HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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13th August, 2025
Trump recalls Orbán advice ahead of Putin meeting
At a White House press conference on Monday, US President Donald Trump recounted an earlier conversation with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
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12th August, 2025
Court rejects SungEel’s expansion
The expansion permit for SungEel’s EV battery recycling facility in Bátonyterenye, Nógrád county has been annulled following a legal challenge by the town council, investigative news website Átlátszó reports.
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11th August, 2025
Glitch shuts down health services website
The website of Hungary’s health service EESZT became inaccessible on Friday morning due to a technical problem, but was restored early on Sunday.
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11th August, 2025
BBC to revive Hungarian-language news service
The British Broadcasting Company is planning to reintroduce a Hungarian-language news service, similar to its recently launched Polish service, BBC News Polska, the broadcaster confirmed to Media1.
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8th August, 2025
Global rally lifts OTP, BUX to new highs
The BUX index closed sharply higher on Thursday, with investors buoyed by reports that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin may soon enter peace talks.
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8th August, 2025
American Airlines plans Budapest–Philadelphia link
American Airlines will launch a new direct daily service between Budapest and Philadelphia starting on May 21, 2026, Economy Minister Márton Nagy announced on Thursday.
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7th August, 2025
Grand Prix drives weekend tourist boom
The Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix delivered a significant boost to Budapest’s tourism sector, according to Visit Hungary.
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6th August, 2025
MVM paid influencers millions from public funds
State-owned energy company MVM has disclosed, in response to a public information request by news website 24, that it employed 14 influencers over the past two years, spending millions of forints in public funds.
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6th August, 2025
Sziget ticket sales rebound as festival begins
Sziget Festival ticket sales have already exceeded last year’s total, suggesting a reversal of the post-2022 downturn, Tamás Kádár, the event’s chief organiser said on Tuesday.
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5th August, 2025
Ministry forced to disclose Ft 1bn in pub funding
The Economy Ministry, led by Márton Nagy, reluctantly revealed how much public funding had been spent via the government’s rural pub support plan.
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5th August, 2025
Russian human rights activist dies in Hungary
Yevgeny Beljakov, a Russian human rights and opposition activist who had lived in Hungary since 2017, died in early July, Telex reports.
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4th August, 2025
Stricter rules for export of artworks proposed
All artworks will need to be presented in person to the cultural heritage protection authority during export licensing procedures, under a draft amendment to the cultural heritage protection law published on the government website kormány.hu.
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31st July, 2025
Pepco dismisses exit rumours
Polish discount retailer Pepco has denied any plans to withdraw from the Hungarian market, following reports of store closures in Germany.
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30th July, 2025
GVH takes action against online retailer
The Competition Authority (GVH) has launched an inquiry into Peak Advisor, the Budapest-based operator of the online store Xiaomishop.hu, on suspicion of unfair commercial practices.
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30th July, 2025
120 rescued from baths after toxic gas release
A total of 120 people had to be rescued from the Túrkeve thermal baths and the vicinity Tuesday morning because of chlorine poisoning, the website szoljon.hu reported.
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29th July, 2025
New variant of coronavirus appears
The new Nimbus variant of the coronavirus has appeared in Hungary, having been detected in sewage water, the National Health Care and Pharmaceutical Centre announced on Monday.
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29th July, 2025
MÁV completes Ft3bn renewal of Rákosrendező tracks
MÁV has completed the Ft 3 billion renewal of the tracks at the Rákosrendező station in Budapest, allowing train services on the Esztergom, Szob and Veresegyház lines to return to their regular schedules, the state railway company announced on Monday.
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28th July, 2025
Orbán reveals election date on his shirt
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán prominently displays the numbers 4.12.2026 on a T-shirt he is wearing in a photograph posted on his Facebook plage, apparently revealing the date of next year’s parliamentary elections as April 12.
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28th July, 2025
Wendy’s considers return after 23 years
Wendy’s is preparing to re-enter the Hungarian market after a 23-year hiatus, as the American fast-food chain is actively seeking local franchise partners, Franchising magazine has reported.
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25th July, 2025
US returns 17th-century manuscript
A manuscript stolen 350 years ago has returned to Hungary thanks to the New York district attorney’s office, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced in New York Wednesday evening.
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25th July, 2025
Budapest spas ban entry under 14
Children under 14 years of age cannot enter the Rudas thermal baths in Budapest, and the Széchenyi baths in the City Park will adopt a similar measure from August 1, news website 24 reports.
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24th July, 2025
Matolcsy’s son disqualified from public tender
The Public Procurement Directorate (KEF) has disqualified Balaton Bútor, a company owned by the son of former central bank governor György Matolcsy, for submitting an unusually low-price offer in a major tender estimated at Ft 50 billion.
