Hungary’s corruption investigations deepen as GDP growth disappoints
Several corruption cases moved forward, including a five-year prison sentence for former lawmaker Boldog István and a new investigation into the Southern Railway Ring project. Hungary’s economy grew more slowly than expected in the third quarter, with drought weighing on agriculture. International stories included a major US arms sale to Ukraine and a dispute over Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal.
- Boldog István sentenced to five years in prison — A court sentenced former lawmaker Boldog István to five years in prison and ordered the confiscation of 6.6 million forints in a case involving alleged influence over public procurement and demands for bribes or campaign donations.
Original (Hungarian): Boldog Istvánt 5 év letöltendő börtönre ítélték - Investigation launched into the Southern Railway Ring project — The tax authority opened an investigation into suspected budget fraud causing particularly significant financial damage in the second phase of the Southern Railway Ring project, while the construction has been halted and the contract with V-Híd is to be terminated.
Original (Hungarian): Nyomozás indult a Déli Körvasút ügyében - Seszták Miklós’s alleged money courier arrested — A confidant of former development minister Seszták Miklós was detained for 30 days on suspicion of helping receive and transport corruption money, while Seszták is suspected of accepting 12.6 billion forints in bribes in the Volánbusz case.
Original (Hungarian): Letartóztatták Seszták Miklós pénzfutárát - Company received billion-forint ventilator contract days after registration — Limitless Medical received a ventilator order worth more than one billion forints from the foreign ministry eight days after it was registered, and the ministry ultimately paid 2.3 billion forints in advance, according to documents obtained by 24.hu.
Original (Hungarian): A bejegyzése másnapján már több százmilliós, újabb néhány napon belül milliárdos lélegeztetőgép-megbízást kapott egy cég Szijjártó minisztériumától - Hungary’s economic performance looks weak by EU standards — Hungary’s economy grew 1.5 percent year on year and 0.1 percent quarter on quarter in the third quarter, placing it among the weakest performers in the EU on quarterly growth.
Original (Hungarian): Elég csúnyán néz ki a magyar gazdaság teljesítménye uniós szinten is - Summer drought hit the economy, GDP figures bring an unpleasant surprise — Hungary’s GDP grew 1.5 percent year on year and 0.1 percent from the previous quarter, as drought hurt agriculture and weak investment and tourism also weighed on performance.
Original (Hungarian): Betett a gazdaságnak a nyári aszály, kellemetlen meglepetést okozott a GDP - Analysts call latest GDP figures a ‘serious disappointment’ — Analysts said drought-hit agriculture held back third-quarter growth, while investment and demand would need to pick up for the economy to accelerate, and ING and Erste forecast annual growth of 1.9 and 1.7 percent respectively.
Original (Hungarian): „Komoly csalódást okozott” – elemzők a friss GDP-adatról - Births fell to a new low in September — A total of 5,893 children were born in Hungary in September, 4.8 percent fewer than a year earlier, while the natural population decline reached 2,895 and marriages also fell.
Original (Hungarian): Szeptemberben újabb mélypontra zuhant a születések száma - Key year for the NER: summaries of 2011 government meetings made public — Newly released summaries of the Orbán government’s 2011 meetings cover preparations for the Fundamental Law, new legislation, institution-building and urban development plans, as well as discussions with the central bank governor about the central bank law.
Original (Hungarian): A NER kulcséve: nyilvánosak a 2011-es kormányülések összefoglalói - Telex: Hankó accelerated the distribution of individual innovation grants before the election — Telex reported that 82 percent of the individual innovation grants awarded by the end of October were decided before April, and that a review after the change of government found no systemic problem comparable to the NKA case.
Original (Hungarian): Telex: Hankó Balázs a választások előtt az egyedi innovációs támogatások kiosztását is felpörgette - Ambulance driver jailed for inhumane treatment of Roma patient — A court handed an ambulance driver a final sentence of 18 months in prison for insulting a Roma patient because of his ethnicity and deliberately jolting and braking the vehicle, while a nurse’s sentence was suspended.
Original (Hungarian): Börtönbe kerül a mentősofőr, aki embertelen módon bánt egy roma beteggel - Professional chamber penalty against Orbán’s architect overturned; new proceedings to follow — An appeals panel overturned the first-instance suspension and fine imposed on architect Taraczky Dániel because of procedural errors, ordering a new proceeding and a review of documentation for the wider Hatvanpuszta complex.
Original (Hungarian): Hatályon kívül helyezték az Orbán házi építésze elleni kamarai büntetést, új eljárás következik - ‘It will take time for Hungarian public opinion to understand what human rights are really about’ — Human Rights Watch said the new Hungarian government had made meaningful progress in restoring institutions and rights and that the group could again hold open dialogue with the government, while noting that the situation remained imperfect.
