Hungary released tens of thousands of Communist-era secret police files in an online public database on Wednesday, according to Reuters, in a text republished by WSAU. Prime Minister Peter Magyar said some 60,000 names have now been made public and that additional files will be uploaded by February 2027. “We are implementing now, after 36 years … what was the promise of the change of regime,” he said at a briefing at the archives. The files contain the names of approximately 55,000-60,000 state informants recruited by the state security services between 1945 and 1989, according to Telex. The files are far from complete, as many were destroyed in 1956 during Hungary's anti-Soviet uprising and also in 1988-1989. Until Wednesday, ordinary people had been limited to viewing records about themselves or close relatives.
Theme: Hungary
Articles and notes about Hungary.
A Wizz Air flight from London Luton Airport to Sofia was escorted by a Hungarian fighter jet to Budapest after a mid-air bomb threat. The airline later confirmed an inspection had been “completed and nothing was found” and said the plane would depart again shortly.
The US government is weighing backing former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán as a candidate for UN secretary-general, with officials approaching Orbán with the proposal and encouraging him to enter the race, amid interest expressed by him and no final decision, according to The Jerusalem Post, citing sources from three countries.
Hungary blocked the next step in the European Union (EU) membership process for Ukraine and Moldova, according to the Kyiv Independent, in a text republished by Byteseu, even though their previous demands had been met. The TASS news agency reported the block.
Hungary's government submitted to Parliament late on September 14 a bill that would remove anti-LGBTQ+ rules prohibiting the “promotion of homosexuality” to under-18s implemented by Viktor Orban's former nationalist government, according to Reuters, in a text published by The Straits Times. Orban's government, which was ousted after 16 years in an election in April, promoted a Christian-conservative agenda and in 2021 banned the “display and promotion of homosexuality” and gender change in media content accessible by under-18s. Hungary's new Justice Minister Marta Gorog said in May that Hungary would need to revise legislation restricting access to LGBTQ+ content after the EU's top court ruled in April that the restrictions breached EU law.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Washington understood and acknowledged Moscow’s position on a possible trilateral meeting on Ukraine, after Kiev’s attempts to disrupt the State Duma elections, according to TASS. On another front, European Union ambassadors agreed to resume the technical stage of EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova, stalled by Hungary since the summer, with the possible opening of two clusters, according to TASS, citing the Rapporteur report.
Hungary is expected to lift its veto on the technical phase of Ukraine's EU accession talks, with letters on internal market and competition chapters, according to the Financial Times, in a text cited by TASS. Full political support would hinge on Ukraine's parliament passing a bill on minority educational rights on October 12, according to the Financial Times, in a text cited by TASS.
Hungary’s Parliament voted on Monday to lift the parliamentary immunity of three lawmakers, including Prime Minister Péter Magyar, according to The Associated Press (AP). Magyar is under investigation on suspicion of misdemeanor theft after he allegedly took a man’s mobile phone during a nightclub altercation and threw it into the Danube River in June 2024, according to AP. Lawmakers also lifted the immunity of two former ministers in Orbán’s government suspected of mismanagement of 17.3 billion forints in public funds and bribes of more than 12 billion forints, also according to AP.
Hungary’s parliament suspended Magyar’s immunity, with 139 lawmakers voting in favor and none against or abstaining, according to TASS. Magyar faces the accusation of taking a man’s mobile phone during a nightclub altercation in June 2024 and throwing it into the Danube River. He himself asked for his immunity to be suspended, saying he is ready to cooperate with investigators and has nothing to fear.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban said she is ready to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss bilateral relations, in remarks to the Index news portal during the high-level week of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), according to TASS; she said that although she has not yet spoken with Lavrov, diplomatic relations continue as normal.