The Danube Institute, a prominent international ideological centre supported by the Orbán government, has spent over half a billion forints in public funds on foreign personnel over the past three years.
According to a report by Átlátszó.hu the institute’s activities, have raised questions about adherence to U.S. lobbying laws. Some U.S.-based collaborators reportedly authored political articles for American publications without registering as foreign agents, as required by U.S. law.
Source: Facebook / Orbán Viktor
The Danube Institute’s goals
The Danube Institute’s stated mission is to promote conservative and national values through conferences, publications, and research by visiting scholars. While it employs Hungarian experts, it also attracts foreign journalists, academics, and members of think tanks, many of whom regularly contribute to conservative media globally.
These visiting scholars, or “fellows,” receive substantial financial compensation, which forms a significant part of the institute’s budget. In recent years, operating costs have escalated: HUF 76.76 million (around EUR 200,000) was spent on visiting researchers in 2022, HUF 179 million (around EUR 460,000) in 2023, and a record HUF 284.6 million (around EUR 740,000) in 2024. These expenses are largely covered by public funds managed by the Lajos Batthyány Foundation, a public-interest entity.
In addition to funding researchers, the Danube Institute also supports conference speakers with its funding. While the highest speaker fee in 2024 was HUF 36.6 million (about EUR 94,000), most receive significantly less, with typical fees ranging from HUF 200,000 to HUF 400,000 (approximately EUR 500 to 1,000). These figures illustrate the institute’s growing financial investment in its international network.
The American connection
One of the Danube Institute’s key allies is the Heritage Foundation, a U.S.-based conservative think tank with an agenda that aligns closely with Orbán’s policies. This partnership could influence U.S. policy significantly if Donald Trump were to secure a second presidential term. The Heritage Foundation is leading the “2025 Project,” a strategic plan aimed at restructuring the U.S. federal government by placing Trump-aligned conservatives in key roles. Certain elements of this initiative are reportedly inspired by Orbán’s consolidation of power, reinforcing ties between the Heritage Foundation and the Danube Institute.
Source: Facebook / Orbán Viktor
Compliance issues with U.S. lobbying laws
Some of the Danube Institute’s U.S.-based collaborators have reportedly been commissioned to produce political content for U.S. media, raising potential compliance issues with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Under FARA, individuals working on behalf of foreign governments or entities must register if they engage in political activities or lobbying in the U.S.
The Danube Institute employs foreign researchers who contribute to media outlets in both the U.S. and Europe, some of whom have contracts specifying a focus on U.S. media. This practice may qualify as lobbying and thus necessitate registration, as engaging in activities designed to influence public opinion in the U.S. on behalf of a foreign entity falls under FARA’s purview. As of now, no foreign researchers associated with the Danube Institute have registered under FARA, raising concerns about potential legal repercussions.
The global influence of the Danube Institute
While the institute’s U.S. initiatives have attracted considerable attention, its influence extends well beyond America. The Danube Institute has forged partnerships with numerous European think tanks and political entities, including organisations linked to the Polish government. These collaborations bolster Orbán’s ideological influence across conservative circles in Europe, cementing Hungary’s status as a model for right-wing political movements across the continent.
Pro-government media is undeniably one of the most potent tools for Prime Minister Orbán’s administration. For instance, the government controls all regional newspapers, providing a significant advantage over opposition parties. However, PM Orbán remains dissatisfied with current government messaging and intends to make substantial changes.
Orbán’s discontent and planned overhaul
As we detailed in THISarticle, based on Szabad Európa’s information, PM Orbán has voiced dissatisfaction with the performance of his candidates, pro-government media outlets, and overall strategy following the 9 June European Parliamentary elections. Sources informed Szabad Európa, an independent Hungarian media outlet, that Orbán plans to replace underperforming MPs and candidates, potentially including Fidesz deputy head Szilárd Németh. The prime minister appears dissatisfied with the newer generation of Fidesz leaders, who, he feels, have not worked hard enough for their successes. Additionally, Orbán is encouraging more public endorsements to deflect future criticisms.
Who will be in target during Orbán’s purge? Photo: MTI
Despite these measures, the prime minister faces a strong challenger for the first time in over 15 years. Recent polls show Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party leading Fidesz by 1-2%—a situation Hungary has not witnessed since 2006. Magyar’s success has multiple roots, from Hungary’s economic crisis and stagnant GDP and wage growth to recent Fidesz scandals, such as the resignation of President Katalin Novák, alongside Magyar’s exceptional communication skills.
Orbán’s critique of pro-government media
Unwilling to risk a potential defeat in the 2026 elections, Orbán has begun sharpening his focus. In his 23 October speech, he labelled Péter Magyar a “Brussels puppet” who would uncritically implement EU policies. However, he recognises that only a stronger, more dynamic pro-government media network can effectively convey this message to the public.
23 October commemoration of the Tisza Party in Budapest. Photo: MTI/Balogh Zoltán
According to Forbes, Orbán intends to diversify the pro-government media network. This restructuring aims to create a broader, more intellectual communication spectrum, with a wider range of content and outlets, as an insider revealed to the Hungarian press.
In a recent speech at Kötcse, a private gathering for his supporters, PM Orbán was critical of government-aligned influencers and the homogeneous nature of current messaging. He emphasised that they must not only hold but win the debate on various key policies, from healthcare and education to transport infrastructure.
Read also:
Péter Magyar rallies opposition at Budapest demonstration, calling for change in 2026 – read more HERE
Former President Donald Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris 48% to 46% nationally, with margin of error of 3.1%, according to CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey. In 7 swing states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Trump leads Harris 48% to 47%, with margin of error of 4%.
As the US presidential election approaches, the most recent polls show former President Donald Trumpleading Vice President Kamala Harris in the race, with the economy playing a role in voters’ decisions.
A poll released Thursday by CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey showed that Trump leading Harris 48% to 46% nationally, with a margin of error of 3.1%.
In the seven battleground states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – Trump leads Harris 48% to 47%, with a margin of error of 4% for that portion of the poll.
Trump in Las Vegas. Photo: FB/Trump
This survey highlighted that many voters view the economy as the most important issue, with a significant number trusting Trump to handle it better than Harris.
According to the CNBC survey, 42% of voters believe they would be better off financially if Trump is elected, compared to 24% for Harris.