Original (Hungarian): „Hosszabb folyamat lesz, mire a magyar közvélemény megérti, miről is szólnak valójában az emberi jogok” - After Orbán and Vučić, the leaders of Hungarian politics in Vojvodina may also fall — The VMSZ lost more than 40 percent of its voters in Serbia’s election, fell from six parliamentary seats to two and lost its independent parliamentary group, while many Hungarian voters in Vojvodina backed the student movement.
Original (Hungarian): Orbán és Vučić után a vajdasági magyar politika urai is megbukhatnak - The fall of the seemingly unremovable: what Hungary and Serbia are telling the world — The article compares election defeats in Hungary and Serbia, arguing that symbolic issues, youth mobilisation and a break with established opposition politics helped challenge entrenched power, though the two countries followed different paths.
Original (Hungarian): A leválthatatlanok leváltása: mit üzen Magyarország és Szerbia a világnak? - ‘They have the nerve to say “impact study”? Ridiculous!’: councillors clash in marathon Budapest assembly session — A lengthy Budapest assembly meeting featured disputes over the city’s transport decisions and district involvement, with the proposed transformation of BKK into a regional transport organiser drawing the sharpest disagreement over projected savings and the lack of detailed studies.
Original (Hungarian): „Van képük azt a szót kiejteni, hogy hatástanulmány? Röhej!” – maratoni ülésen feszültek egymásnak a képviselők a Fővárosi Közgyűlésben - Tisza schedules four-day parliamentary session next week — Parliament is due to meet for four days next week to discuss proposals including a wealth tax, making December 24 a public holiday, a new public media body, the election of the chief prosecutor and a Hungarian-US nuclear energy agreement.
Original (Hungarian): Jövő héten négynapos parlamenti üléssel örvendezteti meg a nagyérdeműt a Tisza - Vitézy: State would take back motorway operations from Mészáros’s company from April — The government plans to end the 35-year motorway concession and transfer operation of the roads to Magyar Közút from April 1, 2027, while talks are under way with MKIF on a mutual termination.
Original (Hungarian): Vitézy: Áprilistól visszavenné az állam az autópályák üzemeltetését Mészáros Lőrincék cégétől - Orbán Viktor shares rakija with the convicted president of Republika Srpska — Orbán Viktor and his wife visited Milorad Dodik on a family trip, and Dodik said in a social media post that they drank rakija; Orbán has previously expressed support for Dodik and promised a 45-billion-forint Hungarian investment.
Original (Hungarian): Orbán Viktor épp a Boszniai Szerb Köztársaság elítélt elnökével rakijázik - Leading Czech weekly devotes extensive coverage to Hungarian politics, with Orbán in handcuffs on its cover — The Czech magazine Reflex featured Magyar Péter and a handcuffed Orbán Viktor on its cover and examined the Tisza government’s measures and efforts to dismantle the previous system, while questioning whether reforms would restore the rule of law.
Original (Hungarian): Bilincsbe vert Orbánnal a címlapján foglalkozik nagy terjedelemben a magyar belpolitikával egy vezető cseh hetilap - Orbán remains silent, but France has said he will not become UN secretary-general — France’s foreign minister said the country would not support Orbán Viktor for UN secretary-general, while Orbán has not commented on reports about his possible nomination.
Original (Hungarian): Orbán makacsul hallgat, de a francia kormány már jelezte, hogy nem lesz belőle ENSZ-főtitkár - Times: Orbán’s name was floated to improve the real candidate’s chances for UN secretary-general — The Times reported that talk of Orbán Viktor’s candidacy may have been a diversion intended to improve the prospects of Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh, whose support is said to be broad but whose nomination has not been decided.
Original (Hungarian): Times: Trumpék csak azért dobták be Orbán nevét, hogy javítsák a valódi jelöltjük esélyeit a ENSZ-főtitkári pozícióra - ‘But why Felcsút?’ asks Orbán Viktor’s favourite newspaper, risking the former prime minister’s subscription — National Sport deputy editor Kun Zoltán questioned why Felcsút received a major sports centre and a large share of tao funding, in a column that contrasts with the paper’s earlier government-friendly tone.
Original (Hungarian): De miért éppen Felcsút? – teszi fel a kérdést Orbán Viktor kedvenc lapja, ha így megy tovább, az exkormányfő kénytelen lesz lemondani az előfizetését - Ten years ago Schiffer said Matolcsy would be led away in handcuffs; now he has petitioned against exactly that — Schiffer András, who said in 2016 that Matolcsy György would be led away in handcuffs in a properly functioning country, has now launched a petition objecting, among other things, to suspects being escorted in handcuffs.