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24th July, 2025
Highest degree heat warning in force
The highest degree heat alert will enter into force throughout Hungary from Thursday at dawn, Disaster Control and the National Health and Pharmaceutical Centre said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
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23rd July, 2025
MBH to suspend most services due to IT upgrade
MBH will suspend the majority of its banking services between July 31 and August 3, due to a major IT system upgrade, the bank announced.
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23rd July, 2025
2 Hungarian films entered in Venice film festival
Hungarian productions, Csendes barát (“The Silent Friend”) by Ildikó Enyedi and Árva (“Orphan”) by Oscar winner László Jeles Nemes, will be in the competition for the Golden Lion trophy at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival due to begin on August 27 and run to September 6, Népszava reports.
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22nd July, 2025
Keleti station to close for a month
Budapest’s Keleti train station will close for four weeks from August 25, as part of an ongoing renovation, the MÁV group announced on Monday.
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21st July, 2025
Fifth District to sell properties
Budapest’s Fifth District has put 19 properties up for sale, mostly offices and commercial spaces in central locations, according to corruption watchdog group K-Monitor.
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21st July, 2025
Gov’t clears way for drilling in protected areas
The government has designated hydrocarbon mining – specifically oil and gas extraction – as a matter of “paramount public interest”, even in ecologically sensitive zones, according to Decree 208/2025 published on Thursday.
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18th July, 2025
First town uses law to "protect local identity"
Just days before Hungary’s new law on local identity took effect on July 1, the small town of Mezőkeresztes became the first municipality to adopt a local ordinance granting itself the right of first refusal on real estate purchases.
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16th July, 2025
Hospital denies serving expired meat
Péterfy Sándor Hospital in Budapest has denied reports that severely expired meat was found on its premises, following public concern over a food safety inspection.
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15th July, 2025
Wizz Air ends Abu Dhabi operations
Wizz Air will shut down its operations in the United Arab Emirates and dissolve its Abu Dhabi-based subsidiary from September 1, as part of a broader strategic shift to concentrate on its core markets in Central and Eastern Europe.
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14th July, 2025
Sixth District aims to keep Airbnb ban
The Budapest Government Office has formally called on Budapest’s Sixth District to repeal an October 2024 local decree effectively banning short-term rentals from January 2026 by reducing the number of allowable rental days to zero.
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14th July, 2025
Compensation okayed for Unitravel clients
The Budapest Government Office has authorised the start of compensation payments to customers of the bankrupt travel agency Unitravel, it was announced after a fast-track procedure.
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11th July, 2025
Fitch Ratings downgrades Wizz Air
Fitch Ratings has downgraded Wizz Air’s long-term rating by one notch, from “BB+” to “BB”, citing a weak financial performance and elevated operational costs in its last financial year, the international credit-rating agency said on Thursday.
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11th July, 2025
Sziget festival offers new night ticket
A new ticket category, the “Night Ticket by Revolut,” has been launched on the Sziget Festival’s website, offering a lower-cost option for late-night revellers.
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10th July, 2025
Number of foreign workers at new high
The number of foreign workers has reached a record high this year, surpassing 105,000, with the influx from non-EU countries gaining new momentum in early 2025.
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10th July, 2025
Revolut seeks EU crypto licence MiCA
Revolut Digital Assets Europe, the cryptocurrency arm of fintech firm Revolut operating within the European Economic Area, is pushing ahead with efforts to obtain a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) licence, Revolut told Portfolio.
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8th July, 2025
Power outages hit 150,000 households
An estimated 150,000 customers were affected by widespread power outages following severe thunderstorms yesterday, state-owned energy group MVM, reported.
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8th July, 2025
Heavy storm disrupts traffic at Budapest airport
A violent storm temporarily prevented all planes from landing or taking off at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport on Monday, leading to numerous cancelled, delayed or diverted flights.
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4th July, 2025
Analysts assess impact of 3% mortgage scheme
According to a quick analysis by financial platform Bankmonitor, the new 3% loan for first-time home buyers offers an exceptionally favourable alternative to current market rates, which are in the 6.5-8% range, and will broaden access to credit for tens of thousands of buyers.
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3rd July, 2025
Orbán announces 3% mortgage for first-time buyers
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced a new scheme for those buying their first home, based on a mortgage rate of 3%.
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2nd July, 2025
Demand for homes slower in June
After a surge at the beginning of the year, demand for homes in Hungary slowed in June, but supply continued to grow, giving buyers the upper hand, real estate broker Ingatlan.com said in a report.
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30th June, 2025
MNB lists villages in need of ATMs
The MNB has issued a list of settlements with more than 500 residents where banks must install at least one ATM, as at present there are none.
