The Tisza gov’t enters into office at midnight on Tuesday and will hold its first cabinet meeting in Ópusztaszer, in southeastern Hungary, at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, PM Péter Magyar said on Facebook. The venue was chosen for its symbolic significance, and in view of the extreme drought, he said. Ahead of the meeting, water management and agricultural experts will brief the cabinet on the situation. Then they will decide on the necessary short-term measures, and order the development of middle- and long-term water management solutions, Magyar said. Further, the cabinet will decide on the immediate and comprehensive review of state-owned companies, and on suspending all payments and commitments beyond normal operations, he said. The cabinet will also start discussions on amendments to the Fundamental Law and other important legislation, and request briefing on the country’s energy supply. “We will make decisions on many other important questions, including child protection...

Transport and Investment Minister Dávid Vitézy inherits a sector in institutional and financial crisis, with tasks ranging from restoring daily operations to securing EU funds by late summer, according to 10perc.hu. Immediate steps include rebuilding a functioning administrative framework and preparing critical rail projects and vehicle procurements to prevent the loss of EU financing. Major inherited burdens include the Budapest–Belgrade railway, whose viability remains doubtful, and the Mohács Danube bridge project, which has grown to a HUF 360 billion cost. The largest long‑term liability is the 35‑year motorway concession signed in 2022, which EU proceedings may eventually deem irregular, though reversing the damage will be slow and legally complex. Vitézy must also address an unsustainable fare system, where passenger revenues cover barely more than one‑twentieth of MÁV’s expenses, and design a new road‑pricing model that shifts freig ht toward rail while remaining socially acceptable. Although the Tisza Party’s program outlines...

A new representative survey by CIB Bank reveals that 32% of Hungarians have no savings, while another 16% could cover only 1–2 months of expenses from their reserves. Fewer than one‑third feel they fully understand and consciously manage their finances, and 41% say they mostly understand them but still have gaps; 8% feel completely lost.  Long‑term planning is especially weak: 36% would seek expert help with investments, 25% with retirement planning, and only 12% know how much they should save for old age. Despite these shortcomings, Hungary performs well regionally. Net financial savings reached 4.6% of GDP in 2025, and household net financial wealth rose to 117% of GDP.  High‑income households dominate government bond ownership; 63% of those with at least HUF 10 million in financial assets hold such securities, compared with 1% among hous eholds with under HUF 500,000.  “When it comes to savings, it is particularly important to...

Ultra-cold storage units, volatile supply chains and the growing weight of artificial intelligence are reshaping how medicines move from manufacturers to patients. In an industry where delays can quickly translate into shortages and cost pressures, pharmaceutical distribution is becoming less about physical handling and more about data-driven coordination across increasingly complex systems. On the outskirts of Hungaropharma’s operations, ultra-low temperature storage units sit at the center of a logistics system that has already been tested by crisis. By the time COVID-19 vaccines needed distribution across Hungary, the infrastructure was already in place. That timing, according to Hungaropharma CEO Judit Füzesi, reflects how pharmaceutical logistics actually evolves: not through sudden disruption, but through long planning cycles that often outpace public expectations. By 2020, she said, the company had already completed its ultra-low temperature (ULT) storage capacity, capable of holding products at minus 70 to minus 90 degrees Celsius. “This made it...

CEE’s banking sector remained highly profitable and strongly capitalized in 2025, even as the pace of transactions slowed, according to Deloitte’s latest regional banking M&A study. The firm says the underlying conditions for further consolidation remain intact, with strong balance sheets, high asset quality, and renewed transaction momentum at the end of 2025 and into 2026. Presented in the eighth edition of Deloitte’s Central and Eastern European Banking M&A Study, the findings suggest that the region’s banks are entering the next phase of consolidation from a position of strength rather than stress. The pressure to sell may have eased for smaller, less efficient players because profitability has held up better than expected. At the same time, stronger banks now have more room to pursue acquisitions as a growth strategy. That combination helps explain why 2025 looked quieter in terms of deal count yet still produced several larger strategic transactions. Rather...

