Behind the new initiatives stand EU and domestic funds: one scheme introduces an on-demand bus service, the other prepares the ground for green modernisation with hydrogen-powered buses.

At a time when Hungary faces a growing housing crisis—marked by rising rents, precarious livelihoods and the dilapidated condition of much of its social housing—the national debate rarely turns to systemic solutions. Kecskemét, however, is seeking to change this with a multi-year programme backed by the European Union.

Hungarian and Slovak water authorities face the same challenges, which makes close cooperation indispensable—particularly since Hungary is a downstream country, with much of its rivers’ catchment areas lying abroad.

Although the city’s economic challenges remain profound and complex, the success of the Southern Technology Park shows that renewal is possible—provided that development efforts are pursued with long-term vision.

Femtonics, founded in Hungary and still wholly Hungarian-owned, successfully concluded its latest development programme, launched in February 2022, with more than HUF 393 million in non-repayable support from the EU’s Cohesion Fund under the Széchenyi Plan Plus scheme.

As part of the current phase, the earth-lined roadside ditches—many of which had become clogged and ineffective—will be reconstructed with durable, modern linings capable of withstanding greater stress.

Rural tourism has become a strategic priority, aimed at boosting local economies, supporting communities, and fostering regional cohesion. Investments have been broad in scope: upgrading infrastructure, modernising thermal baths, supporting ecotourism and active leisure, and refurbishing cultural landmarks.

Public attention often gravitates toward misuse, corruption, or disproportionately expensive projects. Yet, less celebrated are those investments where EU funding has yielded tangible, community-serving results. A case in point can be found in recent water utility developments.

Multiple innovative technologies were explored, culminating in a complex production process in which pH reduction played a central role. The project was financed through EU cohesion funds.

The Hortobágy Old Lakes development is one of the flagship projects of the programme, playing a crucial role not only in preserving the natural treasures of the Hortobágy but also in fostering biodiversity, promoting sustainable land management.

BÁCSVÍZ, which provides water services in 58 municipalities across three counties, has in recent years only been able to implement significant improvements thanks to EU cohesion funds.

While public discourse often emphasises cases of misuse, corruption, or costly mismanaged projects, less attention is given to investments where EU funding has genuinely effected tangible improvements.

Member states are free to prioritise among these areas in their national programmes. In Hungary, funds have primarily been directed toward infrastructure and employment initiatives, while research, innovation, and green projects have received proportionally less support.

Though the government claimed the parade was being held on “Brussels’ orders,” opposition figures seized the moment to reframe the event not as a foreign imposition but as a democratic necessity, which ended up in the largest protest in Hungary's recent history.

Once hailed as a liberal reformer, Viktor Orbán has spent the past decade engineering one of the EU’s most enduring illiberal regimes. Orbán’s system faces new pressures. But for now, he remains unshaken.