Hungary’s agent-file database error sparks political row; FTC beats AC Milan
A newly published state-security database wrongly listed Lezsák Sándor and about 160 other people as agents, prompting an apology, a review and demands for political accountability. The disclosure has also renewed debate over how the records should be interpreted. In other news, Ferencváros won 2-0 at AC Milan, while Hungary announced plans for a new national environmental authority.
- Ferencváros wins in Milan — Ferencváros beat AC Milan 2-0 at San Siro in the Europa League, with Lenny Joseph scoring both goals, despite finishing with ten players.
Original (Hungarian): Milánóban nyert a Ferencváros - Matolcsy György’s detention upheld on appeal — A court rejected Matolcsy György’s appeal and ordered him held until November 23, citing risks of flight, interference with evidence and reoffending.
Original (Hungarian): „Felmerültek a bizonyítékok megsemmisítésére utaló körülmények is” – megerősítették másodfokon Matolcsy György letartóztatását - A drone-defense system also protected Viktor Orbán at the Carmelite Monastery — The Defense Ministry confirmed that a drone-defense system protected the Carmelite Monastery but said the contract was classified and gave no details on whether it remains in operation.
Original (Hungarian): Drónelhárító rendszer is védte Orbán Viktort a Karmelitában - Semmelweis University rector Merkely Béla resigns — Merkely Béla resigned as rector at a university senate meeting, with a report citing a breakdown in trust between him and the foundation overseeing the institution.
Original (Hungarian): Lemondott Merkely Béla, a Semmelweis Egyetem rektora - Paraguay’s president apologizes and resigns after collapse of OTP-backed Ueno bank — Santiago Peña resigned after Ueno bank’s collapse triggered protests and a political crisis, while lawmakers had voted to begin impeachment proceedings; OTP said its investment in the bank was purely financial.
Original (Hungarian): Bocsánatot kért, majd lemondott Paraguay elnöke az OTP által is finanszírozott Ueno bank összeomlása után - Trillions of dollars wiped from major tech stocks after US midterm elections — Investors’ concerns that Democrats could curb AI infrastructure development sent technology and semiconductor shares sharply lower, with the Nasdaq falling 5.5% and the Magnificent Seven losing about $1 trillion in market value in one day.
Original (Hungarian): Több ezer milliárd dollár tűnt el a nagy techcégek részvényeinek értékéből az amerikai félidős választások után - Fidesz–KDNP demands ministers’ resignations and the archive director’s dismissal over database error — Fidesz–KDNP called for the departure of three ministers and the archive director after the state-security database wrongly listed people as agents, and said it would pursue investigations and legal action.
Original (Hungarian): Forradalmi hangulatba került a Fidesz-KDNP: követelik Ruff, Tanács és Tarr lemondását, kirúgatnák a levéltár főigazgatóját, és mindenkit beperelnek - Péter Magyar apologizes to Sándor Lezsák — Péter Magyar apologized to Lezsák Sándor after an IT error wrongly placed his name in a database of network members, while the archive corrected the entry and began investigating.
Original (Hungarian): Magyar Péter bocsánatot kér Lezsák Sándortól - Sándor Lezsák was not an agent; an IT error put him among them — The Historical Archives of the State Security Services said Lezsák Sándor was listed as a monitored person on the original tapes and was wrongly classified as an agent because of an IT error.
Original (Hungarian): Lezsák Sándor nem volt ügynök, informatikai hiba miatt került közéjük - Archive director says 160 monitored people were mistakenly listed on nyitottaktak.hu — The archive said an IT error during processing of magnetic-tape data caused about 160 monitored people to appear as agents, and its director apologized to Lezsák Sándor.
Original (Hungarian): A levéltár vezetője szerint 160 megfigyelt neve került fel tévedésből a nyitottaktak.hu-ra - State-security database to be checked for further errors, though Lezsák’s misidentification appears unique — The archive is reviewing records for nearly 60,000 people after Lezsák Sándor was wrongly listed as an agent, though it considers the misidentification an isolated case.
Original (Hungarian): Újra átnézik, nem volt-e másoknál is hiba az állambiztonsági adatbázisban, de Lezsák téves azonosítása egyedinek tűnik - After 36 years of evasion, this is what they came up with — The newly launched database contains 58,000 names drawn from three incomplete records, omits some known agents and wrongly classified Lezsák Sándor and about 160 others as network members.