About 29% felt their financial situation would remain the same no matter who wins.
Similarly, a poll conducted by the Financial Times in collaboration with the University of Michigan Ross School of Business yielded similar findings. It revealed that 44% of voters trusted Trump more on economic issues, while 43% supported Harris.
According to the poll, when asked who would help them financially, 45% chose Trump, while 37% picked Harris.
Photo: FB/Harris
Meanwhile, RealClearPolitics, which tracks national and regional polls, found Harris leading by 0.3 percentage points nationwide. But, Trump holds a 0.9-point lead in the seven swing states.
Another recent Wall Street Journal survey, released on Wednesday, found Trump two percentage points ahead of Harris nationally. The poll showed Trump with 47% and Harris with 45%.
Read also:
Orbán cabinet official: Stakes in US presidential election have never been higher – read more HERE
The government’s new economic action plan could produce “fantastic results” in 2025, if Hungary follows through with its policy of economic neutrality, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a weekly interview with public radio on Friday.
French President’s key role
Orbántold Kossuth Radio that the package of 20-25 measures could lift Hungary’s economic growth rate over the rates of all of the rest of the countries in Europe.
Orbán said French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as Mario Draghi, the former European Central Bank governor, had drawn “harsher conclusions” about the state of Europe. Macron, he added, had warned that Europe’s economy “could die” if urgent measures were not taken to improve the bloc’s competitiveness. The topic of Europe’s economic difficulties is not unique to the Hungarian perspective but an opinion shared by European leaders, he added.
“Now the Hungarians aren’t the only ones in the crowd that see the emperor has no clothes,” Orbán said.
He acknowledged the French president’s “key role” in establishing a new, more competitive European economy.
He noted that Hungary would host a summit of the European Political Community on November 7 to discuss Europe’s economic competitiveness. He added that EU leaders would hold a summit one day later, dedicated to the subject of the community’s competitiveness. He noted that the summit would take place just two days after the US presidential election “which could easily create a completely new situation in world politics”.
Photo: FB/Orbán
Hungary should remain neutral
On another subject, Orbán argued for economic neutrality and said that Hungary had to go its own path.
Around the fall of communism, when it became clear that the Soviet economic model was not competitive, Hungary switched to capitalism and took over elements and institutions of the market economy that had made Western countries successful, Orbán said.
Orbán said now it was the western world that was in trouble, and Hungary could not take over Eastern economic methods “because they are impossible to imitate for cultural reasons”. He warned, however, that “if Hungary continues along with the West … in the end we will fall into the abyss and die together with the Western economy.” So Hungary’s only solution, he said, was to shape an economic model to fit its own culture, from the examples seen worldwide. “We must take over everything that’s good for us from the West as well as from the East, but nothing that’s not good for us. To keep it simple, we call that approach and policy economic neutrality,” Orbán said.
Orbán radio interview in the Kossuth Rádió. Photo: MTI
Orbán insisted that “a cold-war philosophy which has taken over the West” since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine had “presented itself in the economy, too.” “Reviving the Cold War is a bad idea,” he said.
Staying away from Ukraine-Russia war
Hungary has the right to pursue an economic policy of its own, Orbán said, adding that “it is just a matter of ability, courage and skill to enforce that right.” If Hungary managed to stay out of the Russia-Ukraine war, it would “stay away from an ill-advised economic policy built on war logic,” he said. He added that the Hungarian government “needs to do well at talks in the closed back rooms of politics … but Hungarians have never performed poorly there, and there is no need for us to feel inferior.” “We usually do well in difficult power talks, and we have stayed away from the war and received written guarantees that we won’t have to participate in the war during the term of the new NATO secretary-generay,” Orbán said. The Hungarian government has negotiated the continued possibility of purchasing gas and oil from Russia, while “the whole of the European Union distances itself from Russian energy”, he added. “We have always found room for manoeuvre … there is no point in holding the low-spirited belief that the great countries would suppress us anyway,” the prime minister said.
“One would have thought that there is no room to manoeuvre in the Russia-Ukraine war, because if the whole European Union sings the same tune, one country could not stay out; still we did,” Orbán said, adding that “they are up to their eyes in a losing war, and Hungary isn’t, because we’ve never joined”.
“If God helps us, those standing for peace replace those rooting for war in America, and President [Donald] Trump returns, we will be relieved because we are no longer alone,” Orbán said.
“Mr Prime Minister, go away”
According to Orbán, a decision orchestrated by the European People’s Party had been made in Brussels. “They said it is over Mr Prime Minister, go away, you and your government, here we have a new prime minister to be and a would-be ruling party; we in Brussels support them,” he said.
Orbán insisted that this had been expected “as the same thing happened in Poland, and then came Prime Minister Donald Tusk.”
“Brussels wants a jawohl-government,” Orbán said.
Hungarians, however, are expected to resist that pressure, “we don’t want a puppet government”.
“This is not just a question of power; Brussels has economy policy disputes with Hungary, and it would seriously impact the people if we gave in … the question is not who the prime minister is but what ramifications the people will suffer,” he added.
The EU wanted higher PIT, and that Hungary scrap taxes on multinational companies and the utility price caps which are largely born by the same companies, he said. The EU had also called for a pension reform “that would amount to scrapping the 13th month pension”, they would reform farm subsidies and strip or reduce funding for 160-170,000 Hungarian farmers, Orbán said.
Those “in cahoots with Brussels” will be implementing those programmes, he said.
At the same time, economic policy will be determined largely by whether the war in Ukraine expands further, he said. “If Donald Trump returns and wins, the chances of that happening will be zero.”
Spending more on military
Otherwise, the war and the constant danger of escalation will warrant an economic policy allocating a larger part of GDP to military expenditures, he said.
He said it was in Hungary’s “fundamental interest” for a government to be in power in the United States that would say the war in Ukraine must spread no further. “If that happens…we’ve put together a package that can bring the Hungarian economy out of the difficult period it has been in since 2020,” he added.
He noted that the economy had been on the upward path until 2019, when it was hit by the pandemic, then the war, the impact of sanctions policies and inflation. “We need to find a way out of that difficult 4-5 year period, and I think we have found it,” he added.
The government’s new economic action plan could produce “fantastic results” in 2025, if Hungary follows through with its policy of economic neutrality, Orbán said.