Original (Hungarian): Schiffer tíz éve, ellenzékiként még vezetőszáron vitette volna el Matolcsyt, most petíciót indított, amiért pontosan ez történt - Science and Technology Ministry opens applications for heads of four state companies — The ministry announced open competitions for the leadership of four state-owned companies after previously filing a complaint over IT procurements whose contracts and payments under investigation total nearly 20 billion forints.
Original (Hungarian): Négy állami cég élére is nyílt pályázatot hirdetett a Tudományos és Technológiai Minisztérium - Protesters encounter riot police outside Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal — Police secured the Warsaw tribunal after protesters opposed a government initiative to suspend the immunity of its president and vice-president, and three people were detained amid a dispute over the court’s independence and judicial appointments.
Original (Hungarian): Rohamrendőrökkel találkoztak a tüntetők a lengyel Alkotmánybíróság épületénél - Polish president turns his plane around amid Constitutional Tribunal crisis in Warsaw — Karol Nawrocki cut short his trip to Senegal after protests and police action began at the Constitutional Tribunal, where the government says it is ensuring newly elected judges can take office and the opposition calls the move a coup.
Original (Hungarian): A levegőben fordította vissza gépét a lengyel elnök, mert Varsóban válság van az Alkotmánybíróságnál - US to sell Ukraine 500 Patriot air-defence missiles — The United States will sell Ukraine 500 PAC-3 Patriot missiles for $2.1 billion, with the purchase financed by Canada, Germany, Norway and an EU loan.
Original (Hungarian): Az USA 500 Patriot légvédelmi rakétát ad el Ukrajnának - Ukrainians attacked a Russian oil refinery again on Friday morning — A drone attack hit the Novokuibyshevsk refinery early Friday, causing a fire but no reported casualties, while Ukraine did not claim responsibility and the incident followed reports that Kyiv might temporarily pause attacks on Russian refineries.
Original (Hungarian): Péntek reggel még megtámadtak egy orosz olajfinomítót az ukránok - Evacuation of Oleshky residents begins under ceasefire negotiated by Melania Trump — Residents began leaving Oleshky in the Kherson region during a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, with 527 people requesting relocation to Ukraine and humanitarian aid being distributed.
Original (Hungarian): Megkezdődött a Melania Trump által kitárgyalt tűzszünetben Oleski lakosainak kimenekítése - Pentagon asks Baltic states not to ‘provoke’ Russia — The Pentagon urged Baltic states and other NATO allies to tone down sharp statements about Russia, saying they could raise tensions as the Trump administration pursues a negotiated settlement.
Original (Hungarian): A Pentagon arra kérte a balti államokat, „ne piszkálják” Oroszországot - ‘I won’t hold back. Putin is a dictator who kills women and children’ — Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said he would continue speaking openly about Putin and the Russian threat despite a Pentagon request for more restrained statements from Baltic states.
Original (Hungarian): „Nem fogom vissza magam. Putyin egy diktátor, aki nőket és gyerekeket gyilkol” - Russian hockey teams must be readmitted to world championships — The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the IIHF to readmit Russian national teams to next year’s world championships, while the federation cited security concerns and logistical challenges and said Belarus’s suspension remains in force.
Original (Hungarian): Vissza kell engedni az orosz hokisokat a világbajnokságokra - Spanish train crash death toll may be far higher than first reported; dispatcher blamed — Authorities had found 68 bodies and listed at least 70 passengers as missing, while the transport minister said human error caused the crash when a dispatcher allowed a train to proceed despite a signal that another train was stopped on the tracks.
Original (Hungarian): Jóval többen halhattak meg a spanyol vonatbalesetben az eddig ismertnél, a diszpécser miatt történt a tragédia - North Korean hackers suspected of stealing billions of dollars from Binance customers — North Korean hackers are suspected of carrying out a record $6.3 billion theft from Binance, though there is no concrete evidence of their involvement, and the exchange said it had frozen $3 billion and would fully compensate customers.
Original (Hungarian): A rezsimnek dolgozó észak-koreai hackerek lophatták el a Binance ügyfeleinek dollármilliárdjait - ICE agent charged over alleged pickup pursuit and deliberate collision with fleeing Mexican worker — A Texas prosecutor charged ICE agent Mario Alberto Morales over allegations that he chased and struck a fleeing construction worker in Houston, while security footage reportedly contradicts the agency’s account and the injured man remains in rehabilitation.
Original (Hungarian): Vádat emeltek a futva menekülő mexikói munkást pickuppal üldöző, majd szándékosan elütő ICE-ügynök ellen - ‘They killed us’: Novaya Gazeta announces closure in farewell letter — Novaya Gazeta said it would cease publication on November 9 after actions by Russian authorities made it impossible to operate, and announced that it would publish one final issue.