Original (Hungarian): Harminchat év sunnyogás után erre futotta - How did Sándor Lezsák’s name end up in the agent files? — Historian Nóra Szekér discussed how to interpret the files, recruitment on patriotic grounds and the selection of code names after the documents became publicly accessible.
Original (Hungarian): Hogy került Lezsák Sándor neve az ügynökaktákba? - Archive department head on recruitment files: The roughly one million pages contain extensive sensitive data — The archive has initially published recruitment-register data that do not by themselves prove cooperation, while about 10,000 recruitment dossiers totaling one million pages may be released in February after sensitive personal information is removed.
Original (Hungarian): Papp István ÁBTL-főosztályvezető a beszervezési dossziékról: A nagyjából egymillió oldal rengeteg érzékeny adatot tartalmaz - Sociologist Andrea Szabó on the agent files: A scapegoating narrative would have very negative consequences — Andrea Szabó said the release should be accompanied by historical research and public discussion, warning that a card alone does not prove someone cooperated or was guilty.
Original (Hungarian): Szabó Andrea szociológus az ügynökaktákról: Ha a bűnbakkereső narratíva rögzül a magyar társadalomban, annak nagyon negatív következményei vannak - How to prepare if someone close to you appears in the agent files: Psychotherapists’ advice — Experts say the files’ release can cause anxiety, depression, family conflict and renewed trauma, and recommend empathy, nuanced understanding and professional help when needed.
Original (Hungarian): Így készüljünk fel, ha egy szerettünk szerepel az ügynökaktákban – pszichoterapeuták tanácsai - Director János Szikora was surprised to find a recruitment dossier about himself — Szikora János said he spoke with an internal-affairs liaison after a drunk-driving incident but never signed a recruitment form or reported on anyone, despite a file recording his recruitment in 1987.
Original (Hungarian): Szikora János rendezőt meglepte, hogy van róla egy beszervezési dosszié - “I was not an agent,” says former Fidesz MEP — Antonio De Blasio denied being an agent despite a database entry saying he was recruited in 1985, saying he only spoke to authorities about a student exchange and never reported or cooperated.
Original (Hungarian): „Nem voltam ügynök” – állítja a volt fideszes EP-képviselő - Kőszeg deputy mayor recruited for 17 days says his conscience is clear — Terplán Zoltán said he rejected cooperation after being recruited in 1988 and will not resign, while the database records that he was excluded after 17 days.
Original (Hungarian): A 17 napra beszervezett kőszegi alpolgármesternek tiszta a lelkiismerete - Code name: János Kádár — An Ipolytarnóc department-store manager recruited in 1954 was given the code name “János Kádár,” later worked under another name and was removed from the network in 1962.
Original (Hungarian): Fedőneve: Kádár János - A minister cannot oppose his own government, Mihály Varga said of the 2013 central bank law — Mihály Varga said the central bank’s new leadership had prevented more than 100 billion forints in losses and launched reforms, while explaining that as a minister he could not take a position contrary to his government’s on the 2013 law.
Original (Hungarian): Egy miniszter nem mehet szembe saját kormányával – mondta Varga Mihály a jegybanktörvény 2013-as elfogadásáról - Péter Szijjártó’s trips to Japan and Azerbaijan cost nearly 150 million forints in public money — The rental aircraft and accommodation for Szijjártó Péter’s 2021 trip cost 143.5 million forints, according to records obtained after litigation, excluding the cost of the military aircraft used for the return journey.
Original (Hungarian): Közel 150 millió forint közpénzből repült Szijjártó Péter Japánba és Azerbajdzsánba - Integrity Authority conference participants say progress against corruption is real but more remains to be done — Participants cited steps including a new asset-recovery office and joining the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, while calling for stronger coordination, transparency, whistleblower protection and cooperation with civil society and journalists.
Original (Hungarian): Az irány jó, de bőven van még mit tenni a korrupció ellen az Integritás Hatóság konferenciájának résztvevői szerint - New national environmental authority to be established in January — The National Authority for Living Environment Supervision is due to begin operating on January 1, 2027, with nationwide environmental, nature-protection and water-management responsibilities, including oversight of battery production and waste.
