Hungary’s 2027 Budget Draws Criticism as Agent Files Near Release

The government submitted its 2027 budget proposal, promising tax cuts and higher benefits while facing criticism over planned spending and revenue measures. Hungary is also preparing to make thousands of former state-security files searchable, with the archives’ director warning that the records require careful scrutiny. International stories include a deepening constitutional dispute in Poland and protests across Europe.

1. Government submits draft 2027 budget — The government’s proposal promises a cut to the minimum-wage tax, doubled family allowances and pension and wage increases, while reducing spending, raising some revenues and ending the price-margin cap.
   Original (Hungarian): Benyújtotta a 2027-es költségvetés tervezetét a kormány
2. János Bóka says the government has submitted a “budget of deception” — János Bóka called for the government to withdraw its 2027 budget proposal, which Fidesz says would halt plans for a 14th-month pension and expanded tax exemptions for mothers and raise interest on some first-home loans, while the government says the budget would be fairer and support development.
   Original (Hungarian): Bóka János szerint a kormány az átverés költségvetését nyújtotta be
3. Agent files go public in three days, but “you shouldn’t believe everything a dictatorship’s state-security agencies say” — From November 4, data on tens of thousands of former agents will become searchable and more than 9,000 detailed files are due to be published by February 25, while the archives’ director cautioned that the records may be incomplete or unreliable and should be checked against other sources.
   Original (Hungarian): Már csak hármat kell aludni, és nyilvánosak az ügynökakták, de „nem kell mindent elhinni egy diktatúra állambiztonsági szerveinek”
4. Polish crisis: Tusk rules out compromise — Donald Tusk ruled out a compromise over Poland’s constitutional court crisis and accused the president and opposition of undermining the rule of law, while the parties dispute the legality of a judge’s actions and the validity of judicial appointments.
   Original (Hungarian): Lengyel válság: Tusk kizárta a kompromisszumos megoldást
5. European diplomats refuse to pose with Sergey Lavrov, so G20 foreign ministers skip group photo — European diplomats declined to appear in a group photo with Sergey Lavrov, prompting US hosts to cancel it, while British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called Russia the aggressor and urged its economic and diplomatic isolation.
   Original (Hungarian): Az európai diplomaták nem voltak hajlandóak Szergej Lavrovval pózolni, így inkább nem csináltak csoportképet a G20-ak külügyminiszterei
6. Court bars Trump administration from threatening election workers — A federal judge barred the Trump administration from using threats or coercion to persuade election workers to exclude registered voters, ruling that the government’s unclear list and related letters could disrupt elections and violate voters’ rights.
   Original (Hungarian): Egy bíróság megtiltotta a Trump-kormányzatnak, hogy a választási dolgozókat fenyegesse
7. International Ice Hockey Federation reinstates Russians, prompting objections from several member countries — The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the IIHF to readmit Russian national teams to world championships, but Canada, Sweden and Finland objected, and Canada said it would not issue visas to Russian players for the December under-20 tournament.
   Original (Hungarian): A Nemzetközi Jégkorong Szövetséget kötelezték, hogy vegye vissza az oroszokat, több tagország is kiakadt
8. Dockworkers strike at more than 100 ports worldwide against arms shipments — Dockworkers in 113 ports across 22 countries struck against arms shipments and the use of ports for war, while also demanding better pay, working conditions and medical care aboard ships.
   Original (Hungarian): Világszerte több mint száz kikötőben sztrájkoltak a dokkmunkások a fegyverszállítások ellen
9. Protests continue in France as young people demonstrate in Germany — More than 300,000 people protested in France, with clashes reported in several cities, while young people in more than 34 German cities demonstrated over living costs, arms spending and education, and workers and students in Italy demanded higher wages and better public services.
   Original (Hungarian): A franciák folytatják a tüntetéseket, a németeknél a fiatalok fogtak demonstrációba
10. Residents of Oleshky evacuated under humanitarian ceasefire negotiated by Melania Trump arrive in Belarus — A humanitarian ceasefire facilitated by Melania Trump enabled 750 people to leave Russian-occupied Oleshky, and the evacuees arrived in Gomel, Belarus, on Saturday before being taken by bus toward the Ukrainian border.
    Original (Hungarian): Megérkeztek Belaruszba az oleski lakosok, akiket a Melania Trump által kitárgyalt humanitárius tűzszünet miatt tudtak kimenekíteni
11. Elon Musk poured 146 billion forints into the Republican Party ahead of midterm elections — Elon Musk has donated at least $445.77 million to Republican-linked groups since last year, making him the largest political donor in a single US election cycle in modern history, with much of the money going to his America PAC.