Hungary’s retail sector delivered robust growth in March, driven by strong performance in fuel and non-food segments, according to the latest data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH). Retail sales volume rose by 8.2% year-on-year in calendar-adjusted terms, or 10.6% based on raw data. On a monthly basis, seasonally and calendar-adjusted figures showed a 1.9% increase compared to February, indicating continued momentum in consumer spending. The strongest growth was recorded in automotive fuel retailing, where sales volumes surged by 20.6%, broadly in line with trends in fuel consumption. Non-food retailing also performed strongly, with an overall increase of 8.4%. Within this category, sales rose by 10% in non-specialized stores selling manufactured goods, by 9.1% in books, computer equipment and other specialized shops, and by 7.3% in furniture and electrical goods outlets. Pharmaceutical and cosmetics stores saw a 6.5% increase, while textiles and clothing sales grew by 4.5%. Food retailing posted more...

The second phase of the H2Offices office complex in Budapest’s Váci Corridor has reached structural completion, marked by a topping out ceremony held last month. With more than 22,000 square meters of office space, the development is now moving into the next stage of construction and remains on track for completion in the first quarter of 2027. Located along Budapest’s Váci Road office corridor, H2Offices is being developed in three phases. Construction of Phase 2 started at the end of 2024, and with the substructure and main structural works now completed, the project now enters a new phase focused on façade installation and the implementation of mechanical and electrical systems. H2Offices is designed as a workplace that responds to both business needs and broader environmental ambitions, the project’s developer Skanska tells the Budapest Business Journal. H2Offices is aiming to present on the office market as a building of firsts, including...

Politicians have arrived in parliament for the opening session of the new national assembly. Sitting on a Saturday is unusual, but as today is Europe Day, it is also symbolic. The session was opened by President Tamás Sulyok shortly after 10 a.m., and MPs sang the Hungarian national anthem together. “Today, Hungary will, symbolically as well as in deeds, return to where it has belonged for one thousand years based on its history, culture and spirit: to Europe and the Western community of values,” Zoltán Tarr, the incoming minister for social relations and culture, said in a Facebook post today. Tarr, who is also the deputy chairman of the Tisza Party, said May 9, Europe Day, “a day of peace, rebuilding and cooperation,” was a symbolic date for the first parliamentary session and the election of a new prime minister. “For Hungary, it will mean a new, possibly the most...

This year, Tecnocasa is celebrating 30 years in the Hungarian real estate market. The Budapest Business Journal speaks with co-owners Laura Bindi and László Szabó about that journey, the state of the market, and what the future may hold. BBJ: This year, Tecnocasa in Hungary celebrates 30 years of doing business. How did this story start? Laura Bindi and László Szabó: Practically, this is a double birthday, because the international Tecnocasa Franchising Network is also celebrating its 40th anniversary. In August 1996, a team of ambitious real estate agents from Turin, affiliated with the Tecnocasa brand in Italy, inspected Budapest, at the suggestion of the founder, Oreste Pasquali, to determine whether it would be worthwhile to create a franchised real estate network in Hungary. And here we still are! Together, we have faced challenges and achieved projects; we created this kind of working experience in Hungary for the first time....

The Central and Eastern European industrial and logistics markets are seen as an attractive development and investment option, with leading international developers and operators active. Others, better known for their work in different sectors, are also getting involved. I&L has grown on the back of increasing demand for industrial space to meet significant FDI, notably due to the rise of e-commerce and the electric vehicle and EV-related industries. “The CEE industrial market is being actively reshaped by nearshoring and a drive for supply chain resilience. While new development is cautious, leasing activity is up, with demand for prime, sustainable space pushing rents higher,” comments Cushman & Wakefield. “Occupier sentiment has improved across most markets, with Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Hungary all posting robust leasing activity. Manufacturing, logistics and e-commerce remain the key demand drivers,” the consultancy says. “Hungary and Slovakia expect significant demand from Asian manufacturers and automotive...