Original (Hungarian): Új környezetvédelmi csúcsszerv jön létre januártól - Government would strip the Hungarian Academy of Arts of its role in allocating cultural funds — A government proposal would end the academy’s special decision-making and nomination rights at the National Cultural Fund and increase professional organizations’ influence, with the changes potentially taking effect in 2027.
Original (Hungarian): A kormány megvonná az MMA-tól a jogot, hogy beleszóljon a kulturális pénzek elosztásába - Media Council asks Parliament to remove advertising tax from next year’s tax laws — The Media Council says a planned advertising tax from 2027 could threaten domestic media companies and urges lawmakers to drop it or reduce and review the burden if it is adopted.
Original (Hungarian): A Médiatanács azt kéri az Országgyűléstől, hogy törölje a reklámadót a jövő évi adótörvényekből - Kozármisleny revokes György Matolcsy’s honorary citizenship — Kozármisleny’s council unanimously revoked Matolcsy György’s honorary citizenship at a closed meeting on October 27, following official action related to the central bank case.
Original (Hungarian): Kozármisleny visszavonta Matolcsy György díszpolgári címét - New 11-billion-forint primary school to be built in Gyömrő — Péter Magyar announced plans for a 24-classroom school costing nearly 11 billion forints, after pupils spent a second school year in temporary containers following the suspension of the project in 2022.
Original (Hungarian): 11 milliárd forintból megépítik a gyömrői általános iskola új épületét, évek óta húzódó botrányos történet érhet véget - Hospitals object to patients increasingly filming and photographing staff — Hospitals say patient recordings, particularly in emergency departments, can violate the privacy rights of patients and staff or disrupt care, and the national hospital directorate plans a campaign against the practice.
Original (Hungarian): Nagyon nem tetszik a kórházaknak, hogy a páciensek egyre többször videózzák és fotózzák az ott dolgozókat - People still using old book-style ID cards have 56 days to replace them — About 30,000 people must replace their old book-style identity cards by December 31, as the documents will no longer be accepted for basic services from January 1, 2027.
Original (Hungarian): 56 napja van lecserélni régi, könyv alakú személyijét annak, aki még ilyet használ - That’s a nice green license plate—just make sure nothing happens to it — Owners of plug-in hybrids must replace their green plates with white ones by November 30, and cars still using the old plates from December 1 may be taken off the road.
Original (Hungarian): De szép zöld rendszámod van, csak nehogy baja essék! - Auchan fined for leaving out inconvenient details of coupon promotions — Hungary’s competition authority fined Auchan nearly 69 million forints for failing to clearly disclose conditions for three coupon promotions, and the retailer admitted the violation and waived its right to appeal.
Original (Hungarian): Elhallgatta kuponakciói kellemetlen részleteit a csalafinta Auchan - Dohánygyár #15: The Otthon Start Program ends and Wekerle+ begins—what happens now? — The rapid phase-out of the Otthon Start Program prompted a rush to sign home-sale contracts, while the replacement Wekerle+ program has stricter conditions and may require higher incomes for the same loan.
Original (Hungarian): Dohánygyár #15: Vége az Otthon Start Programnak, indul a Wekerle+. És akkor most mi lesz? - Hungary will not get a better offer than Russia’s, says Russian deputy foreign minister — Dmitry Lyubinsky said Hungary would not receive more favorable energy terms than Russia’s and that abandoning Russian energy could worsen Europe’s economic crisis, while saying Moscow was ready to discuss Hungary’s concerns.
Original (Hungarian): Magyarország senkitől nem kap majd az oroszokénál jobb ajánlatot az orosz külügyminiszter-helyettes szerint - Zelenskyy asks for urgent help to maintain Ukraine’s energy supply — At a summit in Madrid, Zelenskyy called for transformers, cables, electronic equipment and diesel- or gas-powered generators to help Ukraine’s energy system withstand Russian attacks.
Original (Hungarian): Mielőbbi segítséget kért Zelenszkij Ukrajna energiaellátásához - Tankers that set out for the US after Trump–Putin deal are no longer heading there — Two tankers carrying Russian diesel have changed course from the United States, while other vessels remain headed toward the US market without confirmed buyers; the temporary authorization has not lowered US fuel prices.
