The government adopted decisions at Tuesday’s meeting on, among other issues, reviewing the Chamber of Agriculture and the Klebelsberg Centre, increasing transparency and identifying the owners of private equity funds, and making hospital infection data public, government spokespersons said at a press conference in Budapest on Wednesday.

Éva Magyar said that, following consultations with MÁV management, the minister for transport and investment ordered an extraordinary investigation into Sunday’s locomotive fire at Kelenföld, which will also cover similar locomotives involved in the incident and purchased during the tenure of former minister János Lázár.

Immediate steps have been taken to ensure effective cooperation between MÁV and the Budapest Transport Centre (BKK) in such cases, including involving the latter in replacement bus services, she said. She added that MÁV is already working on renewing its passenger information system, which the transport and investment minister designated as a short-term task for the company.

Government spokesperson Anita Köböl said an Austrian-Hungarian interministerial committee had been established regarding asbestos contamination. Government offices are examining contamination levels in rock samples submitted by residents.

She stressed that the government’s goal is to begin public health monitoring as soon as possible. Residents can obtain information about the contamination and the progress of the investigation on the tudastar.kszgysz.hu website.

The spokesperson also reaffirmed that the government intends to enforce the “polluter pays” principle in the matter.

Government spokesperson Vanda Szondi said Foreign Minister Anita Orbán is proposing the revocation of a total of 943 passports that are not automatically granted to diplomats.

She recalled that last week the government asked the foreign minister to review diplomatic passports that are not automatically issued by entitlement.

A total of 1,322 diplomatic and service passports issued without automatic entitlement were reviewed, including 1,131 diplomatic passports and 191 service passports. The minister proposed revoking 776 diplomatic passports and 167 service passports.

Szondi also noted that Justice Minister Márta Görög is working on determining how widely the identities of passport recipients can be made public while complying with personal rights regulations.

Referring to Saturday’s Champions League final, Szondi said Budapest is fully prepared for the sporting event.

The event will place extraordinary strain on the Hungarian capital, which expects tens of thousands of fans throughout the weekend. The interior minister and the minister for transport and investment are continuously coordinating with organisers.

She said Budapest is prepared, though minor disruptions may occur, especially in airport transport, and advised travellers departing Budapest by plane during these days to arrive at the airport at least three hours early. Due to the extraordinary pressure, the government has reopened Ferihegy 1, while BKV will increase service frequency.

Paris Saint-Germain supporters are expected at the MTK Sportpark, while Arsenal fans will gather at a fan village in City Park. Programmes will also take place at Heroes’ Square.

The government decided to make hospital infection data public, Köböl said. Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs was tasked with developing a monitoring system by June 30 and enabling publication of infection data by September 1.

Official data and international surveys both show that the problem has been severe in Hungary for years, she said, adding that significant discrepancies between domestic and international data suggest the actual number of cases may be considerably higher than previously known to the government.

The government also tasked the health minister with preparing a detailed concept by the end of June to strengthen patient rights.

The cabinet reviewed the state of patient rights, which include understandable information, dignity, self-determination, data protection and support in dealing with institutions.

“These rights exist on paper in Hungary, but in practice they often take a different form,” Köböl said.

“We want every patient to feel they are not in a vulnerable position, that this is not merely complaint handling or information provision, but genuine assistance,” she added.

The cabinet also reviewed education-related matters. Éva Magyar said Education and Children’s Affairs Minister Judit Lannert was tasked with reviewing the governing role of the Klebelsberg Centre, the operation of school district centres, and the appointment and financial management practices of district directors.

She said this review was necessary because experience since 2010 had shown that excessive centralisation in education had intensified rather than solved problems.

The goal is to improve predictability in school financing and strengthen institutional autonomy.

The review will examine the division of supervisory, employer and financial powers, contracting practices, internal control systems and whether district-level decisions supported or hindered school operations.

An analysis will also be prepared on the most important economic and staffing data of educational institutions maintained by district centres, as well as the legality and professional standards of their operations.