Orbán said the package of 20-25 measures could lift Hungary’s economic growth rate over the rates of all of the rest of the countries in Europe.
Orbán said talks between employers and unions on wage increases were “progressing well”. He said the average wage could reach HUF 1 million/month “in the foreseeable future”, while the minimum wage could be raised to HUF 400,000/month in the coming years in the framework of a multi-year wage agreement.
New National Consultation
Regarding the National Consultation survey, Orbán said it was aiming “to strengthen foundations”, as “the only point of reference in the fight with Brussels is the will of the Hungarian people.”
“If Hungarians call for economic neutrality and an independent Hungarian economic policy … used to raise wages and tackle housing issues, then that can be protected,” he said.
Orbán proud on the new national consultation:
The National Consultation strengthens Hungary and the government, “that is how we created 1 million new jobs, and migration wasn’t stopped by the government alone — Hungarians have communicated their expectations first,” Orbán said.
Meanwhile, “Brussels bureaucrats and a few larger states” said the migration pact was a good thing, and voted to speed up implementation. Hungary’s opposition, with the exception of the Our Homeland (Mi Hazank) party, has also voted in favour, and supported penalising Hungary and withholding border protection funding, Orbán said. “Fidesz-KDNP politicians fought well but we weren’t enough in the European Parliament, maybe we will be more successful in the European Council.”
Read also:
Recent poll: Tisza Party gains momentum, outshining Hungary’s leading Fidesz Party – read more HERE
Hungary’s PM Orbán wantsthis Balkans country to join the EU ASAP
Whatever happens in world politics, Hungary and Montenegro can count on each other, “see each other positively” and have no political or economic conflict, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on Thursday, after talks with Montenegrin counterpart Milojko Spajic in Budapest.
Orbánwelcomed Spajic’s first official visit to Hungary, and that they were able to discuss bilateral and international issues alike.
The Brics summit, “the summit of the eastern world”, is under way in Kazan with 31 countries in attendance, and Hungary is about to host a “meeting of the West”, with the leaders of more than 40 countries expected, Orbán said.
“We can now speak openly of the EU’s ailments; since Mario Draghi published his report, this taboo has become an open topic,” Orbán said.
Orbán said that currently, the European Union’s enlargement was one of the most important international issues. The bloc’s competitiveness is falling, its economic weight in the world waning, he warned, adding that and Hungary is promoting to inject “new momentum and resources” in the bloc’s economy by the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans.
PM Milojko Spajic and PM Orbán. Photo: MTI
Montenegro is possibly the best-prepared country in the region, Orbán said, praising the region’s states for doing a “fantastic job” in adapting the EU’s judiciary system. Nevertheless, not a single chapter of the accession process had been concluded in seven years, he said.
The EU had “neglected” Western Balkans enlargement and the process had started to lag then stopped, Orbán said. The Hungarian presidency of the European Council had pledged to “change that sorry state of affairs,” he said. Four chapters are expected to be closed in December, “which is a huge step”, and four others are close to being concluded, he said.
Photo: MTI
Bilateral cooperation between Hungary and Montenegro has also been thriving, with bilateral trade “breaking records nearly every year”, and Hungarian companies playing an important role in Montenegro’s economy, Orbán said. Electricity trade and Hungarian bank OTP are thriving, Podgorica is connected “with several European cities” by Hungarian discount airline Wizz Air, and Hungarian telecom company 4iG is the second largest player on the Montenegrin market, he said.
Orbán noted that Montenegro also welcomed Hungarian companies and invited further invesetors at the talks on Thursday.
“We have agreed that this is a good path and we designated new areas for economic cooperation,” Orbán said.
EU to close four chapters on Montenegro accession in December, says FM Szijjártó
The European Union and Montenegro will close four chapters on the latter’s EU integration, in December, before the end of Hungary’s EU presidency, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Thursday, adding that it would mark “great progress” in the community’s enlargement in the Western Balkans.
Integrating the Western Balkans is “in the interest of the European Union, as the EU’s competitiveness and weight in global politics and in the economy appears to be diminishing,” the foreign ministry quoted Szijjártó as saying. He added that “the only way out is through finding new momentum and fresh energy, which could mostly be borrowed from the Western Balkans.”
Photo: FB/Szijjártó
Integration of the region is also in the interest of Hungary “since we, living in the neighbourhood, know the difference between times when the Western Balkans is in peace and calm and when it is not,” he said.
Szijjártó noted that the integration process had slowed down, adding that the EU and Montenegro had not concluded a single one of 33 open chapters in the past seven years. He said the first four chapters were scheduled to be closed at an EU-Montenegro conference in Brussels on December 17, adding that he would chair the meeting on behalf of the Hungarian government.
The chapters to be concluded concern Montenegro’s performance in terms of the common foreign and security policy, the media in Montenegro, intellectual property and industrial strategies in the country, the minister added.
Concluding chapters with Montenegro is “a great step”, he said, but added that “enlargement requires further work since it is clear that the matter is surrounded by a lot of hypocrisy in Europe.” “Whereas almost everybody supports enlargement publicly, behind closed doors that support is not nearly as enthusiastic,” he added.
Read also:
Orbán cabinet: Hungarian presidency to give impetus to EU enlargement in Western Balkans, Montenegro steps forward – read more HERE
Hungarian Foreign Minister: EU opensfirst stage of Albania accession negotiations
French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the swift and full implementation of recommendations contained in a report on European competitiveness at a meeting with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the Elysee Palace, the French presidential office said on Wednesday.
At a working dinner on Tuesday evening, the two leaders exchanged views on European matters, focusing on the current Hungarian presidency of the Council of the European Union, on continued support for Ukraine, and the security and defence challenges, the statement said. They also discussed preparations for a summit of the European Political Community to be held in Budapest on Nov 7, it added.
Macron and Orbán on 22 October 2024. Photo: MTI/Miniszterelnöki Sajtóiroda/Fischer Zoltán
Macron and Orbán also discussed preparations for an informal meeting of the European Council to be held in Budapest on Nov 8, centered on European competitiveness. The meeting will be attended by former Italian Prime Minister and former President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Mario Draghi, who wrote the strategic analysis on European competitiveness.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral relations between Hungary and France. Macron said France was ready to intensify its partnership with Hungary in several strategic areas, including defence and security issues such as energy delivery and nuclear energy, and wants to develop bilateral trade in the framework of the EU internal market, the statement said.
