Hungary's opposition flags "New Deal" to kickstart stagnating economy
Hungary’s opposition leader Péter Magyar announced that his Tisza party will introduce a "Hungarian New Deal" to revitalise the country’s slowing...
Hungary’s government is considering a plan to impose a moratorium on new Airbnb licenses in Budapest and to raise taxes on short-term apartment rentals in the capital city, according to Economy Minister Marton Nagy. This announcement comes about a month after residents of Budapest’s sixth district voted to ban short-term rentals starting in 2026, marking the first such ban in one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. Some residents in European tourist hotspots blame short-term rentals for driving up home prices.
In central Europe, Budapest was the most popular city for short-term stays in 2023, with 6.7 million guest nights, according to Eurostat, ahead of Vienna, Prague, and Warsaw. Eurostat figures show almost 719 million guest nights spent in the European Union were booked via online platforms like Airbnb and Booking last year, with Paris leading EU capitals with over 19 million guest nights.
Nagy stated, “We are thinking about a possible moratorium and a tax hike in Budapest,” adding that the government had not made a decision yet. He emphasized that “the Airbnb market will change, and it is sure that it cannot grow further,” calling the issue a question of housing policy.
Nagy also mentioned that the government is negotiating the proposed new rules with trade organizations in the tourism industry and that changes would not affect short-term rental properties outside the capital. In Budapest’s sixth district, 54% of voters backed the ban on short-term rentals, with a 20.52% turnout in mid-September.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were cancelled or delayed after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted on Monday, but Bali’s main airport remains operational.
French member of parliament Olivier Marleix was found dead at his home on Monday, with suicide being considered a possible cause.
U.S. State Department has announced a new awareness campaign warning Americans, especially Iranian-Americans, about the continuing severe risks of travel to Iran.
The agreement between Russia and Oman to mutually waive visas will come into force on 18th July, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Archaeologists in Peru have uncovered the remains of a 3,500-year-old city in the country’s northern Barranca province, shedding new light on trade and settlement patterns in early South American civilisations.
Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports, along with regional airports in the north, east, west, and south of the country, have resumed operations in Iran and are fully prepared to provide flight services.
North Korea has opened the expansive Wonsan Kalma Coastal Tourist Area on its eastern coast, welcoming visitors from 1 July. According to state-run media, the move aims to revive tourism and boost much-needed foreign currency earnings amid international sanctions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment