As organised crime and gun violence escalate across major European cities, Hungary’s capital, Budapest, is an exception: one of the safest places on the continent.
According to recent reports by Euronews, most incidents in Budapest involved minor street altercations, with no casualties linked to gang-related or illicit drug-trade shootings.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán reaffirmed his nation’s security record, stating
Hungary has become one of Europe’s safest countries. Crimes against life and property are at record lows. The number of illegal migrants: zero.
In contrast, cities like Brussels, Stockholm, Marseille, and Amsterdam are facing systemic gun violence linked to organized crime.
In Brussels, authorities have deployed soldiers on the streets after 57 shootings this year up to mid-August were recorded, with officials warning that “anyone can be hit by a stray bullet.”
Stockholm has seen 55 shooting incidents this year, often involving teenage hitmen hired by drug gangs. Marseille–—once ravaged by clashes between mafia clans–—still reports deadly incidents, despite a slight decline in the total number of killings. Amsterdam reports fewer shootings, but continues to face frequent explosive attacks tied to gang rivalries.
Other European capitals—including Paris, Rome, Lisbon, and Athens—see occasional gun violence, but risks to the public remain limited.
Prague, Riga, Sofia, and Vienna report sporadic incidents, while Berlin, Dublin, and Helsinki remain largely calm.
Despite Hungary’s success in containing migrant-led crime at home, its tough border policies are the target of continual criticism from Brussels.
