Orbán cabinet to pay weapons bonus for military personnel months before the elections

Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky has announced that eligible servicemen will receive a weapons bonus equal to six months’ salary on Friday, the last working day of January. The last—and until now, only—time the Hungarian government paid a weapons bonus was in February 2022, two months before the general election.

Weapons bonus for military personnel tomorrow

Under a government decision, 80,000 armed forces personnel—including soldiers—will benefit from the payment in 2026, the Hungarian News Agency wrote.

The minister explained that the move recognises soldiers’ service, their constant state of readiness, and the steadfast resolve they demonstrate daily across every facet of national defence.

The Hungarian Government signalled as early as October 2024 that it would again provide the six-month salary equivalent this year, mirroring the inaugural weapons bonus paid in February 2022.

Pursuant to Government Decree 712/2021 (20 December), professional and contractual personnel in defence organisations—including the Military National Security Service, reservists, those serving in other agencies, military prosecutors, and military judges—are all entitled to the benefit. From 2026, a new addition sees military cadets included.

It costs a lot of money for the budget

The service gratuity matches six months’ basic or individual salary. It applies to those whose service was active on 31 December 2025, as well as individuals whose contracts ended during 2025 due to service-related injury or illness. The decree also specifies grounds for exclusion.

According to the minister, the support amounts to more than a one-off financial boost; it bolsters society’s esteem for military service. Soldiers’ selfless dedication, the discipline shown in training, and their performance in international missions and domestic duties are indispensable to Hungary’s security.

According to calculations by G7.hu, Hungary’s ‘weapons bonus’ will cost the state budget HUF 432-456 billion (€1.1-1.2 billion) amid the country’s grave economic crisis.

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