Hungarian Ministry of Interior apologizes to journalist after police insult

The Hungarian Ministry of Interior has intervened following a controversy involving the Budapest Police Headquarters (BRFK). The incident began when internal police correspondence, leaked during a request for an interview regarding street harassment against women, referred to HVG journalist Noémi Martini as a ‘screaming blue wildebeest’.

Interior Minister Gábor Pósfai condemned the tone used in the communication as unacceptable and stated that the experiences of women facing harassment must be taken seriously. While the police issued a public apology and launched an internal investigation, the Ministry of Interior also contacted Martini via telephone to offer a personal apology.

BRFK spokesperson Soma Csécsi has been summoned for a meeting with the Minister, though specific disciplinary consequences remain unclear. The incident has sparked broader discussions among women's rights activists regarding the government's handling of gender-related issues and the Istanbul Convention.