ATMs to Be Installed in Settlements with More than 2,000 Inhabitants

MTI-Hungary Today 2025.03.26.

The government is working to ensure that every Hungarian settlement has at least one ATM. The Minister for National Economy, Márton Nagy, is in continuous talks with the banking association on the nationwide expansion of the cash machine network. Representatives of the banks have understood the government’s expectations and have agreed to start installing ATMs in settlements with more than 2,000 inhabitants in the first round, the Ministry for National Economy announced on Tuesday.

The government expects the constructive cooperation of the banks and calls on them to also start installing cash machines in settlements with 1,000 inhabitants or more. In order to help people in rural areas and to increase the retention capacity of the countryside, the government aims to have at least one ATM in every Hungarian settlement, so that families can make use of free cash withdrawals in their own towns. Therefore, under the government decree published on Monday, all existing machines must be kept in operation and cannot be dismantled.

In addition, from January 2025, the possibility of withdrawing cash for free up to a maximum of HUF 150,000 twice a month has become available at postal service points.

This is a significant help for those who live in settlements where no ATM is yet available but a post office is operating, the ministry pointed out.

Fact

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced in his state of the nation speech in February, that the government would give a positive response to the MPs’ motion to guarantee the right to cash in the constitution. The constitutional protection of cash has not just been raised by the government. Last year, László Toroczkai, President of Our Homeland Movement (Mi Hazánk Mozgalom), spoke in parliament in favor of constitutional protection for cash, and the Prime Minister expressed his support for the proposal. Mr. Orbán argued that the use of cash provides a kind of freedom, as it allows the banking system to be bypassed, and therefore, despite international pressure, it should be given constitutional protection.

János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, held talks with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Márton Nagy, Minister for National Economy, on Saturday on the expansion of the right to use cash. He highlighted that

today there are cash machines in barely a thousand settlements, while in Hungary there are 3,155 settlements.

Therefore, the government’s goal is to have ATMs in every Hungarian settlement in order to increase the use of cash.

Right to Cash - Every Settlement Should Have an ATM

The government wants to increase the use of cash in the country.Continue reading

Via MTI, Featured photo via Pixabay