Hungary manages central bank probes, budget shifts, and Mol-INA talks

Hungary is navigating significant economic and diplomatic shifts. A parliamentary investigative committee is examining potential misconduct at the Magyar Nemzeti Bank (MNB) regarding investments that resulted in substantial asset losses. The central bank is currently struggling to sell overvalued properties, including sites in Buda and Balatonakarray, after previous attempts to sell them for 23 billion forints failed.

In the 2026 budget, the government has reduced expected revenues from corporate tax by approximately 250 billion forints and lowered retail tax revenue projections by over 65 billion forints. This shift comes amid EU scrutiny regarding the long-term sustainability of certain special taxes. Conversely, the government expects an increase of nearly 200 billion forints from the financial sector.

Diplomatically, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković have signaled that concrete negotiations may begin to resolve the long-standing Mol-INA dispute. This energy sector conflict has historically strained bilateral relations between Hungary and Croatia, but both leaders expressed a desire to open a new era of cooperation.