Hungary saw continued wage growth in January 2025, with the gross average salary rising to 668,100 forints, marking a 10.4 per cent increase from the previous year. Real wages have now been on an upward trend for 17 consecutive months, helping to improve purchasing power and boost economic confidence.

The European Commission has approved the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) for 2025–2027, allocating 1.3 billion euros to key technologies that will shape Europe’s future and technological sovereignty. The initiative will support AI development, cybersecurity, and digital skills training.

According to local media reports, President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik is currently in Moscow, where he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday. Interpol issued a ‘red notice’ for Dodik after he left Bosnia and Herzegovina despite an active federal arrest warrant, having visited Serbia and Israel in the past week.

Budapest witnessed rare protests in recent days, as demonstrators rallied against what they describe as a ‘Pride-ban’—an amendment to the law on the right of assembly, which imposes stricter conditions on mass events that violate the child protection law. Among the speakers was the infamous German MEP Daniel Freund, who effectively admitted that Brussels has been working for years to oust Viktor Orbán’s government, with the current demonstrations being no exception.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has held a joint press conference with Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, where he declared that both Hungary and the Vatican remain committed to pushing for peace in the Russo–Ukrainian war, and to helping persecuted Christians worldwide.

According to the report by the Times of Malta, the Hungarian OTP Bank is the most likely bidder to acquire HSBC Malta, a subsidiary of the British multinational banking and financial services company HSBC. HSBC Malta currently has a market cap of around €550 million.

Highlights of Hungary, the initiative that honours outstanding achievements by Hungarians in all walks of life, has held a celebratory event to officially kick off its 12th season. Just like in the years prior, five famous ambassadors will nominate their candidates for the awards that will be given out at the end of the season, in October this year.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused opposition parties of engaging in a ‘competition of provocations’ ahead of next year’s elections. Speaking on public Kossuth Radio, he addressed topics ranging from rural development and economic measures to European security and Hungary’s stance on war.

The Hungarian Defence Forces have expanded their arsenal with new Leopard 2A7HU tanks, Lynx infantry fighting vehicles, and thousands of modern firearms, reinforcing the country’s military capabilities. The latest additions were announced by the Minister of Defence on Friday.

‘A right-wing candidate who was allowed to enter the race is George Simion from the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR)…While back in November polls failed to predict Georgescu’s victory, currently George Simion seems to be among the electorate’s favourites for the presidential role.’

Between 2016 and 2023 George Soros’ Open Society Foundations spent $90 million on funding Brussels, Belgium-based NGOs, a recently published study by the Center for Fundamental Rights has found. The spending accelerated in the year before the 2024 European Parliamentary election.

According to Head of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will pay an official visit to Hungary in the next few weeks. The visit was set in defiance of an international arrest warrant for the Israeli leader.

Four US soldiers stationed in Lithuania went missing on Tuesday during a training exercise near the Lithuanian–Belarusian border. On Wednesday NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that the troops had been killed; however, the US Army and the Lithuanian Armed Forces stated that the search is still ongoing.

Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority has criticized the latest press freedom report by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, arguing that it presents a one-sided assessment of the Hungarian media landscape. The authority highlights methodological flaws and subjective claims in the report.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Hungary’s energy security has faced constant and varied threats—from strikes on Russian gas pipelines to the suspension of transit through Ukraine. However, if the current ceasefire agreement is implemented effectively, Budapest could finally experience stability in this regard.

Hungary has made it clear that its support for Ukraine’s EU membership will depend on the outcome of a national referendum. Speaking on Hungarian television, Minister for European Affairs János Bóka emphasized that Ukraine must acknowledge this condition, while also criticizing the EU’s outdated stance on the conflict.

After the second round of peace talks in Saudi Arabia, Washington announced that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea and on each other’s energy infrastructure. If upheld, the deal could mark the first concrete step toward a broader truce.

Hungary is hosting MILEX 2025, a major international military exercise designed to test the European Union’s rapid response capabilities. Taking place between 25 March and 10 April, the operation brings together military forces from 11 EU countries to conduct live-fire exercises and tactical drills under real-world conditions.

US Chargé d’Affaires ad interim Robert Palladino appears determined to restore US–Hungary relations following the turbulent tenure of his predecessor, David Pressman. The senior American diplomat began the week with high-level bilateral meetings—first with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, followed by political director to the Hungarian Prime Minister Balázs Orbán.

President Tamás Sulyok of Hungary spoke at a gala at the Gergely Csiki Theatre in Kaposvár, Hungary on the Day of Polish–Hungarian Friendship, 21 March. President Andrzej Duda of Poland also made a speech at the event celebrating the historical great relationship between the two nations.

Walt Disney’s new live-action adaption of Snow White, starring Latina Actress Rachel Zegler, brought in just $86.1 million in revenue in its opening weekend worldwide, underperforming even the low end of projections. Given its massive production budget of $270 million, it is very likely to be a massive financial loss for the studio.

As tensions rise in Bosnia and Herzegovina, European lawmakers are urging EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to impose sanctions on Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik. However, one of the 28 signatories of the letter sent to Kallas, Slovenian MEP Irena Joveva, expressed concern that such efforts could be blocked at the European Council level by Dodik’s long-time ally, Viktor Orbán.

After losing the first leg 3–1 in Istanbul, Hungary had to endure an even bigger, 3–0 defeat in front of their own fans at the Puskás Arena in Budapest. Thus, Türkiye qualified for League A of the UEFA Nations League with 6–1 on aggregate, while Hungary has been relegated to League B after two seasons in the top division.

‘The Hungarian-owned company Pro Patria Electronics has signed a contract with Estonia to deploy state-of-the-art passive radar systems at the Baltic nation’s border points. However, it’s not the first success of the Hungarian company on the international defence market.’

Hungarian businesses have applied for state subsidies to purchase over 1,500 BYD electric vehicles under the national EV programme. Tesla follows in second place with more than 1,100 approved requests. The initiative has significantly boosted Hungary’s electric car market.

A Hungarian-developed blockchain solution could provide secure and easily accessible storage for degrees issued by EU universities, according to Gábor Dénes University. The technology, set to launch in Hungary by 2026, aims to create a unified digital degree database across the European Union.

Zsolt Zsólyomi, a 26-year-old Hungarian national charged with second-degree murder in Miami, Florida, could become the first person executed under a new immigration bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on 13 February. According to local authorities, Zsólyomi, who had been on immigration enforcement’s radar for overstaying his visa, murdered two elderly men in the Miami area.

Tamás Menczer has warned in a Facebook post that due to military aid to Ukraine ‘the war has already cost every Hungarian family 2.5 million HUF, and Ukraine’s EU membership would cost millions more for each and every family’. The Hungarian government remains in stark opposition to having Ukraine become an EU Member State.

A recent study by Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) reveals that while media trust remains generally low, television is considered the most reliable source, whereas print media ranks the lowest. The research also highlights generational differences, concerns over misinformation, and attitudes toward AI in journalism.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed a joint conclusion on Ukraine during Thursday’s EU summit, for the second time in March. He stated that he will continue to block every EU position on Ukraine until the results of Hungary’s public vote on Kyiv’s EU membership are known.