Synopsis
A recent wave of bomb threats in Hungary has seen 44 schools receiving alarming emails. Authorities have not found any explosives, and investigations are ongoing. Budapest's Mayor has pledged support to law enforcement as classes resume.Key Takeaways
- 44 schools threatened via email.
- 13 schools in Budapest affected.
- Police found no explosives.
- Previous threats involved 292 schools.
- Investigation underway by National Bureau of Investigation.
Budapest, Jan 31 (NationPress) A recent surge of bomb threats has emerged in Hungary, with 44 educational institutions receiving alarming emails, as confirmed by the national police on Friday.
Of the impacted schools, 13 are located in Budapest, while the remaining 31 are situated in rural regions.
The police promptly responded to each site, implementing essential security protocols.
No explosives or potentially detonable devices have been identified in the inspected premises thus far, according to a police announcement. The National Bureau of Investigation of the Rapid Response Police is actively pursuing inquiries into these threats.
Budapest's Mayor, Gergely Karacsony, expressed the city's readiness to support law enforcement efforts. He stated on Facebook, "Budapest's businesses and institutions are equipped to provide all necessary assistance to the police."
This recent round of bomb threats follows a similar episode from the previous week, where at least 292 schools in and around Budapest were evacuated due to reported threats, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
Authorities have yet to ascertain any link between the current threats and earlier incidents, although emails were the medium used to convey the warnings in both cases.
Following the police operations, classes resumed in the affected schools.
An alarming email was sent to multiple educational institutions on the evening of January 30, 2025. Current data indicates that 44 institutions nationwide—13 in Budapest and 31 in the countryside—were impacted. The police initiated necessary actions immediately, and no explosives or explosive devices have been found in the inspected buildings. The National Investigation Bureau of the Emergency Police continues to investigate the threat," stated the Hungarian Police.
Police Colonel Kristof Gal, head of the Hungarian National Police (ORFK) Communications Service, remarked, "The investigation is ongoing under Section 316 of the Criminal Code, which penalizes individuals for making threats to commit a terrorist act. The reclassification of the crime does not imply that the threat level in our country has escalated."
