T
he Hungarian Village Programme, launched by the Orbán administration in 2023, has provided grants to over 35,000 applicants worth hundreds of billions of Forints. The programme's primary goal is to revitalize rural Hungary by renovating buildings and infrastructure.

    On July 4th, the Ministry for National Economy announced that it will offer special funding to towns with a population of 5,000 or fewer. According to the ministry, the government aims to support villages rather than abandon them, citing its long-standing commitment to developing roads, schools, kindergartens, and other essential infrastructure.

    This year's initiative includes supporting small grocery stores, pub maintenance, church renovations, and ensuring every village has access to cash through ATMs. To further reduce development disparities and preserve small village populations, the government will provide state-owned unused real estate free of charge to settlements with 5,000 or fewer residents.

    Over 800 properties have been made available for free ownership, enabling hundreds of municipalities to take advantage of this opportunity and contribute to the development of struggling villages according to local needs.