Original (Hungarian): Már nem Amerikába tartanak a tankerek, amelyek a Trump–Putyin-alku után indultak oda - The world cannot relax after the midterms, but there will be ways to curb Trump’s foreign actions — An analysis says Trump retains substantial foreign-policy latitude after the election setback and could take riskier steps, including further strikes on Iran that might prompt retaliation and raise oil prices.
Original (Hungarian): A világ nem dőlhet hátra a félidős választások után sem, de lesznek eszközök Trump külföldi akcióinak megfékezésére - White House denies Rubio and Hegseth are leaving after election defeat — The White House denied reports that Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio would leave as part of a post-election reshuffle, though Hegseth faces criticism over the handling of the war with Iran.
Original (Hungarian): A Fehér Ház tagadja, hogy Rubio és Hegseth is dobbantana a választási bukó után - Trump would use an order to stop successors changing the Oval Office, which he has already overhauled — Trump plans to designate the Oval Office as protected, but experts say he lacks legal authority to prevent future changes, while a federal design commission approved a proposed Washington triumphal arch that opponents criticize.
Original (Hungarian): Trump rendelettel akadályozná meg, hogy az utána következő elnökök átalakítsák az Ovális Irodát, amit ő már szétbarmolt - California governor commutes 548 death sentences in a single decision — Gavin Newsom changed the sentences of all 548 people on California’s death row to life without parole, saying the state has no moral right to execute prisoners.
Original (Hungarian): Kalifornia kormányzója 548 halálbüntetést törölt el egyetlen döntéssel - A dozen European flights diverted because of bomb threats — Several flights departing from cities including Dublin, Madrid, Copenhagen and Helsinki were diverted after bomb threats, and completed searches found no explosives or suspicious circumstances.
Original (Hungarian): Tucatnyi európai repülőjáratot kellett eltéríteni bombafenyegetések miatt - Russell Brand found guilty of rape and sexual assault — A court found Russell Brand guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others, and he was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on Monday.
Original (Hungarian): Bűnösnek találták Russell Brandet nemi erőszak és szexuális zaklatás vádjában - Cristiano Ronaldo retires from Portugal’s national team — Cristiano Ronaldo is ending his 23-year international career at age 41, having scored a record 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal.
Original (Hungarian): Cristiano Ronaldo visszavonul a portugál valogatottságtól - Prince Andrew may have earned nearly 900,000 forints a month by renting out royal estate homes — A parliamentary committee said Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lived at Royal Lodge rent-free while potentially earning up to £2,000 a month from renting out three estate houses, and called for tighter rules and greater transparency.
Original (Hungarian): Havi majdnem kilencszázezer forintot is kereshetett András ex-herceg a királyi birtokhoz tartozó házak bérbe adásával - Hungarian Academy of Sciences: JÉGER does not cause drought — The academy said there is no scientific evidence that the JÉGER system significantly affects rainfall and recommended stricter regulation of weather-modification systems.
Original (Hungarian): MTA: Nem a JÉGER okozza az aszályt - Ágnes Forsthoffer bars János Pócs from Parliament for three sitting days — Forsthoffer Ágnes barred Fidesz MP Pócs János after he tried to cast a vote after voting had closed and repeatedly disrupted parliamentary proceedings.
Original (Hungarian): Pócs Jánost három ülésnapra kitiltotta az Országgyűlésből Forsthoffer Ágnes - Third attempt to sell Videoton — Székesfehérvár has launched a third tender to sell the company operating Videoton FC Fehérvár, after two earlier sale attempts fell through.
Original (Hungarian): Harmadjára is megpróbálják eladni a Vidit - Szabolcs Panyi wins this year’s Magnitsky Human Rights Award for outstanding journalism — Vsquare journalist Panyi Szabolcs will receive the 2026 award for reporting on Russian influence in Hungary.
Original (Hungarian): Panyi Szabolcs kapja idén a Magnyitszkij Emberi Jogi Díj „kiemelkedő újságírói” díját - Renaissance landscape rarity identified this year could fetch up to £5 million — A landscape by Albrecht Altdorfer, dated to 1520 and identified this year, is due to be auctioned in London on December 9 with an estimate of £3 million to £5 million.
