More than 120 schools across Hungary, including 29 in Budapest, were disrupted by bomb threats after receiving menacing letters. The South Pest District Fire Department and police confirmed the threats, with reports steadily surfacing from affected institutions.
During a government press conference, Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed that the threats appear linked to radical Islamists. The letters, reportedly sent via a foreign server, warned of revenge carried out “in the name of Allah.”
In response to the chaos, local officials and schools scrambled to protect students. In Csepel, the mayor announced that the Csepel Daycare Center would remain open for children whose parents couldn’t pick them up, as well as for teachers and chaperones. Meals were also provided at the center. Mayor Borbély urged parents to stay tuned to news updates.
One affected school, Vermes Miklós Elementary in Csepel, posted on Facebook that they had evacuated to a sports hall and planned to move further to the Danube bank. “Anyone who can, please pick up your child,” the post read.
Elsewhere, large police forces were deployed to schools, including the Németh László High School in Hódmezővásárhely. However, communication challenges arose because students had to leave their bags and phones inside the evacuated buildings. A government rule requiring phones to be handed in at the start of the school day complicated efforts to contact parents.
Budapest’s district leaders also confirmed multiple affected schools. Norbert Trippon, mayor of Újpest, reported bomb threats in five institutions in his area. Meanwhile, Budapest’s 18th District deputy mayor, László Somody, confirmed a threat at Vajk-sziget Elementary School. Similar incidents were noted in District 2.
Mass bomb threats are not new to Hungary or the region. Neighboring countries like Serbia and Slovakia have faced similar incidents recently. Last November, Czech intelligence chief Michal Koudelka claimed Russia was behind bomb threats targeting schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, linking them to cyber operations.
In Hungary, threats have also disrupted stores and malls in the past, including recent evacuations in Székesfehérvár and a series of bomb threats in 2022 that caused chaos across Budapest. Despite these recurring threats, no bombs have ever been found.
Authorities continue to investigate the current wave of threats, with further details still emerging. Meanwhile, officials have urged parents to remain calm and collect their children where possible.
