According to Serbian Economist, Hungary is preparing to tighten tax supervision in a number of economic sectors, including real estate rentals through online platforms, delivery and courier services, and cryptocurrency transactions.
According to Daily News Hungary, the Minister of Economy has submitted two bills to parliament that would require foreign platforms to provide Hungarian tax authorities with detailed data on users and their transactions starting in 2026.
The following will be subject to regulation:
1) private individuals renting out apartments through Airbnb and similar services;
2) couriers and drivers working with Wolt, Uber, and other platforms;
3) investors trading cryptocurrencies through Revolut, Binance, and other exchanges.
Tax authorities will have direct access to information about the income of Hungarian individuals and legal entities, bypassing the self-declaration system.
According to the documents, service providers will be required to provide the company name, registered address, tax number, and personal data (name, date of birth, transaction volume).
Experts note that Hungary’s initiative is not limited to combating landlords — it covers the entire digital economy segment, where control was previously difficult.
“The aim is to create a system of transparency that will increase tax revenues without raising base rates,” the government notes.
Analysts believe that the new rules could affect the rental market in Budapest and other major cities. For foreign citizens living in Hungary and renting apartments through Airbnb, tax risks and administrative obligations will increase.
“Until now, many foreigners have used Hungary as a platform for investing in the rental business. Now, some of them may reconsider their strategy, which in the long run will lead to a reduction in the supply of short-term rentals and, possibly, an increase in prices in the long-term segment,” real estate market experts note.
Hungary is traditionally considered one of the EU countries with relatively low corporate taxes (9%), but the upcoming tightening of control over the digital economy shows the government’s desire to expand the tax base.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES, HUNGARY, real estate rental, tax supervision
In terms of total trade volume, Ukraine cooperates most closely with China, Poland, and Germany. These countries form the basis of the state’s foreign economic relations, exerting a critical influence on imports and exports.
China remains the leader with a total trade volume of $8.99 billion. Poland ranks second with $6.04 billion, while Germany and Turkey are almost equal with $4.28 billion and $4.25 billion, respectively. The United States ranks fifth with $2.86 billion.
The top 10 also includes Italy ($2.38 billion), the Czech Republic ($1.64 billion), Bulgaria ($1.54 billion), Hungary ($1.53 billion), and Romania ($1.50 billion).
“The top ten partners form the basis of Ukraine’s foreign trade balance. China and the EU countries account for the largest volumes of trade, but it is important to take into account the significant negative balance in relations with these countries,” said Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club and economist.
He added that although the large volume of trade indicates Ukraine’s integration into global supply chains, dependence on imports from China and Europe creates strategic risks.
“Poland and Germany are key hubs for Ukrainian exports, but at the same time they are significant sources of imports. Therefore, it is critically important to balance trade flows, preserving positive sectors such as agriculture and metallurgy, and reducing dependence on critical imports,” Urakin noted.
BULGARIA, CHINA, CZECH REPUBLIC, ECONOMY, EXPERTS CLUB, FOREIGN TRADE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY, POLAND, ROMANIA, TURKEY, UKRAINE, USA, МАКСИМ УРАКИН
According to the results of the first half of 2025, Poland remains Ukraine’s main trading partner in terms of export volumes. According to research by Active Group and Experts Club, exports to Poland amounted to US$2.45 billion.
Turkey ranks second with USD 1.71 billion, and Italy ranks third with USD 1.17 billion. Other major partners include: Germany ($1.09 billion), Spain ($976 million), the Netherlands ($919 million), China ($847 million), Egypt ($776 million), Romania ($679 million), and Hungary ($652 million).
“The structure of Ukraine’s exports shows a clear focus on European Union countries. Poland, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands together account for more than half of total exports. This indicates Ukraine’s strategic integration into the European economic space,” emphasized Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club and economist.
He also noted that Turkey remains a critically important partner for Ukrainian agricultural and metallurgical exports, while China and Egypt are key markets for agricultural products, particularly grains.
“The presence of trading partners such as Egypt and China diversifies Ukrainian exports,” Urakin added.
CHINA, ECONOMY, EGYPT, EXPERTS CLUB, EXPORTS, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY, POLAND, ROMANIA, TRADE, TURKEY, UKRAINE, МАКСИМ УРАКИН
The attitude of Ukrainians towards Hungary is one of the most critical among all EU countries. This is evidenced by the results of an all-Ukrainian survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club information and analytical centerin August 2025.