Original (Hungarian): Idén azonosították be a reneszánsz tájképritkaságot, akár 5 millió fontot is fizethetnek érte - Freedom cannot exist without responsibility: Attila Bartis on Nem rossz könyvek — Bartis Attila discussed his fragmentary autobiography A rég, including the responsibilities of memoir-writing, the boundary between fact and fiction, state-security records and magical thinking.
Original (Hungarian): Nem létezik szabadság felelősség nélkül – Bartis Attila a Nem rossz könyvekben - Azahriah and Gigi D’Agostino join the Margaret Island fountain’s new playlist — A public vote selected the 2027 playlist for Budapest’s musical fountain, led by Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” and including songs by Azahriah, Beton.Hofi, Carson Coma and Gigi D’Agostino.
Original (Hungarian): Azahriah és Gigi D’Agostino is bekerült a margitszigeti szökőkút vadiúj playlistjébe - If Magyar Péter used a newspaper to stoke war fears, the award-winning retired distributor would refuse to deliver it — Retired newspaper distributor Matisáné Szabó Márta refused to deliver a Bors campaign supplement she said crossed a line, describing her decision as nonpartisan and receiving a special award from the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union.
Original (Hungarian): Ha Magyar Péter háborúval riogatna az újságban, azt sem kézbesítené a friss Szabad-díjas nyugdíjas kihordó - After 13 years, Lugossy Mária’s troubled memorial may return in front of Parliament — The government has approved the return of Lugossy Mária’s Flame of the Revolution memorial to Kossuth Square, with plans for it to be relit on October 23, 2027.
Original (Hungarian): 13 év után visszakerülhet a Parlament elé Lugossy Mária hányattatott sorsú emlékműve, a Forradalom lángja - Protesters demonstrate against J.K. Rowling’s transphobia at London’s largest Harry Potter store opening — Trans rights protesters called for a boycott outside the new Oxford Street store, while a spokesperson said the shop supports the peaceful expression of personal views.
Original (Hungarian): J. K. Rowling transzfóbiája miatt tüntettek a legnagyobb Harry Potter-bolt megnyitóján Londonban - Italian chef fired for refusing to put pineapple on pizza, saying it “offended his culture” — A Brisbane restaurant dismissed Davide Tamburella after he repeatedly refused to put pineapple on pizza, and an Australian workplace commission rejected his unfair-dismissal claim as out of time.
Original (Hungarian): Kirúgtak egy olasz séfet, mert nem volt hajlandó ananászt tenni a pizzára, ugyanis ez „sértette a kultúráját” - Nightmare squared: More than 3,000 tarantulas smuggled in dirty socks found at a Peruvian airport — Authorities found more than 3,000 tarantulas hidden in dirty socks inside three suitcases at a Lima airport, where three European travelers were allegedly trying to smuggle them to Germany.
Original (Hungarian): Rémálom a köbön: több mint 3000, koszos zoknikban csempészett madárpókot találtak egy perui repülőtéren - Fradi supporters give fascist salute and praise Mussolini in Milan’s main square — Ferencváros ultras sang a fascist song praising Mussolini and made a gesture resembling a Nazi salute outside Milan Cathedral, while also chanting a homophobic slur against Újpest.
Original (Hungarian): Mussolinit éltette a karlendítő Fradi-tábor Milánó főterén - Serious errors and the absence of magical thinking — A newsletter reports on the database error that wrongly listed about 160 monitored people as agents, Magyar Péter’s apology to Lezsák Sándor and Fidesz’s calls for resignations, alongside other domestic and international news.
Original (Hungarian): Súlyos hibák és a mágikus gondolkodás hiánya - One look at this picture is enough to know what everyone needs to do in the morning — Temperatures fell below freezing across much of the country at dawn, making warm coats, hats and scarves useful in the morning, though afternoon temperatures could rise above 10 degrees.
Original (Hungarian): Elég csak ránézni erre a képre, hogy mindenki tudja reggel, mi a dolga - Temperatures fell to minus 7 as the coldest morning of autumn so far brought frost almost everywhere — Zabar recorded a low of minus 7.3 degrees, with frost across much of the country and further overnight freezes expected in the coming days.
Original (Hungarian): Mínusz 7-ig süllyedtünk, túl vagyunk az idei ősz eddigi leghidegebb reggelén, szinte mindenhol fagyott
Machine-written English summaries of Hungarian articles. Links lead to the original Hungarian articles on 444.cafe, where you can read and comment.