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Budapest Turns to Top Court Over Central Squares 'Taken Away' From City, Says Mayor

• 21 Jul 2022 8:58 AM
• Hungary Matters

Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, said on Tuesday that the metropolitan council will turn to the Constitutional Court over the issue of public squares having been “taken away” from the city.

Karácsony reacted to parliament approving in its final vote on the 2023 central budget bill a provision which transfers the management, maintenance and development rights of downtown Podmaniczky Frigyes Square, Vörösmarty Square and Széchenyi István Square to the fifth district local council.

The finance ministry, the justice ministry and the interior ministry had “expressed grave constitutional concerns about the proposal to no avail”, the mayor said on Facebook.

Karácsony said the city council will appeal to the top court against the decision which he said reflected “the full neglect of a self-government’s autonomy”.

The municipality will also file a lawsuit for compensation it is entitled to receive for the ownership change under Hungary’s Fundamental Law, he said.

MTI Photo

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Launched in January 2014, this newsletter published on week days covers 'everything you need to know about what’s going on in Hungary and beyond', according to its publisher the state media agency MTI.

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