    Original (Hungarian): Elon Musk 146 milliárd forintot öntött a Republikánus Pártra a félidős választások előtt
12. Air-defense systems deployed near Mar-a-Lago as uniformed troops protect Trump at his resort — Avenger missile-defense systems were deployed near Mar-a-Lago and a nearby airport after the US Secret Service warned of a persistent aerial threat and sought lasting restrictions on airspace around the property.
    Original (Hungarian): Légvédelmi rendszereket telepítettek Mar-a-Lago közelébe, egyenruhás katonák védik Trumpot az üdülőjében
13. Orbán and his good friend Vučić stand by each other in difficult times — Viktor Orbán and Aleksandar Vučić reaffirmed their friendship and the continuation of Hungarian-Serbian relations in a joint video after Vučić’s election defeat, while his nomination to return as head of the Serbian Progressive Party may come in December.
    Original (Hungarian): Orbán és jó barátja, Vučić ezekben a nehéz időkben is kitartanak egymás mellett
14. Péter Magyar still wouldn’t believe it — Péter Magyar questioned why next year’s budget still allocates money for former presidents’ grants and government-aligned research institutes, noting that the government has not submitted legislation to end benefits for former presidents who did not complete their terms.
    Original (Hungarian): Magyar Péter most sem hinné
15. “Shitty,” Péter Magyar replies when asked how his work as prime minister affects his relationships — Péter Magyar said the prime minister’s job seriously harms his personal relationships because he has less free time, and also discussed his attacks on Fidesz, the limited dissent among his close aides and increasing criticism from government and parliamentary group members.
    Original (Hungarian): „Szar” – válaszolta Magyar Péter Nagy Ádám kérdésére, hogy milyen hatással van az emberi kapcsolataira a miniszterelnöki munkája
16. “It’s right that people are held accountable, but Orbán and his relatives should get what they deserve too” — Residents of Orosháza said political tensions had eased six months after the change of government, though arguments between Fidesz and Tisza supporters continued, and shared their views on the government, the prime minister and Fidesz.
    Original (Hungarian): „Nagyon helyes, hogy elszámoltatnak. De akkor Orbán és a rokonai is kapják meg, ami jár”
17. We toured Debrecen’s Arany Bika, whose renovation has defeated both a businessman and MCC — The Arany Bika Hotel in Debrecen has continued to deteriorate despite plans made since it came into MCC ownership, with its future uncertain because of renovation costs expected to reach tens of billions of forints, the condition of its modern wing and limited demand for city-center hotels.
    Original (Hungarian): Bejártuk a debreceni Arany Bikát, aminek felújításába előbb egy vállalkozónak, majd az MCC-nek is beletört a bicskája
18. Népszava: closed, but not closed — Népszava will resume online publishing on November 2 after its new owner chose continuation over closure, focusing on a left-wing movement-oriented profile and the lives of unions, civic groups and workers rather than competing in the daily news cycle.
    Original (Hungarian): Népszava: megszűnt, de nem szűnt meg
19. “I represent a voice you don’t often encounter on television” — Sapkás Piréz, a YouTuber previously known to a small audience, won the grand prize on RTL’s The Traitors, and discussed contradictions on the show, criticism of Vona Gábor’s far-right past and the voice he represents in the media.
    Original (Hungarian): „Olyan hangot képviselek, amivel nem nagyon találkozni a tévében”
20. “The poor guy just wants to be happy” — Horváth András Dezső’s new novel, Új tenger, follows a man in his thirties through relationship and creative crises after an unexpected encounter forces him to make a choice, and the author discusses freedom, happiness and emotional growth.
    Original (Hungarian): „A szerencsétlen csak boldog akar lenni”
21. The last dance before everything falls apart: one of the past decade’s standout series ends — Babylon Berlin has concluded after nine years with a fifth season that bids farewell to the Weimar Republic and old Berlin while depicting Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, delivering a visually ambitious finale despite occasional overcrowding.
    Original (Hungarian): Az utolsó tánc, mielőtt minden szétesik: véget ért az elmúlt tíz év egyik kiemelkedő sorozata
22. Bitter Sound #292 [long]: Nine billion in Kisvárda, Harapófogó Dániel apologizes to China — The Borízű hang podcast discusses a nine-billion-forint investment in Kisvárda, responsibility in the Matolcsy affair and Nanushka’s bankruptcy, alongside topics including Chinese censorship, energy prices and bond-market concerns.
    Original (Hungarian): Borízű hang #292 [hosszú]: Kilencmilliárd Kisvárda határában, Harapófogó Dániel elnézést kér Kínától

Machine-written English summaries of Hungarian articles. Links lead to the original Hungarian articles on 444.cafe, where you can read and comment.