State honours mark Hungary's national holiday on 20 August

The acting head of state has conferred a series of state decorations on outstanding artists, scholars and public figures to mark the national holiday of 20 August, in a decision published in the Magyar Közlöny (issue 116, 24 August 2026). The honours are set out in Decision 199/2026. (VIII. 24.) KE on the award of state decorations, issued on the proposal of the prime minister.

The decision rests on Article 9(4)(f) of the Fundamental Law and Section 18(1) of Act CCII of 2011 on the use of the coat of arms and flag of Hungary and on state decorations. It was signed in Budapest on 17 August by Forsthoffer Ágnes, President of the National Assembly, exercising the powers of the President of the Republic, and countersigned on 18 August by Prime Minister Magyar Péter.

The highest grades

The Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (civil division) was awarded to Cserhalmi György, “actor of the nation”, Kossuth and Balázs Béla Prize-winning stage and film performer and full member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts, in recognition of his decades of work in Hungarian theatre and cinema.

The Commander’s Cross with Star (civil division) went to two figures:

• Pongor Ildikó, Kossuth and Liszt Ferenc Prize-winning dancer, permanent member and master artist of the Hungarian State Opera and rehearsal ballet master of the Hungarian National Ballet;
• Rainer M. János, Széchenyi Prize-winning historian, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and professor at the Eszterházy Károly Catholic University, honoured for his research on 20th-century Hungarian history, especially the 1956 revolution.

Commander’s and Officer’s Crosses

The Commander’s Cross (civil division) was awarded to eight recipients, including Sajó András, jurist, full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, founding dean of the CEU Law School and former vice-president and judge of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Other recipients include architect Balázs Mihály, electrical engineer Dr. Berceli Tibor, lawyer Dr. Fülöp Botond, constitutional lawyer Dr. Halmai Gábor, jurist Kiss György, sociologist Kovách Imre and dermatologist Szegedi Andrea.

The Officer’s Cross (civil division) was awarded to six scholars and educators, among them mathematician Dr. Katona Gyula, linguist Dr. Kövecses Zoltán, ancient historian Dr. Németh György Amadé and neuroscientist Ulbert István.

Knight’s Crosses and Merit Crosses

The Knight’s Cross (civil division) was awarded to nine recipients, including sociologist Bass László, surgeon Beregszászi-Nagyné dr. Papp Rózsa Mária, textile artist Pápai Lívia and actress Zsurzs Kati. A Knight’s Cross (military division) went to Brigadier General Németh Zoltán, chief of staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces’ Joint Operations Command.

The Gold Merit Cross (civil division) was awarded to eight recipients, among them conductor Kardos Gábor, composer Rossa László and actor-director Szemán Béla, while the Silver Merit Cross (civil division) went to horticultural engineer Szabó Lajos and costume designer Winklerné Petri-Kiss Borbála.

The same issue of the gazette also publishes the government’s Decision 1264/2026. (VIII. 24.) Korm. awarding the 2026 Master of Folk Art prize to ten folk artists, as well as decisions on the dismissal and appointment of judges.

The publication of the honours on the eve of the national holiday underscores the state’s recognition of cultural, scientific and public service, and gives the public an official record of the figures honoured for their contribution to Hungarian life.

Source: Magyar Közlöny, issue 116, 24 August 2026, Section IX (Határozatok Tára), p. 4024 (official reference: Decision 199/2026. (VIII. 24.) KE).