Original (Hungarian): „Megöltek minket” – búcsúlevélben jelentette be megszűnését a Novaja Gazeta - Nearly eight million people held accountable for corruption in China under Xi Jinping — Chinese authorities have held 7.9 million people accountable for corruption cases and disciplinary violations since 2012, including 963 officials in the Communist Party’s central leadership, and confirmed the expulsion of more than 30 senior officials.
Original (Hungarian): Csaknem nyolcmillió embert vontak felelősségre korrupció miatt Kínában Hszi Csin-ping vezetése alatt - For the first time, a pope will vote in an election: Leo XIV requests a mail ballot for the midterms — Pope Leo XIV requested a mail ballot for the November 3 US midterm elections, though it is not known whether he returned it, according to the Will County election office.
Original (Hungarian): A történelem során először vesz részt pápa választáson, XIV. Leó levélben szavaz a félidős választáson - Christa Pike speaks for the first time since her execution attempt — In a statement released by her lawyers, Christa Pike said she has suffered ongoing physical pain and mental anguish since a failed execution attempt involving two pentobarbital injections, and authorities have not said whether they will try again.
Original (Hungarian): Kivégzése óta először szólalt meg Christa Pike - Australian mushroom murderer will die in prison — An appeals court rejected Erin Patterson’s bid for release, leaving her to serve life in prison after she was convicted of killing three people and attempting to kill another with death cap mushrooms served at a family lunch in 2023.
Original (Hungarian): A börtönben fog meghalni az ausztrál gombás gyilkos - Ukrainian man charged over alleged harassment of underage employee — Prosecutors accused a Ukrainian man of repeatedly forcing a minor employee into sexual acts from December 2023 despite her objections, and sought a prison sentence and a ban from public affairs.
Original (Hungarian): Vádat emeltek egy ukrán férfi ellen, aki a gyanú szerint kiskorú alkalmazottját zaklatta - Gajdos: Green Guard will also act against animal abusers like the man sentenced this week — Gajdos László said the 50-member Green Guard, due to begin operating next January, would act against animal abusers, citing a man given a final 14-month prison sentence after neglecting two dogs, one of which died.
Original (Hungarian): Gajdos: Az olyan állatkínzók ellen is fel fog lépni a Zöld Őrség, mint a héten jogerősen 1 év 2 hónapra ítélt férfi - Stern Lili appointed new director of Trafó — Budapest’s General Assembly appointed Stern Lili director of Trafó House of Contemporary Arts for five years from January, after seven of eight members of the professional review panel supported her application.
Original (Hungarian): Stern Lili lett a Trafó új igazgatója - What next for the riverfront? — As car traffic returned to the riverfront, users debated the future of the public space, with some hospitality businesses citing overcrowding and nighttime disorder and others arguing for attracting tourists and more coordinated management.
Original (Hungarian): Merre tovább, rakpart? - Heavy rain expected in the south of the country in the coming days — A Mediterranean cyclone is expected to bring rain mainly to southern and southwestern Hungary from Sunday, with up to 20 millimetres near the Croatian border by Monday evening and stronger northerly winds in some areas.
Original (Hungarian): Az ország déli részén sok eső esik majd a napokban - Surcharges to rise on intercity buses, trains and HÉV — From November 2, the higher surcharge for passengers on intercity trains, buses and HÉV will rise from 25,000 to 30,000 forints, with missing tickets or passes the most common reason for penalties.
Original (Hungarian): Emelkedik a pótdíj összege a helyközi buszokon, vonatokon, HÉV-en - Tesco to sell its Czech and Slovak stores; future of Hungarian network remains uncertain — Tesco agreed to sell its Czech and Slovak businesses to Ahold Delhaize for 1.7 billion euros, while its Hungarian network remains under Tesco ownership as the company continues to consider its future.
Original (Hungarian): A Tesco eladja csehországi és szlovákiai üzleteit, a magyarországi hálózat sorsa egyelőre kérdéses - After Szoboszlai, Tóth Alex also suffers a serious injury — Tóth Alex suffered a more serious injury than expected in Bournemouth’s October 22 cup match and could be out for several months, according to Marco Rose.
Original (Hungarian): Szoboszlai után Tóth Alex is súlyosan megsérült - Woman who defecated during fitness race and continued apologises again — Joanna Wietrzyk apologised again before returning to competition after she continued and won a Hyrox race in Beijing despite an accident in September, prompting the sport to change its rules so judges can stop unwell competitors.
Original (Hungarian): Újra bocsánatot kért a nő, aki beszart a fitneszverseny közben, mégis folytatta - Weekend reading on elections, ‘yes-men’, safes and more — The weekly selection covered Hungarian corruption cases and investigations, Serbia’s election, elections in Israel, Brazil and the United States, as well as government, human rights, social roles, economic tensions and theatre criticism.
Original (Hungarian): Hétvégi olvasnivalók választásokról, mamelukokról, széfekről és hasonlóakról
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