The government has announced plans to extend the state of war emergency, according to a statement from the Government Information Centre on Tuesday.
They explained that the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict on Hungary’s doorstep has created a humanitarian crisis unlike anything seen since the Second World War, while also reshaping Europe’s economic landscape. To manage this disaster and shield the country from the global economic fallout, Hungary must retain the ability to respond swiftly and effectively on a national level.
To ensure all necessary resources are available to assist, support, and accommodate those fleeing the war, as well as to mitigate harmful economic impacts, the government proposes extending the state of emergency for an additional 180 days.
Maintaining this status grants the government the legal framework to make rapid and decisive decisions, crucial for helping refugees and safeguarding Hungary’s physical security, economy, and energy supplies.
The special legal measures remain essential given that the armed conflict and ensuing humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine continue unabated. The risk of the war escalating persists, and the combined effects of the conflict and sanctions place Hungary in an extraordinary situation. The government’s aim is clear: to preserve Hungary’s peace and security at all costs.
Read also:
- Tremendous money and Türkiye behind the Orbán cabinet’s thirst for Russian oil?
- Another NATO member may shoot down alien aircraft violating its airspace – UPDATE: PM Orbán’s harsh remark
Click for updates concerning the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Hungary in the Fidesz era has perpetually been under some for of exceptional legal orders, be it State of Crisis or State of Danger. What is a world without an enemy of sorts?
Mr. Orbán’s government routinely extends or replaces them rather than letting them expire. Which is unsurprising, since these exceptions (which have now become a rule) give Mr. Orbán c.s. great flexibility to pass regulations without parliamentary debate.
FAZIT: this permanent rule by decree and erodes democratic checks and balances – but I guess this is what a certain demographic enjoys (unless, of course, they themselves are targeted at some point).
The whole reasoning for a state of emergency is a complete Fidesz fraud perpetrated on the Hungarian people. Obviously Fidesz Hungary is not at war with anyone except against Hungarian democracy itself. Hungarians don’t know what a real functioning democracy is because they only experienced a narrow window of it from the first MDF government in the early 90s until the Fidesz dictatorship began in 2010. You cannot have one party control everything in society – media, courts, universities, large swaths of the economy – and call yourself a democracy. Democracy requires a free competition of ideas on an equal playing field. Fidesz completely took over the playing field making it impossible for alternative political parties to communicate with the public and most importantly participate in open political debate on an equal footing with the government. There is no televised debate between party leaders prior to elections and in the last election the opposition leader had a total of five minutes to speak on national television. Hungary is a pretend democracy.