Brussels wants to oust Hungary’s national government which pursues an independent policy which they find intolerable and plant a puppet government in the country, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a speech of commemoration in Budapest’s Millenaris Park on Wednesday, marking the 68th anniversary of the 1956 revolution and freedom fight.
Orbán said Hungary was faced with a decision about whether to “bow to the will of foreigners, the will of Brussels” or to resist it. “This grave decision awaits Hungary right now,” he added. “Our reaction must be as clear and unambiguous as it was in 1956,” he declared. Orbánsaid Hungary would not take part in struggles between empires.
Photo: MTI/Koszticsák Szilárd
“We want one thing only, to live in peace here in the Carpathian Basin … according to our rules while seeking our own happiness.” Referring to the Russia-Ukraine war, he said Europe’s economy was “falling into the war” and “millions of families” would be “ruined” unless action was taken to stop the tendency. “Let’s not drop this, my friends!”
Orbán: 1956 shows ‘we must fight solely for Hungary’s freedom’
PM Orbán said at the commemoration of the 68th anniversary of the anti-Soviet uprising in 1956 that the revolution had shown that “we must only ever fight for Hungary and Hungarians’ freedom”.
Pressure from Brussels was growing on Hungary and its government, Orbán told the event held at the Millenaris Park in Budapest. “We Hungarians also have to decide whether we want to go to war against Russia.” “Our political opponents think that we should: they say the moral of 1956 was that we should fight for Ukraine; indeed in Ukraine.” The world is closer to a world war than ever in the past 70 years, Orbán said.
“Everyone pretends not to see that the emperor has no clothes.” He said Europe’s leaders, “the Brussels bureaucrats”, had led the West into a “hopeless war”. “Their heads are addled by the hope of victory and they see this as the West’s war against Russia that they have to win, bring the enemy to its knees and squeeze them for everything they’ve got.” Orbán said they were trying to push the entire EU into the war. “They have published the new victory plan which amounts to expanding the war,” he added.
Orbán: Empires will do everything to guarantee there’s a Hungarian who invites them in
“Hungarians are a freedom-loving and freedom-fighting people”, Orbán said. He declared that no occupier had succeeded in taming Hungarians. He said that empires preferred to be invited in and “will do everything to guarantee there’s a Hungarian who calls them in”. But Hungarians, he added, did not “tolerate humiliation”. “All puppet governments and empires should understand and never forget that we waged the brightest freedom fight of world revolutions. We taught them forever: never hurt Hungarians,” he said. The prime minister thanked special guests at the event who helped to protect the country during the recent floods.
Orbán: Hungary not afraid of ‘imperialist blackmail’
Hungarians have proven “a hundred times” that they will not give in “if the current empire blackmails them”, Orbán said.
“We know they want to force us into war,” Orbán said in Budapest’s Millenaris Park. “We know they want to dump migrants on us. We know they want to hand our children over to gender activists.” Referring to the opposition Tisza Party and its leader, Péter Magyar, Orbán said Hungarians knew that “they have picked the puppet government and party they want to install, and they have their man for the job … the ideal candidate to head a puppet government”.
Orbán: ‘We shall not allow Hungary to be turned into a vassal of Brussels’
“We shall not allow Hungary to be turned into a puppet state, a vassal of Brussels,” Orbán said. Speaking at the celebration at Budapest’s Millenaris Park, Orbán said the 1956 revolution had created unity and a common will but had lacked the strength necessary to take sovereign action. “Today, the right-wing government has the backing of strong national unity, a common will and strength,” he said. “Today, there’s an opportunity to take sovereign action, and I promise you that we shall use it.” “To be Hungarian means to fight; this is the message and the demand of the heroes of fifty-six.” “We Hungarians can and will do it. We will do it again,” Orbán said.
The 23rd of October is Hungary’s National Holiday, commemorating both the 1956 Revolution and the 1989 proclamation of the Hungarian Republic. The 1956 Revolution is one of the most significant events in 20th-century Hungarian history, as the Hungarian people rose against the Stalinist dictatorship and Soviet occupation. This day is a public holiday, marked by numerous events and activities held across the country.
The commemoration of the 23rd of October holds great significance for the Hungarian people, with many regions offering a variety of programmes for visitors. In this article, we provide an overview of what to expect on this day, based on a list compiled by Travelo.hu.
Source: Pixabay
Events in Budapest and surrounding areas
In Budapest, the 23rd of October commemorations traditionally begin at the Parliament, where the Holy Crown is displayed free of charge. The programme then continues at the Hungarian Radio building, featuring speeches, a wreath-laying ceremony, and a torch-lit procession. Additionally, a 1956-themed film marathon will take place at the Corvin Cinema, showcasing films that revisit the events of the 1956 Revolution.
On 23rd October, the day starts with a flag-raising ceremony at 9 a.m. in Kossuth Square, followed by free entry to both the Parliament and the House of Terror Museum throughout the day. At 11 a.m., Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will deliver a speech at the open-air stage in Millenáris Park to commemorate the 1956 Revolution. According to Origo, special guests will include members of the recent flood defence teams and their families, with the event open to all without prior registration.
At the Szentendre Open-Air Ethnographic Museum, the countryside’s role in the 1956 Revolution is highlighted through the programme, The Revolution of the Countryside. Museum theatre performances and thematic guided tours will depict daily life in the 1950s and the challenging aftermath of the revolution. This is an excellent opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the period and better understand the lives of the revolutionaries.
Source: Pixabay
Commemorations in the countryside
In Szekszárd, a commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony will be held in Szent István Square, accompanied by cultural programmes and concerts. Performances by local artists will enhance the celebrations, and all events are free to attend. It promises to be a cost-effective yet meaningful way to enjoy the day, with entertainment for the whole family.
In Keszthely on the 23rd of October, the 1956 Revolution is honoured with a full-day event at Fenékpuszta Manor. Visitors of all ages can enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, craft activities, and children’s entertainment. The free programmes provide a relaxing and cultural experience for all.
Source: Pixabay
Meanwhile, in Hévíz on the 23rd of October, speeches and commemorations will be accompanied by family-friendly entertainment. Both children and adults can take part in a day full of activities, including games and creative workshops for kids. Hévíz is an ideal destination for families looking to spend the day together.
