Budapest: Imre Vejkey, a member of parliament from the KDNP, expressed concerns during the immediate question hour in parliament on Monday, accusing Mayor Gergely Karácsony of failing to fulfill his promises, resulting in a deteriorating state of Budapest. Vejkey claimed that the once orderly city has become unlivable and dangerous, attributing the situation to the “left rainbow coalition” which, according to him, engages in backroom deals instead of addressing the city’s issues.
According to KDNP, Vejkey criticized the coalition for pointing fingers at the government despite receiving significant financial support. He highlighted that Budapest went bankrupt even though the government spent HUF 4,000 billion on its development. Vejkey questioned the tolerance for the coalition’s control of Budapest through non-transparent agreements.
In response, Miklós Soltész pointed out a decision by left-wing leaders, describing it as tragicomic. He mentioned that the left-wing majority in the III district allocated HUF
1.3 million as an honorarium and HUF 195,000 monthly travel expenses to the district’s mayor, currently under arrest. Soltész sarcastically questioned their decision-making process, implying inefficiency and mismanagement.
Vejkey further emphasized that despite the government’s efforts to alleviate the capital’s financial burden by assuming HUF 280 billion in debt between 2010-2011, and leaving HUF 214 billion in savings, the city still faces financial troubles under Karácsony’s leadership. Soltész added that between 2019 and 2023, Budapest received HUF 1,107 billion in revenue, with only HUF 160 billion required for solidarity contributions. He suggested that the increased revenue should have enabled the city to manage its finances effectively.
