YEAR IN PICTURES

january

The pandemic took a heavy toll of fatalities in Hungary by early January. Mass vaccination got under way with jabs for healthcare workers in the first month of the new year with 80,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines having arrived at the end of 2020.

february

The Visegrád Group, a cultural and political alliance of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, celebrated its 30th anniversary. It was formed by Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland in the Hungarian town, Visegrád on February 15, 1991.

march

Due to the worsening pandemic situation, the Hungarian government ordered all shops, with the exception of grocery stores, drugstores, pharmacies and gas stations – as well as all services – to be closed for a two-week period beginning March 8.

may

The 2020 European Aquatics Championships (postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic) took place in Budapest in May 2021. Hungarians finished 5th on the medal table with five golds, including a double victory in the women’s 400m individual medley.

april

Despite the world record number of deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, the Hungarian government decided to ease lockdown measures, like opening the terraces, on the apropos of four million citizens being inoculated against the coronavirus infection.

The OneRepublic was the headline act at the MTV World Stage Hungary concert on November 13 at Heroes’ Square in Budapest. This final event on the MTV Music Week was held on the eve of the 2021 MTV EMA Global Music Festival broadcast worldwide.

october

The 'World of Hunting and Nature Exhibition' international event took place on 75,000 square meters in eight pavilions at the HUNGEXPO Exhibition and Conference Center in Budapest with several related programs held at locations outside the capital.

december

june

Despite Hungary producing one the highest fatality rates per population, the government allowed Puskás Stadium in Budapest to be filled with spectators for matches of the European Football Championship postponed to 2021 because of the epidemic. French President Emmanuel Macron paid a one-day visit to Budapest in December to attend a meeting of the Visegrád Four Group (V4) prime ministers. He also held discussions with the Hungarian president and PM as well as opposition politicians.

august

Fireworks have long been a traditional event on the August 20 holiday. This time, the government prepared a gigantic, and the most expensive ever, display for the founding of the state, with light shows along the Budapest stretch of the Danube.

september

Pope Francis paid a short visit to Budapest on September 12 to celebrate the closing mass of the 52nd Eucharistic Congress after briefly meeting with Hungarian state and church leaders. In the afternoon, he left for a three-day visit to Slovakia.

july

Top seed Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan won the singles title at the USD 235,000 WTA Hungarian Grand Prix women's clay court tennis tournament at the Római Tennis Academy in Budapest. The tournament returned to Hungary after seven years abroad.