The decision is based on an amendment adopted last year, which now keeps details of the prime minister’s foreign trips hidden from the public on foreign policy and national security grounds.
For the next five years – until 2030 – the public will not be allowed to know when, where, or with whom Viktor Orbán has travelled abroad over the past two years, Telex reported.
Request for public data rejected
Journalists from Telex requested the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office to release information about Viktor Orbán’s foreign trips, including the dates, destinations, duration, means of transport, and the names of those accompanying him, covering the period back to early 2024.
Under Hungarian law, authorities have 15 days to respond to such requests. The Cabinet Office used the full deadline and finally replied on the last day, saying it would seek the foreign minister’s opinion before disclosing any data. A few weeks later, however, a clear rejection arrived: the office stated it would not release any information regarding the prime minister’s travels.
The decision was not explained in detail; officials simply attached a legal reference, writing that “the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office is not in a position to fulfil the request for access to the indicated data.”
Based on a law passed last year
The current classification stems from an amendment quietly adopted last December, inserted into a budget “omnibus” bill. It allows the foreign trips of Hungary’s top officials — the president, the prime minister, the foreign minister, the heads of the Constitutional Court and the Curia, and the prosecutor general — to be kept secret for five years.
Officially, the rule aims to protect diplomatic relations and national security. In practice, it means that the public will not learn any details about these trips for years to come.
Limited transparency around official travel
The prime minister’s international appearances are regularly covered through official photos and press releases, but these only reflect publicly scheduled events. Background trips, meetings, delegations, and costs remain unknown. The new regulation further narrows transparency: it will be impossible to verify which trips are considered official and which are treated as private.
Public interest in this issue has grown after several of the prime minister’s recent trips sparked political debate. In the summer of 2024, for example, Viktor Orbán flew to Croatia on a private jet owned by a company linked to historian Mária Schmidt.
Although the trip was officially described as private, several of the prime minister’s close staff accompanied him, and conflicting statements later emerged about who covered the expenses.
A similar controversy erupted again in the summer of 2025, when Péter Magyar posted new photos of the prime minister holidaying on the Adriatic. According to his posts, Orbán arrived on a military aircraft, while the Lady Mrd, a luxury yacht owned by businessman László Szíjj, was anchored nearby. The prime minister’s political director, Balázs Orbán, responded that they were “working on a victory plan” on board.
Where is the line between private and public?
The decision once again raises the question of how far the government can go in withholding information about activities financed from public funds. The costs, logistics, and entourage of official trips could reasonably be considered matters of public interest, as they are at least partially paid for by taxpayers.
The government, however, cited diplomatic risks to justify the complete classification of such information — meaning that details of the prime minister’s travels will remain secret for another five years.
The more any government operates in secrecy the more it has to hide from its’ own people and the more corrupt it is.
“Variations Across Countries
• Transparent Democracies: Countries like Sweden or New Zealand tend to have higher transparency, with public records of official travel, though sensitive details may still be redacted.
• Security-Focused Nations: In nations like the US, Israel, or Russia, security concerns often lead to stricter controls over travel data, even for past trips.
• Authoritarian Regimes: In countries like China or North Korea, travel details of leaders are tightly guarded, often treated as state secrets, with minimal public disclosure.
Transparency Laws and Practices in Hungary:
• Hungary ranks low on global transparency indices (e.g., 76th out of 180 in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index). Official travel expenses must be reported to Parliament, but details like exact routes, meetings, or security costs are often redacted.
• The government’s “Sovereignty Protection Office” (established 2023) investigates foreign-funded entities but also shields domestic operations. In 2024–2025, it targeted watchdogs like Transparency International Hungary, accusing them of “foreign influence”—a tactic critics say extends to suppressing inquiries into government travel or funding.
• Freedom of Information requests for travel data are frequently denied or delayed, with journalists facing barriers like restricted access to officials since 2021.
Orbán’s Travel Patterns:
• Orbán is a prolific traveler: 51 official foreign trips from January 2022 to June 2023 alone, costing taxpayers millions (e.g., €1.2 million for a 2023 Beijing visit). Publicly announced trips (e.g., to Mar-a-Lago in 2023 or Morocco in 2024) focus on alliances with “strongmen” leaders, but full itineraries or outcomes remain secret.
• Secret or low-profile travels are notable: In January 2022, Orbán’s Paris trip (just before a Moscow visit to Putin) was kept under wraps, reportedly to avoid EU scrutiny.  More recently, May 2025 reports mentioned “Orbán’s secret travel” amid citizenship and border issues, suggesting ongoing opacity.
Cabinet Members’ Travel:
• Ministers like Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó or Antal Rogán (Head of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office) follow similar patterns.”