The government also instructed the education minister to ensure direct involvement of school principals in district-level decisions by June 15 and to prepare legal amendments necessary to expand principals’ powers.

The cabinet also decided on measures necessary to restore collective rights for employees in public education. The government asked the ministers for education, social affairs and justice to prepare proposals to strengthen the rights of trade unions operating in public education.

Lannert was also tasked with preparing the abolition of special strike rules for public education so that teachers’ right to strike aligns with general regulations.

The Tisza government also announced school-start support for children from families in need in August this year, with eligibility criteria to be finalised later.

Köböl announced that the government instructed the Ministry of Finance to examine how transparency and identification of beneficial owners in private equity funds can be ensured.

The review will examine whether Hungarian regulation fully complies with European Union anti-money laundering requirements, whether beneficial owners with stakes above 25 percent can be identified, and whether data-sharing and oversight between the tax authority, central bank and financial institutions function properly.

The ministry was also asked to propose special transparency rules for private equity funds involving public money.

The cabinet additionally reviewed conditions for establishing a unified policing system aimed at simplifying police structures and eliminating unnecessary duplication. The interior minister was tasked with developing organisational and legal conditions by next week.

Szondi said the government also ordered a full extraordinary review of the law governing the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture, Food Economy and Rural Development (NAK) and its operation. The agriculture minister must prepare the necessary legislative measures by June 4.

The aim is to make the chamber more transparent, accountable and genuinely farmer-focused.

The government also decided to review permit procedures for certain industrial investments approved after January 1, 2021. The minister for rural and regional development will oversee investigations into licensing procedures conducted by government offices, with a deadline of June 20, 2026.

According to Éva Magyar, the goal is to determine whether major industrial investments in recent years received approval only after lawful, professional and sufficiently thorough procedures.

She stressed that this is particularly important for developments that may significantly affect local communities, water resources, air quality, agricultural land, transport or everyday safety.

The government also reported that police site investigations at the Tiszaújváros plant damaged in last Friday’s explosion had concluded and the immediate accident risk had been eliminated, based on information from Mol.

The company has received necessary permits to begin restoration and established an expert team to oversee the work. Safe hydrocarbon removal is ongoing, and preparations begin with cleaning the plant. Only afterwards will the expected restoration timeline become clear.

According to preliminary expert estimates, operations may resume after several months of work.

The condition of the seven injured people hospitalised remains stable and continuously improving, though they still require medical care.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Köböl said it cannot yet be confirmed whether Prime Minister Péter Magyar will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week, as talks and consultations are ongoing.

Regarding Erasmus access for Hungarian university students, Szondi said technical consultations are ongoing and no speculation should be made until negotiations conclude.

Asked about asset management foundations and state funding, Köböl said proposed legislation would make beneficial ownership information public from autumn 2026.

She stressed the importance of examining any loss in value and damages from failed projects, adding that authorities must investigate whether public money contributed to private wealth accumulation.

Regarding asbestos contamination, Köböl said the solution is removing roads built with asbestos-containing crushed stone and safely transporting contaminated materials away.

The spokespersons also said the government had not discussed Ukraine’s agricultural import ban at Tuesday’s meeting and were unaware of any change in the government’s position.

Regarding potential mayoral salary reductions, Köböl said no government decision had yet been made.

“The prime minister has made clear that anyone participating in governance should see it as public service. There is no plan to eliminate mayors’ salaries, and there is no need to create panic,” she said.

Szondi said county renaming from “vármegye” back to “megye” would likely happen, though timing and costs remain unknown.

Éva Magyar said the aim is not to dismantle the Klebelsberg Centre but to radically transform the system, as excessive centralisation negatively affects schools’ daily operation.

According to current plans, the centre and district offices would function as support institutions in the future.

Government spokespersons also said regarding this year’s Pride event that the government guarantees freedom of assembly for everyone, while permitting remains the responsibility of authorities.

Artificial intelligence was used for the translation of parts of the original Hungarian text.