BUDAPEST, April 7. /TASS/. Enhanced security measures have been introduced in Budapest ahead of the upcoming two-day visit of US Vice President J.D. Vance to Hungary. He will be protected by officers of the US Secret Service, Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Centre and the police, who note that the threat of terrorist attacks in Europe and worldwide has significantly increased amid the situation around Iran.

As a TASS correspondent has observed, reinforced police units have been on duty since early morning in the Buda Castle district, where Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is set to meet Vance at his residence. Security has also been stepped up at Freedom Square, where the US embassy is located, and at the MTK sports complex, which will host celebrations marking US-Hungarian Friendship Day attended by both politicians.

Many streets in the city will be completely closed while the US guest’s motorcade is passing through them. A metro line running beneath one of Budapest’s most famous streets – Andrassy Avenue, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site – will also be temporarily suspended. Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport will halt handling other flights during the arrival and departure of Vance’s aircraft.

The main purpose of the US vice president’s visit to Hungary is to publicly express support for Orban ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled in the country for April 12. US President Donald Trump had earlier openly backed him, while the Hungarian prime minister – unlike other European leaders – supported Trump during his election campaigns in the United States.

Ahead of departing for Budapest, Vance told reporters that he was looking forward to seeing his "friend Viktor". He said he planned to discuss US-Hungarian relations with Orban, as well as devote "significant attention to Europe, Ukraine and other issues".