Hungarian Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai reports 900 ex‑officers ready to rejoin police amid 9,000‑officer shortfall

Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai said that about 900 former police officers have indicated they would return to the force, and several dozen have already been reinstated.

Despite these returns, the police still face a shortage of roughly 9,000 officers, with an annual net loss of 600‑800 personnel. The ministry is overhauling the salary scale, adding more leave, introducing a new pension model and cutting administrative burdens. It has also restored the 24/72‑hour shift system and re‑approved mobile‑phone use while on duty.

Further reforms include plans for an independent fire service by 2027 and changes to disaster protection, corrections, the TEK, the National Investigation Office and the Ready Police. Proposals for the full salary‑table overhaul are to be submitted to the government by the end of August.

Pósfai noted that he has met three times with former interior minister Pintér Sándor to discuss these initiatives.