The Hungarian government will guarantee the free operation of the country's book market, launch broad consultations with industry stakeholders and suspend the application of fixed-price regulations, Minister for Social Affairs and Culture Zoltán Tarr announced on Thursday at the opening ceremony of the 97th Book Week in Budapest.
Speaking at the event on Vörösmarty Square, Tarr said the government would also review legislation introduced by the previous Fidesz–KDNP administration that, in his view, had been falsely justified under the banner of child protection.
The minister outlined several planned measures aimed at supporting the publishing sector, including a review of VAT rates on e-books and audiobooks, a state-backed book purchasing programme for teachers, librarians and cultural workers, and participation in a broader initiative to liberalize the textbook market.
He added that the government was preparing a translation support programme and would seek closer dialogue with writers, publishers and other cultural professionals.
Tarr argued that reading, literature and access to books should be treated as matters of public interest on par with education and healthcare. He criticized previous governments for neglecting the sector and apologized on behalf of former administrations for what he described as years of underinvestment and restrictions.
According to the minister, the government sees strengthening reading culture as a national priority and plans to work with industry representatives to prevent the closure of rural bookstores while reinforcing the role of public libraries.
He also accused previous governments of attempting to shape a politically motivated literary canon and restricting cultural freedom. Referring to legislation that affected the sale and display of certain books, Tarr said the new administration intended to build cultural policy on freedom, dialogue and professional expertise.
‘He also accused previous governments of attempting to shape a politically motivated literary canon and restricting cultural freedom'
The opening ceremony was also attended by author David Szalay, who officially opened the event. The British writer of Hungarian descent recently saw the Hungarian release of his novel Flesh, which won the 2025 Booker Prize.
Szalay described the novel as existing in a ‘grey zone' between Hungary and another world, saying that many of his experiences in Hungary had found their way into the book. He noted that while he does not consider himself a Hungarian writer, both his family roots and his children's upbringing tie him closely to the country.
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony also addressed the audience, praising the resilience of Hungary's publishing industry and expressing optimism about future cooperation between the government and the literary sector.
Katalin Gál, president of the Hungarian Publishers and Booksellers Association, said the industry had faced significant economic challenges in recent years and often struggled to receive responses from government institutions responsible for cultural affairs. She argued that the future of Hungary's book market would depend not only on policy changes but also on society's commitment to reading.
This year's Book Week runs until 14 June and features 204 stands, 540 newly published books and 104 cultural programmes across Vörösmarty Square, Vigadó Square and the Danube Promenade.
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