Heads of Hungary weather service fired after wrong forecast

The firings were announced in a brief statement by Minister of Technology and Industry Laszlo Palkovics, a top cabinet member in the government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban

(Peter Lakatos/MTI via AP)

The two top officials at Hungary’s meteorological service have been fired after an inaccurate rain forecast prompted the postponement of a fireworks display on the country’s most important national holiday.

The firings of the head and deputy head of the National Meteorological Service prompted accusations of political interference from Hungary’s nationalist government.