the international military cemetery to replace the concrete ones removed on 29 June. The smaller crosses, wrapped in Romanian national ribbon, were accompanied by a large one and a flagpole with the Romanian flag on it, the Hungarian News Agency, MTI, reported.

Government official: People challenge idea of Hungarian identity nowadays

Hungarian folk dance

Many are challenging the idea of national identity nowadays, Bence Rétvári, a state secretary at the interior ministry, said at the third All-Hungarian Mother Tongue Camp in Sátoraljaújhely, in north-eastern Hungary, on Tuesday.

“Some say material possessions are more important than Hungarian identity and the characteristics we are born with,” Rétvári said.

“Our innate qualities aren’t something we should leave behind, since it is what binds Hungarians and Christians together,” the state secretary said.

A camp organised by the Rákóczi Association can help its participants “get more out of themselves and overcome themselves”, Rétvári said, expressing hope that the students would return to the Sátoraljaújhely camp. Those attending the camp can learn more about Hungarian history, culture and language, he said.

Some 10,000 young Hungarians from beyond the border have attended the Rákóczi Association’s camps, Rétvári said, adding that some 1,000 Hungarians have taken part in the Kőrösi Csoma Sándor and Petőfi programme for Hungarian communities in the Carpathian Basin and in the diaspora.

Csongor Csáky, the Rákóczi Association’s president, told public media that this year’s camp is attended by students from the Carpathian Basin, Southern Transylvania and Transcarpathia, as well as from Canada, Spain and Australia.

Hungarian ambassador in Bucharest summoned over Orbán’s speech

orbán

Hungary has a vested interest in cooperation based on mutual respect with Romania because “it benefits both countries and both nations”, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Monday.

Szijjártó said on Facebook that it had caused no surprise that the Hungarian ambassador in Bucharest was summoned to the Romanian foreign ministry. The meeting was held in a calm and polite manner and atmosphere, he added.

Referring to a recent speech by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the Bálványos Summer University who said that he had received a document from the Romanian foreign ministry with suggestions on the topics he should not talk about, Szijjártó said the Romanian deputy state secretary “practically repeated the same points” but in an updated form since Orbán’s speech has already been delivered. Read our article about the keynote speech here – PM Orbán keynote speech: the USA does not accept China’s victory and may go to war.

Szijjártó said Hungary would continue to strive for cooperation based on mutual respect, “we will always talk about our plans and goals, and assess the current situation in a tone of respect”.

As we wrote before, Romanian nationalists in Băile Tușnad would send a message to Viktor Orbán during the Tusványos Festival by waving Romanian flags, saying that “Transylvania is always Romanian land” – video HERE

Deputy PM inaugurates House of Hungarian Affairs in Romania

House of Hungarian Affairs

Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén inaugurated the House of Hungarian Affairs in Miercurea Ciuc (Csíkszereda), in central Romania, on Saturday.

Addressing the ceremony, Semjén said the building, which was purchased and renovated by the School Foundation with the support of the Hungarian government, contained “everything that pertains to the Hungarian world”. He called for the establishment of “similar little Hungarian worlds” in Hungarian-inhabited localities.

The institution will be home to the Pro Economica Foundation, the Association of Szekler Farmers’ Organisations and the Eurotrans Foundation handling Hungarian citizenship matters. Hunor Kelemen, leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), highlighted the importance of partnership with the Hungarian government, saying that “every affair in Miercurea Ciuc is a Hungarian affair”.

Zoltan Levente Nagy, head of the School Foundation, said the purchase and the renovation of the building cost 793 million forints (EUR 2.1m).

Hungarian plane first to land at Transylvanian airport

Aeroexpress new Hungarian airline

Aeroexpress’ passenger aircraft was the first to land at the airport under construction in Remetea (Gyergyóremete), Transylvania, Romania, during a test flight, the Hungarian airline informed MTI (the Hungarian News Agency) on Tuesday.

They pointed out that the Embraer 120ER aircraft, which can carry 30 people, arrived in Remetea from Budapest. The aircraft passed the mandatory border control in Cluj-Napoca. The flight time from the Hungarian capital was one and a half hour.

Dániel Somogyi-Tóth, the founder of the airline, explained that they have been working for years to establish air links between Hungary and Transylvania, which is difficult to do by car or rail.

They plan to do this based on the experience of their parent company BASe Airlines Ltd. in Finland. There, they also use this method to reach the more difficult-to-reach areas.

Attila Balázs, the creator and builder of the airport, the head of the Bayer Construct group, said that next year they plan to launch two daily flights between Remetea and Budapest. One will provide connections for the group’s businesses, while the second will provide passenger transport for everyone, he stressed.

The Aeroexpress airline, founded last year, launched its first flights in autumn 2022. Since then, it has been operating four flights a week between Budapest and Cluj-Napoca, which are regularly full, the statement said.

Featured image: Illustration

Romanian nationalists to Orbán: ‘Transylvania Romanian land forever’

romanian nationalists banner transylvania

Romanian nationalists in Băile Tușnad would send a message to Viktor Orbán during the Tusványos Festival by waving Romanian flags, saying that “Transylvania is always Romanian land”.

The Orthodox Brotherhood posted a video of this on Saturday on one social media, Transtelex reports. The organisation’s leader, Dan Grăjdeanu, urged its members “not to be cowards” and to go to Băile Tușnad on Saturday 22 July, when Viktor Orbán will give a speech, and wave Romanian tricolours, thus signalling that “Transylvania will always remain Romanian land”.