The national holiday on the 23rd of October is not only about honouring history; it also provides a wonderful opportunity for families to spend quality time together through a variety of activities. With events taking place in both Budapest and the countryside, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Western leaders are “in panic” over illegal migration, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit on the protection of the European Union’s external borders in Komarno (Revkomarom), in southern Slovakia, on Tuesday.
“Panic only breeds bad decisions,” Orbán said, pointing to measures such as suspending free movement within the Schengen area and re-introducing border controls, “so illegal migration dismantled the greatest achievement of the European Union, free movement across the borders.” It was predictable that the crime rate would grow and the migration pact would exacerbate rather than solve the problem, “so the pact is the problem itself,” he said.
Migration ‘greatest problem’
Photo: FB/Orbán
The greatest problem threatening to pull the European Union apart is migration, Orbán said, calling for change, adding that the EU’s migration pact “must be thrown out” and all new solutions have to be sought.
Speaking after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit on the protection of the EU’s external borders in Komarno (Revkomarom) in Slovakia on Tuesday, Orbán said that while migration was itself a serious problem, “it will destroy cooperation within the bloc” when coupled with bad leadership. “The prime minister of Slovakia and I are ready to participate in creating new rules because the current ones must certainly be forgotten and new ones must be drafted,” Orbán said.
Orbán: Cooperation with Slovakia, Serbia in Hungary’s vital interest
Cooperation with Slovakia and Serbia is in Hungary’s vital interest, and Hungary is ready to continue it “in its current form”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told a press conference after a Hungarian-Slovak-Serbian summit in Komarno (Révkomárom) in Slovakia on Tuesday.
Slovakia is among Hungary’s ten most important economic partners, and bilateral trade with Serbia has grown six-fold during the presidency of Aleksandar Vucic, Orbán said. He said Serbian-Hungarian ties also played a role in Hungary’s economic neutrality through Serbia’s free trade agreement with China. Serbia and Slovakia are also crucial for Hungary’s energy independence, Orbán said.
Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, has gained from state-backed deals, sparking concerns of cronyism. His ventures, including real estate, receive government support and inflated buyouts, highlighting a pattern of state capitalism favouring politically connected figures.
Big plans before 2026?
Válasz Online suggests that Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, is set to benefit from another lucrative state-backed deal as his company, Waberer’s Group, develops a logistics base in Ecser, scheduled to be purchased by Magyar Posta in 2026. This reflects a recurring pattern of government support for Tiborcz, where state institutions acquire assets from his business ventures, often at inflated prices. The government has also discreetly invested billions in properties and solar plants linked to Tiborcz’s circle, raising further concerns of favouritism. This strategy of state capitalism shields politically connected figures like Tiborcz from market risks, enabling them to profit significantly through state aid, favourable loans, and strategic acquisitions, casting doubt on the transparency of Hungary’s economic policies.
Major real estate projects
The development of major real estate projects tied to Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, reveals a pattern of state-backed financial support and preferential treatment. The Dürer Park project, managed by Tiborcz’s private equity fund, was declared a priority investment by the Orbán government in 2021, exempting it from local regulations and fast-tracking its approval. Similar support was given to other developments, such as those at Bosnyák Square and BudaPart, where state-owned banks provided substantial loans. By 2022-23, the government discreetly purchased significant portions of these projects at inflated prices, likely costing over HUF 600 billion (EUR 1.50 billion), ensuring substantial profits for those involved.
Magyar Posta logistic centre
Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, through his majority-controlled Waberer’s Group, recently completed a major logistics centre in Ecser, near Budapest, marking the company’s largest greenfield investment to date. The 13.5-hectare site, acquired from billionaire Dániel Jellinek, benefited from significant state support. The Hungarian government has also classified the project as of national economic importance. In a move that further solidifies Tiborcz’s position, Magyar Posta will purchase the centre from Waberer’s after its completion in early 2026, positioning this deal as one of the key business ventures of the current parliamentary term.
The Democratic Coalition (DK) will field candidates in all 106 individual constituencies in the 2026 general election, Ferenc Gyurcsány, the leftist opposition party’s leader, said on Saturday.
DK will start announcing their candidates in early November, Gyurcsány said at an event marking the 13th anniversary of the founding of the party. In his speech streamed online, Gyurcsány called out Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for controlling “our common narrative” and said that today, only the Democratic Coalition could deliver a “credible narrative”.
He said the reason for the opposition’s loss in the 2022 election was not that they had joined forces but rather that they had not had their own shared story. Gyurcsány said Hungary’s interests lay in making Europe stronger, arguing that it was through Europe that Hungary could participate in the global competition. He said Hungary was a sovereign country, but also called for strengthening Europe’s sovereignty.
He called for the establishment of a new alliance of democracies that espouse Western values. Klára Dobrev, the party’s MEP, said she was proud that DK had never compromised on the kind of Europe, Hungary and world it represented.
The Tisza Party is working to revive the Visegrád Group and supplement it with the rest of the countries of Central Europe, Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition party, said at the congress of the New Slovenia – Christian Democrats party in Ljubljana on Saturday.
Tisza Party’s press service said Magyar was in agreement with German MEP Sven Simon and Matej Tonin, the leader of New Slovenia, that Slovenia, Hungary and Germany needed change as soon as possible and advocated a strong Europe built on sovereign member states that respect each other, as well as the protection of European Union borders and the strengthening of European competitiveness.
“Speaking as the leader of the Hungarian opposition, Péter Magyar said it was becoming apparent in more places in Europe that Hungary was not equivalent with Viktor Orbán,” the Tisza Party said in its statement.
Péter Magyar, the leader of the opposition Tisza party, on Friday said Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was like the captain of the Titanic, “driving the ship into an iceberg then lying to the passengers about how he’ll steer it in their interest.”
Commenting on Orbán’sradio interview on Friday, Magyar accused Orbán of “turning Hungary into the poorest and most corrupt country of the European Union and then styling himself the future saviour of the homeland.”
While “lying” that Tisza would bring migrants into the country, “Orbán and his government let 2,000 imprisoned people smugglers go, turned the issue of residency bonds into a business, are building a migrant camp and they flooded rural Hungary with more than 100,000 Asian migrants,” Magyar told MTI in a statement.
