🇭🇺Week of November 2

NATO issued an ALPHA alert to Hungary and the Hungarian Air Force sent its Gripen fighter jets into action. Within a few hours the Gripens were scrambled to three passenger aircraft that had been threatened with bombs.123

Bomb threats hit several flights from Prague to Paris, and the alerts disrupted European air traffic. Threats also reached Wizz Air flights, according to Pénzcentrum.45

Video showed the Hungarian Gripens escorting one of the threatened passenger aircraft.3

The Nemzeti Nyomozó Iroda seized evidence at Hungary's Foreign Ministry in connection with the investigation into the country's Covid-era ventilator purchases. Investigators took documents during the operation, and the police announced the seizures in the ventilator-procurement case.123

A key figure in the deal called the tax authority himself and was told then about the international warrant out for him; he also said where he is currently staying. A Győr court earlier ordered the arrest of two suspects, one of whom served as liaison with the foreign ministry, and eleven people have been questioned as suspects.45

Attributed claim: The disclosures drew a warning from sociologist Szabó Andrea, who said the worst scenario began on Wednesday, when people are put on the table for some reason, pointed at and made into scapegoats. Világgazdaság reported that a prominent figure pushed back on the arguments of Ruff Bálint and Magyar Péter, saying the public can easily draw mistaken conclusions.12

Fidesz demanded the resignation of Tarr Zoltán and the shutdown of the site nyitottaktak.hu after an IT fault. The party's demand followed the error on the portal publishing the files.34

The agent-file controversy has grown louder for the Tisza government, Portfolio.hu reported, in the same week that a new leader was named to head civil aviation. Magyar Péter said the Tisza parliamentary faction supports the election of Fejes Péter as chief prosecutor.567

Magyar Péter, the prime minister, apologised publicly to Lezsák Sándor after Lezsák's name appeared in the register of network agents. Magyar Péter wrote that he could not reach Lezsák by telephone and so apologised to him on Facebook. He blamed the IT system for the error.123

Lezsák responded to the magnetic tape carrying his name by saying he was not an agent but was himself under surveillance. The state has officially acknowledged that the agent list was published incorrectly, and a name was removed from it because the person had been observed rather than recruited. The archive apologised for the mistaken entry of a well-known politician in the agent database.456

Török Gábor said of the agent files that haste can destroy trust. The disclosures follow earlier claims about the files, including Viktor Orbán's statement that an attempt was made to recruit him as an agent during his compulsory military service, which he refused, and former prime minister Németh Miklós's report that he received agent reports produced by Orbán in March 1990.7

Separately, Magyar Péter said the Tisza parliamentary faction supports the election of Fejes Péter as chief prosecutor. Parliament had rejected the president's first nominee, Szathmáry Zoltán, before confirming Fejes, who promised immediate personnel and organisational changes at the prosecution service.89

Bulgarians voted in the second round of the country's presidential election, a runoff that outlets framed as a choice between Europe and Russia. Polling stations opened for the decisive round, with the contest presented as a test of the country's orientation between the two.12

Exit polls put acting president Iliana Yotova, described as Russia-friendly, ahead by a wide margin. Her opponent, Andrey Gyurov, acknowledged defeat.345

The runoff followed a first round that left the race undecided, and the second round was held to settle the presidency. Exit poll results were published as voting closed.31

Tárkányi Zsolt has made public a letter of intent that the foreign ministry under Péter Szijjártó concluded with the Chinese battery maker CATL. The document promises several thousand Asian workers accelerated visas and thousands of rental flats, and commits Hungarian public money to training the imported Asian workforce.1234

The disclosure drew attention to the scale of the commitments attached to the CATL plant in Debrecen. Telex reported the visa and housing pledges as the newest details of what the Orbán government offered the company.21

Attributed claim: Világgazdaság reported that the state secretary of Vitézy Dávid celebrated stopping CATL from expanding the Debrecen battery plant, presenting the halt as a win. The same outlet carried the disclosure of the Szijjártó ministry's letter alongside that account.5

Protesters greeted guests at a battery conference in Debrecen with the words "You celebrate, we mourn," Index.hu reported. The demonstration coincided with the publication of the government's commitments to CATL.6

Viktor Orbán said that during the first period of his compulsory military service an attempt was made to recruit him as an agent, that he refused, and that the attempt therefore failed. He posted documents about himself and his wife on his page to support the account.12

The statement followed a memo by former prime minister Németh Miklós, who reported that in March 1990 he received agent reports that Orbán Viktor had produced. Forbes Magyarország reported that Németh says he saw Orbán's agent reports and that the papers have since disappeared.34

Historian Ungváry Krisztián said that if what Németh Miklós claims about Orbán is true, then a law was broken.32

Orbán published the documents in response to the agent-report allegations, and outlets including Index.hu and Portfolio.hu carried both his statement and the release of the files.25

Magyar Péter announced that the Tisza parliamentary faction will support Fejes Péter's election as chief prosecutor. Fejes Péter is the president of the republic's second nominee for the post. Parliament rejected the first nominee, Szathmáry Zoltán.123

Parliament will decide on the second nominee by secret ballot on Tuesday. The vote follows the rejection of the president's first candidate.12

The announcement was carried by outlets across the Hungarian press, including ATV, Blikk and Szeretlek Magyarország, which reported Magyar Péter's statement that the Tisza faction supports Fejes Péter as chief prosecutor.456

Inquiries from homebuyers rose 41 percent as Hungary's Otthon Start housing programme entered its final days, with buyers rushing to sign contracts before the scheme closed. The surge was concentrated in the last week of October, when many still wanted to get into the programme. Growth was restrained in villages, according to HVG.1234

The rush has since subsided: the market clamour has died down and everything has quietened, Telex reported. Attention has turned visibly to the Wekerle Plusz scheme, the programme intended to succeed Otthon Start, though the peak of the Otthon Start fever is still ahead, hvg.hu reported.35

HVG published guidance for buyers holding a purchase contract signed by October 31 on what they must do to still receive Otthon Start support. The programme's closing drove the October-end spike in the housing market, 24.hu reported.67

Attributed claim: Hírstart, a pro-government outlet, reported that home searches jumped because of Otthon Start, matching the 41 percent inquiry increase carried by opposition outlets. Az én pénzem framed the housing subsidy as a scheme that shortchanged the public.8910

Five people have found nails, screws, wire and needles in Halloween sweets handed out to children in Gyömrő and Péteri, and a criminal investigation has been opened. The Monori Rendőrkapitányság is asking the public for help with the case.123

Someone hid needles and nails in Halloween candy intended for children in Gyömrő, and police are looking for eyewitnesses. The sweets were distributed to children during Halloween.34

Dangerous objects were also found in Halloween sweets given to children in Germany and Austria. In one place a needle was in the candy, in another a sharp metal shard, and police in the affected countries are investigating.5