Orbán said Francis had been “a personal acquaintance, and an instigator, encourager and promoter of the peace initiative.” He added, “I have lost a friend, and so has Hungary because the Holy Father loved us.” Amid ongoing wars in several regions worldwide, Orbán said that the aspects of Francis’ legacy focused on peace “surround us.”
Pope Francis was a “remarkable man,” Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok told public TV news channel M1 following the late pontiff’s funeral mass. Sulyok said that he had always felt that the pontiff prioritized personal relationships and emanated “great joy and great freedom. He was a free person, and I think he achieved complete inner peace and freedom through living the truth, which radiated from him,” Sulyok said.
The Hungarian national flag was hoisted with military honors and lowered to half-mast in front of Parliament on Saturday, the day of Pope Francis’ funeral. The government had declared Saturday a national day of mourning as a sign of sympathy and respect.
Tourism accommodation in Hungary hosted 300,000 guests over the Easter holiday, a 29% increase from the previous year, according to a statement issued on April 23 by the Ministry of National Economy, citing data from the National Tourism Data Service Center. Between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday, the number of foreign visitors rose by 38%, while domestic traveler numbers grew by 20%. Tourists spent more than 700,000 guest nights during the period, and revenues from accommodation surged 28% to nearly HUF 19 billion.
Minister for National Economy Márton Nagy said there was a “good chance” the government would maintain a cap on markups for a range of food products beyond May 31, the date the measure is set to expire, according to a statement issued on the ministry’s website. Nagy indicated that the cap could also be extended to some non-food items, such as toiletries and children’s care products. He added that the government is considering including 25 to 30 product categories under the measure. Nagy said the cap could be rolled back “without risk” once food price inflation falls below 5%. Should the government decide to prolong the measure, he noted that the new phase-out date would likely be the end of summer, adding that the cap might also be expanded to include an additional 10 food categories, depending on the May and June inflation data.
Minister of Agriculture István Nagy said livestock farmers bear an “enormous responsibility” in efforts to halt the spread of foot-and-mouth disease and urged compliance with restrictions, according to a statement issued on April 25. Speaking at a press conference in Budapest, Nagy said the necessity of full compliance had been evident since FMD appeared in Hungary in March and noted that authorities were considering even tighter restrictions. He added that no new outbreaks had been detected and estimated the cost of recent outbreaks at “tens of billions of forints.” In addition, speaking at a poultry industry conference in Budapest to mark World Poultry Day, Nagy insisted that Hungary would continue to deploy “all available means” to mitigate the risk of avian influenza outbreaks. The minister noted that the virus remains endemic in the wild bird population, posing a year-round threat.
Hungary’s government has submitted its 2026 budget draft to the Fiscal Council, the Ministry of National Economy said on its website. The ministry said the budget, described as “built on peace,” features Europe’s largest tax reduction package and focuses on supporting families and pensioners while accounting for significant wage increases. In a message posted on social media, Minister of National Economy Márton Nagy said the draft allocates HUF 4.8 trillion to family support, noting that doubled tax allowances would leave HUF 290 billion with families raising children, compared to HUF 80 bln in 2025. Households will receive around HUF 800 bln in subsidies under the regulated utility pricing system and an additional HUF 800 bln in interest payments on retail government securities. Approximately HUF 450 bln has been set aside for bonuses for Hungarians serving in uniform. At the same time, funds have also been allocated for double-digit pay increases for public sector workers in smaller settlements. Maintaining Hungary’s commitment to spending 2% of GDP on defense, HUF 1.9 tln will be directed toward upgrading the Hungarian Defense Forces. Roughly HUF 4.9 tln will be spent on economic development, including HUF 2.2 tln in funding from the European Union. Windfall profit taxes will remain in specific sectors, while tax incentives to encourage hiring and spending on research and development will be expanded.
April frosts have likely caused significant damage to Hungary’s acacia trees, worsening the already difficult situation for beekeepers, Péter Bross, president of the National Hungarian Beekeeping Association, told agroinform.hu. The sector is facing a severe crisis, as nearly half of Hungary’s bee population died over the winter. This season, beekeepers are starting with only 600,000–700,000 colonies, compared to the usual 1.2 million. The sharp decline in bee numbers, also a significant concern globally, including in Europe and the United States, is primarily attributed to the increasing resistance of the varroa mite to commonly used treatments. The losses have disproportionately affected part-time and hobby beekeepers, while professional apiarists have fared somewhat better in safeguarding their colonies.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of May 5, 2025.
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