The Budapest Times
Gergely Karácsony
Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony – Photo: MTI / Zsolt Szigetváry

Fifth district local council: Budapest ‘irresponsible, careless’ owner

Written by BT/MTI
The metropolitan council is an "irresponsible and careless owner" of Podmaniczky and Vorosmarty Squares, and Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony "should not be surprised" that the central government wants to take over the management of these parts of downtown Budapest, the Fidesz-run fifth district council said on Thursday.

“The government wants to ensure that Budapest remains the European capital that the entire Hungarian nation can proudly call its own,” the statement said.

On Wednesday, Karacsony reacted on Facebook to press reports that Podmaniczky Frigyes Square, Vorosmarty Square and Szechenyi Istvan Square will be transferred to the fifth district local council. He said that “the nationalisation of these three extremely important squares” would be unconstitutional and the Budapest administration will file a lawsuit if a corresponding law is approved.

The fifth district council said in response on Thursday that Podmaniczky Square and Vorosmarty Square was revamped with government support by the fifth district council in 2019. It added that the state of the two squares maintained by the metropolitan council had deteriorated under its “irresponsible and careless management”, and pointed to dried out grass, waste and dirt “on these popular squares which could be impressive parts of downtown Budapest”.

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