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27th June, 2025
Forint strengthens against euro
While the forint exchange rate against the euro hovered around 401 during the night, the Hungarian currency managed to break through the 400 threshold to trade at 399.8 on Thursday morning.
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27th June, 2025
Liverpool FC signs Hungarians
Liverpool football club, winner of the English Premier League last season, has signed Hungarian national team left-back Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth, the club’s official X account announced on Thursday.
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26th June, 2025
BDPST consortium buys Marriott Hotel
CPI Europe has sold Duna Szálloda, a subsidiary which owns the Budapest Marriott Hotel, to a consortium of the BDPST Group and the Diorit Private Equity Fund managed by Gránit Alapkezelő in an open, international tender.
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26th June, 2025
GVH investigates Decathlon pricing
The Competition Authority (GVH) has begun proceedings against Tízpróba Magyarország, the Hungarian operator of the French Decathlon sports retail chain, over suspected unfair commercial practices.
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23rd June, 2025
Temu dominates e-retailers market
The combined gross turnover of the 15 largest online retailers in Hungary reached Ft 463.1 billion in 2024, a 12.4% rise on the previous year, according to PwC Hungary’s Digital Commerce Outlook.
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20th June, 2025
Court orders release of Chinese loan contracts
The state debt manager ÁKK has been ordered in a final court ruling to release the contracts related to a €1 billion Chinese loan agreement, it was announced by Democratic Coalition MP László Varju, who started the case.
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20th June, 2025
Wizz Air suspends Gulf flights
Wizz Air will expand its suspension of flights to and from the Middle East to include services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi from July 3 to September 15, citing heightened geopolitical tensions and associated airspace restrictions in the Middle East.
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19th June, 2025
Tisza takes commanding lead over Fidesz in poll
The Tisza Party, activated just over a year ago by Péter Magyar, now holds a significant lead over Fidesz, according to the latest Medián poll.
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19th June, 2025
Large factories shed jobs in past year
Hungary’s largest industrial firms have significantly reduced headcount over the past year, Telex reports.
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16th June, 2025
Inquiry launched into loss of Klimt painting
Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár has ordered an investigation into how someone at his ministry approved the export of a Gustav Klimt painting, which later appeared in a Vienna gallery.
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13th June, 2025
Uber expands to Miskolc
A year after relaunching in Hungary, Uber is expanding its presence beyond Budapest by making its services available in Miskolc, starting June 13.
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12th June, 2025
MPs authorise local councils to exclude outsiders
Parliament on Wednesday adopted a bill that gives local governments the power to restrict who can settle in their municipalities.
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12th June, 2025
MOHU makes fortune on unreturned bottles
According to its 2024 annual report, MOHU recorded Ft 32.9 billion in income from empty bottles that were never returned for cash, Szabad Europa reports.
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11th June, 2025
Magyar and Vitézy blame Lázár for railway chaos
Tisza Party leader Péter Magyar and transport expert Dávid Vitézy have both strongly criticised Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár following major disruptions on Hungary’s railways over the weekend.
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5th June, 2025
Gránit Bank launches AI Agent in loan processing
Gránit Bank has launched a new AI Agent-supported mortgage application process designed to shorten disbursement times and increase the efficiency of loan administration, the bank said in a statement on Wednesday.
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4th June, 2025
MNB unveils plans to counter cyber fraud
The MNB intends to launch a comprehensive “five-strike” plan to combat cyber fraud, deputy governor Barnabás Virág announced at a press conference.
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3rd June, 2025
Sulyok sends bill back to Parliament
President Tamás Sulyok did not sign into law on Friday a regulation which would have elevated decrees on the state of emergency to the level of law, this emerged from a letter that Sulyok sent to Speaker László Kövér as he sent the bill back to Parliament for reconsideration.
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3rd June, 2025
Former foreign minister Jeszenszky assaulted
A man attacked former foreign minister Géza Jeszenszky with a hammer on Sunday afternoon, causing a fractured skull but no fatal injuries.
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2nd June, 2025
Hungary could lose all RRF funds
The European Commission is expected to formally announce on June 4 that it will not extend the €650 billion Recovery Fund (RRF) beyond the August 2026 deadline and is urging member states to accelerate the absorption of funds, Brussels website Politico reports.
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29th May, 2025
Dating site Puncs posts strong profits
Puncs, the Hungarian dating site known for linking wealthy “sugar daddies” with younger “sugar babies,” continues to generate solid profits despite recurring controversy.
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28th May, 2025
MÁV offering refunds for late trains
For the first time in its history, state railway company MÁV will issue refunds to passengers as compensation for delayed trains, Construction and Transport Minister János confirmed yesterday.
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28th May, 2025
Public transit will run later
Suburban trains and Volánbusz services serving Budapest and surrounding areas will run later from June 1 as they adjust to the extended timetables of metro lines, Transport Minister János Lázár announced at Tuesday’s Transport Info press conference.