Orbán “is also lying about peace while they are building weapon, armoured vehicle and ammunition factories, sent hundreds of Hungarian troops to civil war-torn Chad, and their closest allies in the Patriots for Europe party group are actively supporting weapon deliveries to Ukraine,” Magyar said.
Photo: FB/Magyar
The government was “one of the main helpers of Asian and global multinational companies” and their flawed policies had put Hungarian companies in impossible situations, Magyar said. “They squandered 1,000 billion forints of public funds on Asian investments of battery and EV plants alone,” he said. Meanwhile, mom-and-pop businesses are drowning under tax and administrative burdens, he said.
At the same time, Orbán “has turned members of his family and friends into trillionaires, even as 3 million Hungarians, 100,000 children among them, live under the poverty line,” he said.
“The time of lying is over, it is over, Mr. Prime Minister,” Magyar said.
According to the latest polls, the difference between Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party and Orbán’s Fidesz decreased to only 2%.
Read also:
End of flourishing tourism in Budapest? Airbnb moratorium, stricter rules, tax increase to come! – read more HERE
The war in Ukraine cannot be won using the victory plan of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, “we can only lose with this”, and Hungary will not be a part of it, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán told public broadcaster Kossuth Rádió on Friday.
Danger of war in Europe is near, says Orbán
Orbánsaid the EU was split into two groups on the war: “there is us and the others”. Hungary had said at the start of the war that it would not participate in the war effort, “while the rest of the EU countries are in it”, he said. While the EU is not in direct conflict with Russia, it is behaving like a warring party, Orbán said, adding that Hungary had made it clear at the beginning that this was a flawed strategy, “this war cannot be won, we need negotiations”.
The aim should be as swift an end to the war as possible “so as few as possible die, so Ukraine loses as little territory as possible, and Hungary and Europe can return to peaceful life … so we don’t have to burn billions of dollars and euros in this war, so we don’t have to impose sanctions and ruin European trade and the energy system, creating soaring energy prices and inflation…” Orbán said.
Photo: MTI
“And now, the other 26 countries of the EU are hearing in amazement that President Zelenskyhas a victory plan. Why, what did he have so far?” “What they had for a plan so far turned out to be a plan for defeat, and they are now trying to replace it with a victory plan,” Orbán said, adding that Hungary would not participate in that. Commenting on press reports on Ukraine planning to develop a nuclear bomb, Orbán said what he had heard from Zelensky “did not sound like Ukraine seriously thought they could develop into a nuclear power”. At the same time, “the possibility alone is frightening,” he said.
“Everyone feels” that the danger of the war erupting in Europe is near, and that is a fertile soil for “such half-information”, Orbán said. Secret services are working on ascertaining whether Ukraine has such plans, he added.
Brussels want to appoint their own Hungarian government
On EU politics, Orbán said the Europe envisioned by the European People’s Party would be bad for Hungarians, adding that Brussels wanted to appoint a government of its own to replace the current Hungarian administration.
Commenting on an image released by the EPP featuring the prime minister with text that reads “Time to go”, Orbán said that one of the reasons behind this could be Hungary’s position on the war. Orbán noted that he had proposed that the German chancellor and the French president begin talks with the Russians “either on their own or Europe’s behalf before the Americans arrive on the scene”.
PM Orbán and President Macron. Photo: MTI
He said the EPP “took things up a notch” in the last European Parliament debate where it had announced that it wanted to replace Hungary’s government with one belonging to their own grouping so that it could “pursue policies that are to Brussels’ liking, like taking in migrants, entering the war, accepting gender ideology and scrapping the child protection regime in Hungary”.
Orbán said the EPP also had “a lot of economic demands”, such as that Hungary should not “tax their multinationals or torment their banks”. Hungarians will decide on their leaders at the next elections, “until then, we need to work rather than campaign and ensure the success of our non-Brusselite policies in economics and foreign affairs,” Orbán said.
Russian position improved, Ukraine’s worsened
Since the start of the war, Russia’s position had improved and Ukraine’s worsened, “so it’s a good idea that we should negotiate from a position of strength, but we are weak; the victory plan is about us becoming strong at some point, but we’re losing the war right now.”
While all European countries have a war strategy, Hungary has a peace strategy, Orbán said, calling for a “peace or at least a ceasefire, and concluding the conflict with the smallest possible losses and the best possible perspectives.”
Orbán said the EU was currently facing the biggest challenges in areas that Hungary had found answers to, pointing to migration, the utility price caps and the war in Ukraine as examples. “What we are doing in Hungary is more or less what the European people would like to see at home, but their governments are doing the opposite.”
With the leaders of the Patriots for Europe. Photo: MTI
Everyone in Europe today oppose migration
Orbán said everyone in Europe today opposed migration, and apart from European governments no “normal person” supported it. “They’d give an arm for conditions related to migration to be the way they are in Hungary,” he added.
“But there’s no migration crisis here because we don’t let [migrants] in while they’re banging their head against a wall thinking how could they have been so careless to let in millions of migrants whom they can’t do anything about now, and they just keep coming,” the prime minister said.
He said the situation was similar when it came to utility prices, with Europeans asking how it was possible that Hungarian families had the lowest electricity and gas bills.
Meanwhile, when it came to the Russia-Ukraine war, Europeans, he said, were asking why it was that their own governments were “up to their neck in the war” while Hungary was pro-peace like most of the European people.
Orbán said Hungary served as an example for Europeans in opposition to their own governments, which left those governments in an uncomfortable situation.
He said he tried “not to provoke” the other European governments on this issue “so that they leave us alone”, but European leaders felt “that this is not merely about Hungary, but also that they could make changes to their Europe policy, economic policy, military policy, energy policy and migration policy”.
Hungary needs to pursue its own economic policy
“The biggest problem with us is that we’re successful,” he said, citing the examples of economic growth and the issue of migration.
Orbán said this meant that Hungary “unwittingly poses a challenge to EU countries with bad policies”, and this also increased Hungary’s weight in the bloc. Noting that he met German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last week and is scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron the next, Orbán said “Hungary’s way of doing things and its success clearly increases its weight in foreign affairs.”
“I think our influence is greater than what the country’s size and actual economic and military strength would warrant,” he said.
Meanwhile, the prime minister said the next National Consultation surveying Hungarians on issues related to the economy would allow the foundations of a new economic policy to be laid.