“Let’s not be cowards, there is no danger, the place will be full of gendarmes and no one will hurt us for waving flags in our own country,” Grăjdeanu encourages his fellow citizens in the video.

On Monday, Mihai Tîrnoveanu, the leader of the Nemzet Útja (Path of the Nation), echoed the call. He said that “on Saturday in Băile Tușnad, we will need Romanian arms to hold the flags in front of Viktor Orbán”. He recalls that last year, him and a companion attended the event and held up a banner reading “Something is eternal: Transylvania, Romanian land!” (see Featured image), for which they were booed, shouted at, spat on, and Orbán even compared them to drug addicts, even though they “were gentle”, as Tîrnoveanu recalls. According to the man, it was then that they agreed to return to Băile Tușnad this year and would no longer be “alone”.

According to Transtelex, after the incident, Tîrnoveanu called on the Romanian Presidency and the government to ban Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “private visits” to the Romanian state, as they are in fact political in nature and have objectives that seriously violate the Romanian Constitution.

Two Hungarian cyclists were killed in Slovakia, motorcyclists died in Romania – PHOTOS

fatal accident Hungarian cyclists were killed Slovakia

Two Hungarian citizens have died in a road accident in Ábelfalva, Slovakia.

According to ÚjSzó, the 34-year-old driver of a Hyundai Santa Fe hit a 41-year-old cyclist and a 53-year-old cyclist on Sunday afternoon in the village in the Losonc district. According to information from Topky.sk, an ambulance helicopter arrived at the scene, but the two cyclists died on the spot.

The circumstances of the accident are still under investigation.

Two Hungarian motorcyclists were killed in Romania

Two motorcyclists from Hungary were killed and a third seriously injured in an accident on Sunday afternoon on the main road 68 between Karánsebes (Caransebeș) and Hátszeg (Hațeg), Romania.

According to Agerpress, the accident was caused by a 56-year-old driver who tried to overtake a group of cars with his car and collided with a group of six motorcyclists coming from the opposite direction. Two Hungarian motorcyclists were killed and a third was seriously injured in the accident. The latter was taken to hospital by paramedics.

The police have opened an investigation into the case on suspicion of manslaughter and manslaughter causing bodily harm.

As we wrote 10 days ago, a car hit a cyclist and then collided with another car on Árpád Bridge shortly after midnight on 1 July 2023. Several people were injured in the accident, the cyclist died in the hospital – Accident video here

VIDEO: Hungarian climber on 9th highest peak: Go Transylvania! Go Partium!

varga csaba Nanga Parbat

Csaba Varga, a mountaineer from Oradea, Transylvania, Romania, climbed the world’s 9th highest mountain, Nanga Parbat, without the help of an oxygen tank and successfully descended it. The climber made a 3-minute video at 8125 metres.

Csaba Varga, the extreme sportsman, took a camera with him to the summit. The Facebook page Hazajáró has published the footage that Varga took at an altitude of 8125 metres above sea level.

According to the Hungarian caption, among other things, he says that he has reached the summit and that it was really hard. He then says “Hajrá Erdély! Hajrá Partium! Hajrá Székelyföld! Hajrá Felvidék, Anyaország, Délvidék, Kárpátalja és Őrvidék!” This translates to:

“Go Transylvania! Go Partium! Go Szeklerland! Go Upper Hungary, Mother Country, Southern Land, Transcarpathia and Burgenland!”

Wizz Air plane turns back to Budapest, passengers reach destination 6 hours late

wizz air budapest

Wizz Air’s flight to Târgu Mures returned to Budapest yesterday, 29 June, shortly after taking off from Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport. According to passenger reports, the engine may have failed. They reached their destination with a 6-hour delay.

Wizz Air plane turns back to Budapest, passengers arrive to Romania 6 hours late

The incident was reported on social media by passengers on board. The plane’s path can be traced on Flightradar, according to spabook.net. What exactly was the reason for the turnaround is not yet known for sure. However, it is not certain that compensation is due for a delay of almost 6 hours, napi.hu writes.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain speaking. Unfortunately, due to a very minor technical problem, we have to turn back to Budapest, as there is no mechanic at our destination, Târgu Mures, and we would be stuck there. The problem itself is not significant, but we have to return to Budapest, we will be landing in about 15 minutes and once we have landed I will inform you of the further developments. In the meantime, we apologise and thank you for your understanding,”

the captain told the passengers.

The engine may have failed

There were also 3 Hungarian DJs on board. They were on their way to Transylvania to perform. You can check their personal stories on their Instagram profiles before the 24 hours are up: @bredabiaa, @djstephanieofficial, @elektramusic_

Information on the engine was mentioned by several people. The mechanics apparently solved the problem quickly: the plane was able to complete the Budapest-Hurghada route that afternoon, although it took off for the Egyptian resort at 4:24 PM instead of the originally scheduled 2:45 PM.

Compensation is not certain

The passengers on their way to Târgu Mures were transported by a flight returning from Turkey, which finally took off at 1:17 PM Hungarian time and landed at 2:01 PM. As the flight was originally due to land at 8:10 PM, the delay was almost 6 hours, which could result in a compensation of EUR 250 per passenger for a journey of less than 1500 km.

However, in the case of technical failures, if the airline can prove that the failure could not have been avoided by regular maintenance and that the failure was unexpected (e.g. external influences), the claim cannot be validated, napi.hu explains.