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27th May, 2025
Banks raise red flag over transparency bill
Banks have warned that the government’s transparency bill on cutting off foreign funding for NGOs, media outlets and others is eroding confidence in the domestic financial system, which could lead to capital flight from the sector.
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27th May, 2025
Garancsi offers football club for Ft 1
The public feud, ongoing for years, between government-favoured construction mogul István Garancsi and Székesfehérvár’s Fidesz mayor András Cser-Palkovics has reached a new level in a dispute over the town’s football club.
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26th May, 2025
Poll shows seven-point lead for Tisza
The Tisza Party would defeat Fidesz by seven percentage points if parliamentary elections were held on Sunday, according to the results of a fresh poll conducted by the Publicus Institute for Népszava.
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26th May, 2025
Mezőkövesd spa to get Ft 4bn upgrade
The Zsóry Spa in Mezőkövesd, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, will undergo a Ft 4.4 billion upgrade, András Tállai, a state secretary at the Agriculture Ministry, said on Friday.
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23rd May, 2025
MNB leadership cuts workforce by 15%
The MNB Hungary has said it will reduce its staff by 15%, approximately 266 jobs, as part of a cost-cutting and efficiency drive under its new leadership.
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22nd May, 2025
Kósa wants ministerial control over baby names
Fidesz MP Lajos Kósa has proposed shifting authority over first name approvals from the Research Institute for Linguistics to the Minister of Culture.
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22nd May, 2025
Hungary’s tax regime atypical in EU
Hungary’s tax regime stands out in the region with a unique model combining business-friendly corporate tax rates with extra-high levies on consumption, according to the latest tax guide by consultant Forvis Mazars, which covered 22 European and three Central Asian countries in its annual report.
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21st May, 2025
European editors condemn bill on foreign funding
A group of 85 editors-in-chief and publishers from 22 countries have issued a joint statement denouncing Hungary’s proposed “transparency law,” warning that it endangers press freedom and democratic debate.
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20th May, 2025
Ft 19trn sits idle in cash and deposits
Hungarian households held Ft 19.2 trillion in cash and uncommitted bank deposits in the first quarter of 2025, up 12.4% year-on-year, according to preliminary MNB data.
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20th May, 2025
Novel sells for over Ft 2mn at auction
A two-volume dedicated copy of the novel Egri Csillagok (Eclipse of the Crescent Moon) by Géza Gárdonyi fetched more than Ft 2 million at an auction hosted by Antikvárium.hu that ended on Sunday evening.
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16th May, 2025
MOL summons employees back to the office
The MOL Group will discontinue its home office policy starting July 1, making in-office work the default mode across the company.
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16th May, 2025
Danubius launches Ft 13bn investment
Danubius Hotels has announced a Ft 13 billion investment for 2025, part of a five-year, Ft 35 billion modernisation programme.
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15th May, 2025
MOL finds success with a different kind of fuel
Fresh Corner, MOL’s flagship food and coffee retail brand, has grown into one of Central Europe’s largest forecourt hospitality networks, officials told a press conference marking the chain’s tenth anniversary on Wednesday.
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14th May, 2025
Filmmaker Béla Tarr to speak at Budapest Pride
Renowned film director and screenwriter Béla Tarr will deliver the opening speech at this year’s Budapest Pride on June 6, the event’s organisers announced yesterday via Facebook.
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12th May, 2025
Companies burdened by high electricity prices
Electricity prices for Hungarian businesses surged in the second half of 2024 as prices paid by non-residential users were among the highest in the EU, Portfolio reports, citing data from Eurostat.
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8th May, 2025
NAV shuts down Ft 1bn invoice factory
A total of 26 people were questioned as suspects, and three people have been arrested on suspicion of operating a company network and invoice factory.
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8th May, 2025
Bronze Age hoard sheds light on murky era
More than 900 Bronze Age jewels and weapons were recently found with the help of metal detectors on Somló Hill in western Hungary.
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7th May, 2025
ECJ rules in favour of borrowers on forex loans
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) in a ruling issued on April 30 found that passing the full currency risk onto borrowers, without adequate prior information, constitutes an unfair contractual term and, as a result, such contracts can be rendered void.
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5th May, 2025
Budapest new-build home prices soar
The average price of newly built homes in Budapest has soared over the past year, fuelled by tightening supply and strong demand, real estate brokerage Duna House says in its latest report.
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5th May, 2025
Duna House AGM approves Ft 750mn dividend
Shareholders of BSE-listed real estate broker Duna House agreed to pay Ft 750 million in dividends to ordinary shareholders, equating to Ft 21.81 per share, and a further Ft 124 million to holders of employee shares, at Wednesday’s annual general meeting.
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