Orbán said Hungary needed to pursue its own economic policy and augured “amazing” macroeconomic data in the first quarter of 2025. He added that the government’s 21-point action plan would give new impetus to the economy.
New National Consultation
He said Europe could not or did not want to adapt to the changing world, but Hungary, which could adapt quickly, had adopted a policy of economic neutrality that would put it ahead in the race, if that policy was affirmed in the National Consultation.
He acknowledged that a new economic policy came with difficulties, some risk and much work, and said digging in would require Hungarians’ support for pursing a policy that was particular to the country’s own needs.
Orbán said that in the event of a war, the government’s economic policy plans would “stay in the desk drawer”. He said they were “praying and rooting” for former US president Donald Trump’s victory in next month’s presidential election, and they trusted that Hungary could avert getting dragged into the war.
Orbán said another foundation of the government’s economic policy was keeping Hungary “a migrant-free area”. He said migration did not just come with a threat of terrorism, crime and tensions, but also cost a lot. He added that Hungary had been fined by Brussels for not letting in migrants, but letting them in would be a far greater financial burden.
Orbán also noted the government’s plans to introduce wage hikes, make housing cheaper, doubling family tax breaks for children, and support for small and medium-sized businesses.
Europe’s competitiveness deteriorated
He said the new economic policy would have a noticeable impact on everyday life next year if Hungarians gave it their backing in the public survey.
Orbán said that while Europe’s competitiveness had deteriorated recently, China’s and the US’ had improved, but Europe was responding with isolation and tariffs. The prime minister said this was the wrong approach, and Hungary’s economic policy was based on connectivity and trade neutrality.
“We must trade and compete with everyone and find a way to participate in every competitive international company; and we must cooperate so that Hungary can also get a share of the large amount of economic profits generated in the world,” Orbán said.
Read also:
Hungarian forint at 4-month low against USD, further weakening ahead? – read more HERE
Árpád János Potápi, the state secretary in charge of policies for Hungarian communities abroad, has died unexpectedly at the age of 57.
Potápi died unexpectedly, Hungary’s leaders shocked
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán bade farewell to Potápi on Facebook, saying: “Árpád Potápi fought for all Hungarians and now he’s gone to rest. God bless you my friend! I will miss you!”
Deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjén and Fidesz group leader Máté Kocsis also bade farewell to Potápi.
Potápiwas born in Bonyhád in 1967, he acquired a primary school teaching degree at Juhász Gyula College in Szeged in 1991, and graduated from Budapest’s Eötvös Loránd University with a degree in history in 1994, the government website kormany.hu said.
He got involved in politics in 1993, becoming a lawmaker in 1998 and a ruling Fidesz deputy parliamentary group leader between 2011 and 2014. Since 2014, he was state secretary in charge of policies for Hungarian communities abroad.
Political and civil organisations from Transyalvania also bade farewell to Potápi on Facebook.
Photo: MTI
Transylvanian Hungarians also say farewell
Hunor Kelemen, the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) said Potápi had been “an old friend” who “shaped policies for Hungarian communities abroad actively and persistently over the past decade and a half”.
The Hungarian Alliance of Transylvania (EMSZ) said Potápi had served the nation’s common goals and “Transylvanian Hungarians could always rely on him under any circumstances”.
The Transylvanian Hungarian Public Culture Association (EMKE) said Potápi had considered support for the ethnic Hungarian civil organisations in the Carpathian Basin not only a job but his vocation.
Read also:
Government official Potápi visitedHungarians living in Sweden
Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Hungarians beyond borders receivemoney from Hungarian government
The European Union must change its current “war strategy” to a “strategy of peace”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in Brussels on Thursday, calling for a ceasefire and peace talks.
Orbán demands ceasefire and peace talks
Speaking ahead of a working breakfast of the Patriots for Europe party group, Orbán said the EU summit later on Thursday was shaping up to be “a difficult day, with three battles”.
The first “battle” would be on the war in Ukraine, Orbánsaid, noting that President Volodymyr Zelensky was scheduled to present his “victory plan” to the summit. “We don’t officially know it yet, but we heard what he said yesterday in the Ukrainian parliament. That is more than frightening,” Orbán said.
Orbán said he was “sometimes the only one” to urge a change to the EU’s war strategy, “because we are losing this war right now”. He slammed the EU’s strategy, saying that the bloc “has entered this war with a badly planned, badly executed strategy based on flawed calculations”.
Patriots for Europe. Orbán in the centre. Photo: MTI
“We are obviously losing the war on the frontlines. So we need change… I don’t mean more war, more dangerous and longer-range weapons, but that we should replace the strategy of war with a strategy of peace. Ceasefire and peace talks,” Orbán said.
Orbán urged Macron and Scholz to start talks with the Russians
Zelensky’s words to the Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday pointed in the opposite direction, Orbán said. Therefore, Orbán said he was urging German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanual Macron to start talks with the Russians, “to find a way out of this situation”.
PM Orbán and Macron. Scholz in the background. Photo: MTI
“The battle on migration” would also be significant, Orbán said: “Many of us want to change migration regulations.”
He called it “unacceptable” that Hungary “is being penalised for protecting the EU’s borders”.
An increasing number of member states are pointing to a migration crisis, “we need change”, Orbán said.
Orbán said the EU would also try to push through economic measures “that would floor Hungarian families”, including tax hikes, scrapping the utility price caps, a pensions system reform and scrapping the 13th month pension.
“I have a duty to reject that and protect the most important elements of the current economic policy which are protecting families,” he said.
The working breakfast will focus on preparing for the summit and on organising the party family, Orbán said.
He said the PfE had gone through the “baptism by fire” during the presentation of the Hungarian presidency’s programme to the EP. “We stood up for each other, they helped me protect Hungary.”
On a yesterday working dinner, Orbán met with PfE’s leadership, as well as Andrej Babis, the head of the Czech ANO party, Jordan Bardella of the French Rassemblement National, Matteo Salvini of Italy’s Lega, and Geert Wilders, the head of the Dutch Freedom Party, Bertalan Havasi said.
‘Historic” Patriots for Europe meeting in Brussels, says Fidesz MEP
It is “a historic event” for the Patriots for Europe (PfE) party group to have their first ever “summit”, showing that “we are present, we are strong and will be getting stronger, with our voice getting louder”, Kinga Gál, an MEP of ruling Fidesz, said in Brussels on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of a working breakfast of the PfE, Gál, who is the group’s first vice president, told Hungarian journalists that the summit offered an opportunity for the group’s members to consult about the topics of the current EU summit and “define strong messages”.