According to the survey, 55.7% of Ukrainian citizens have a negative attitude towards Hungary (40.3% – mostly negative, 15.3% – completely negative). Only 16.0% of respondents expressed a positive attitude (10.7% – mostly positive, 5.3% – completely positive). Another 27.0% of respondents took a neutral position, and 1.7% said they did not know the country well enough to form their own opinion.
“Ukrainians perceive Hungary ambiguously due to a number of political factors. This directly affects the level of trust in society. Nevertheless, if we look at the economic component, in the first half of 2025, the volume of trade between Ukraine and Hungary exceeded $1.52 billion, of which exports from Ukraine amounted to $652 million and imports to almost $874 million. The negative balance of more than $221 million indicates a certain asymmetry in relations, but at the same time demonstrates that Hungary remains a prominent partner in our market,” said Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club.
In his turn, Active Group co-founder Oleksandr Poznyi emphasized that the sociological results do not mean complete rejection of cooperation.
“More than half of the citizens do demonstrate a critical attitude towards Hungary, but a quarter of respondents remain neutral, and one in six Ukrainians assesses Hungary positively. This means that there is still potential for restoring trust at the level of interpersonal contacts, cultural ties, and business relations. In the future, these factors may become the basis for mitigating the current negative assessments,” he added.
The survey was part of a broader study of international sympathies and antipathies of Ukrainians in the context of the current geopolitical situation.
The full video can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
You can subscribe to the Experts Club YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/@ExpertsClub
ACTIVE GROUP, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, HUNGARY, Poznyi, SOCIOLOGY, TRADE, URAKIN
Consulting firm Deloitte has released the 14th edition of its Property Index 2025 report on European housing markets. The study covers 28 countries. Ukraine was not included in this study.
The highest average mortgage rates are in Hungary (9.35%), Poland (7.67%), and Romania (6.89%). Deloitte
The lowest are in Bulgaria (2.83%), Croatia (2.86%), and Turkey (3.01%).
The average rate in Europe is 4.36%, which is slightly lower than last year and reflects the gradual easing of monetary policy in a number of countries.
Deloitte notes that against the backdrop of a “bottleneck” with new projects and sustained demand, the rental segment is strengthening (rates are rising not only in capital cities but also in regional centers). At the same time, high rates and regulatory lags in permits continue to put pressure on property affordability, especially in large agglomerations.
Deloitte Property Index 2025 — a comparative study of European housing markets: prices for new buildings, affordability (in years of gross salary for a 70 m² apartment), rental dynamics, and mortgage rates. Key findings and figures are available on the Deloitte Property Index 2025 report page.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said that Budapest and Belgrade have agreed to speed up the construction of an oil pipeline between the two countries. The 190 km Hungarian section is planned to be completed by the end of 2027, according to the Serbian Economist Telegram channel.
“We have agreed with Serbian Energy Minister Dubravka Jedovic-Handanovic to speed up the construction of the oil pipeline between Hungary and Serbia. The 190 km Hungarian section should be completed by the end of 2027,” he said on social network X, emphasizing the importance of energy cooperation against the backdrop of Ukraine’s attacks on the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies oil to Hungary and Slovakia, among other countries.
Why the project is important for these countries and the entire Balkan region
Increased energy security and diversification of routes
The new oil pipeline will reduce Hungary and Serbia’s dependence on traditional routes, especially in the context of instability caused by damage to Druzhba. This increases the reliability of supplies and reduces energy risks.
Regional energy integration
The construction of infrastructure connecting the Balkan and Central European regions helps strengthen economic ties and stimulates the growth of the energy market in the region.
Strategic independence
Independence from single transit routes provides greater flexibility in times of crisis and allows countries to respond more quickly to external challenges.
Economic impact and infrastructure development
The project creates jobs, contributes to the development of transport and energy infrastructure, and attracts investment for both Hungary and Serbia.
Geopolitical stability in the Balkans
The Balkan region has traditionally been at the crossroads of geopolitical interests. The new route strengthens its strategic importance and helps reduce dependence on external factors.
The Hungarian-Serbian oil pipeline project is not just a technical initiative. It serves as the foundation for a new energy architecture in the region, creating a sustainable, independent, and mutually supportive security system, which is particularly relevant in light of current geopolitical realities.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs
