“We shouldn’t really draw this out. The Metropolitan Council should make a decision [on the bid within the foreseeable future,” Kósa said, noting that only the capital has the authority to decide the fate of Budapest’s Olympic bid.

“Our dreams to host the Olympics have shattered,” Kosa said. He said this was not because Budapest’s bid had been beaten by that of either Los Angeles or Paris, but rather because Hungary’s dreams to host the Games had been “betrayed” by the Momentum Movement’s signature drive to hold a referendum on the Olympic bid with support from the opposition parties.

Answering another question, Kósa said that based on a past binding ruling by the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, a national referendum cannot be called on the Olympic bid.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.