She said in connection with migration that “Europe is bleeding from a thousand wounds also in that regard. Thousands keep arriving day by day, young, fit and healthy people standing in line just like an army,” she said.
“We must act to achieve the goal that the protection of EU borders is getting financial support instead of a fine,” Gál said.
“The possibility of withdrawing from the [EU’s] very bad and flawed migration pact and suspending its implementation must also be examined,” she said.
She expressed hope for progress on the issue of migration, saying that despite changes in the situation, the EU’s migration policy was still the same as in 2015.
Read also:
Will Hungary be thrown out of the Schengen Zone for letting Russians into the EU? – read more HERE
Orbán government announcesaction plan with 21 measures, Magyar’s Tisza Party only 2% behind Orbán
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will give a speech on 23 October, Hungary’s national holiday, in the Millenáris Park in Budapest, commemorating the 68th anniversary of the 1956 revolution and freedom fight against communist rule, the Government Information Centre (KTK) said on Wednesday.
Political director of Orbán: we would NOT have defended Hungary in case of Russian invasion
Official celebrations will start on 22 October, with dignitaries laying wreaths at the memorial at the Budapest Technical and Economics University at 2pm, it said in a statement. Afterwards, Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, will give a speech at 3pm. At 4pm, a torch-lit march of 2,500 students will take place to Bem Square, where Speaker of Parliament László Kövér will give a speech, it said.
Interestingly, Péter Magyar, PM Orbán’s biggest political adversary, will also celebrate 23 October in Bem Square. Afterwards, he and his supporters march to Széna Square, a symbolic place of the 1956 revolution and freedom fightwhere Hungarian freedom fighters resisted the Soviet invasion for long. Weeks before, an interview with Balázs Orbán, the prime minister’s political director, surfaced and caused a public outcry.
Photo: FB/Balázs Orbán
Orbán said the Hungarian government would not advised President Zelensky to fight against the Russian invasion because in 1956. Despite Hungarian calls, the Western powers did not help the Hungarian freedom fight then because such a move would have risked the outbreak of WWIII. PM Orbán called his political director’s words an error, but Orbán’s thoughts seemingly did not have consequences concerning his career and high power status in the Orbán regime. We covered the scandal in THIS article.
Multiple programmes on 22 and 23 October
On 23 October, the national flag will be hoisted at Kossuth Square in front of Parliament at 9am. President Tamás Sulyok will give a speech at a gala at the Palace of Arts (Müpa) at 6pm.
The Müpa and the Hungarian National Theatre. Photo: Wikimedia Commons by Tamás Thaler
Parliament and the House of Terror Museum will be open to the public to visit free of charge all day. Commemorations will be held at the Heroes’ Wall at the House of Terror museum and at Plot 301 of the New Public Cemetery.
Read also:
Is resistance against Russia futile in case of an invasion? – Here is the answer of PM Orbán
Jaw-dropping discovery: North Korean students foughtfor Hungary against the Soviets in Budapest
For years, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has claimed that safety is a hallmark of Hungary, positioning it as one of the safest, if not the safest, countries in Europe. In a recent speech in Italy, Orbán again claimed that “Hungary is the safest country in Europe”. However, a closer look at available statistics paints a more nuanced picture.
For years, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has claimed that safety is a hallmark of Hungary. Photo: FB/Orbán
Orbán has made similar statements before, including in 2022, when he referred to Hungary as “one of the safest countries in Europe” and Budapest as “one of the safest capitals”. Yet, he has never provided specific data to back these claims. When approached by Lakmusz, his press chief, Havasi Bertalan, did not respond to requests for clarification.
Hungary’s safety: A look at the numbers
To evaluate Orbán’s claim, Lakmusz turned to Eurostat data, which tracks 21 types of crimes across Europe. These include serious offences such as homicide, robbery, sexual violence, and corruption. The most recent data from 2022 show that Hungary performs well in only one category: robbery. The country recorded the lowest rate of robberies in Europe, with just 5.5 incidents per 100,000 inhabitants.
However, Hungary’s performance in other crime categories is far less impressive. In terms of intentional homicides, Hungary is in the middle of the pack with 0.88 homicides per 100,000 people. Regarding attempted homicides, Hungary ranks eighth, behind countries like Poland and Ireland.
When it comes to crimes such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation, Hungary again does not rank at the top. For instance, in 2022, Hungary reported 4.77 sexual exploitation cases per 100,000 people, placing it 10th in Europe.
Sexual violence: A complex picture
The situation with sexual crimes is complicated by differences in definitions and reporting between Hungary and other European countries. While Eurostat distinguishes between sexual assault, rape, and sexual violence, Hungary’s penal code refers only to “sexual violence”. As a result, it is difficult to make a direct comparison between Hungary and its European counterparts.
Nevertheless, Hungary’s reported rate of sexual violence (6.06 per 100,000) in 2022 is far from the lowest in Europe. This discrepancy highlights the challenges of comparing crime rates across countries with differing legal systems and reporting practices.
Perception vs. reality
The subjective sense of safety among Hungarians also tells a different story. In a survey by Hungary’s Central Statistical Office (KSH), residents were asked how safe they felt walking alone in their neighbourhoods after dark. While many respondents reported feeling safe, Hungary’s ranking in broader European studies has slipped in recent years.
For example, Hungary has dropped four places on an EU-wide list measuring public perceptions of crime, vandalism, and violence, falling from 5th place in 2020 to 9th in 2023. The percentage of people reporting security concerns rose from 5.3% to 6.1% during the same period.
The global picture
Adding further complexity, Hungary ranked 14th on the 2024 Global Peace Index (GPI), which measures safety and security on a global scale. While this seems positive, it should be noted that several European countries outperform Hungary. On the European list, Hungary ranks only 10th, not the highest as Orbán’s statements might suggest.
Conclusion
Although Hungary has made progress in reducing certain types of crime, particularly robberies, it is far from being the safest country in Europe as Viktor Orbán frequently claims. Whether intentional or not, these statements overlook key data points that paint a more balanced, if less glowing, picture of the country’s safety.
