Leader of the Fidesz–KDNP faction in the Budapest Assembly Alexandra Szentkirályi launched a strong critique of the city’s current leadership on Monday, claiming that Mayor Gergely Karácsony and the Tisza Party-led coalition have bankrupted Hungary’s wealthiest municipality in just one year.
Speaking at a press conference, Szentkirályi accused the city leadership of mismanagement, highlighting that Budapest had a budget surplus of more than 200 billion forints when Fidesz left office in 2019. ‘Today, there are still no reasonable explanations for how the country’s richest municipality, the home of many, the nation’s capital, could be driven into financial collapse,’ she stated.
She cited a recent ruling by Hungary’s Supreme Court, which found that the city’s current budget—approved by the Karácsony–Tisza–DK–Vitézy coalition—is unlawful. The court noted the omission of approximately 50 billion forints in mandatory solidarity contributions, which are intended to help financially weaker municipalities.
According to Szentkirályi, the city’s leadership attempted to conceal the dire financial situation, but the court’s decision made that impossible. She emphasized that while other municipalities manage to pay the solidarity contribution and maintain balanced budgets, Budapest stands alone in its failure to do so—even as its business tax revenues continue to grow.
The Fidesz politician argued that the city made questionable spending choices that could have otherwise covered the disputed 50 billion forints. She pointed to Budapest’s financial commitment to purchase the Rákosrendező railway yard—an acquisition nearly equal in cost to the solidarity contribution—and criticized lavish spending on what she called politically connected consultants and executives.
‘Fidesz–KDNP had earlier proposed reducing the number of city committees to save hundreds of millions—a suggestion that was rejected’
Among them, she mentioned Imre Mártha and Zoltán Gál, and noted that even former minister Tibor Draskovics was recently on the city’s payroll. She estimated that this circle cost the city nearly one billion forints over one election cycle. In addition, she highlighted 172 million forints in executive bonuses last summer and billions spent on the ‘Budapest Brand’, which she described as Karácsony’s personal campaign team. Fidesz–KDNP had earlier proposed reducing the number of city committees to save hundreds of millions—a suggestion that was rejected.
Szentkirályi concluded that the people of Budapest are right to demand accountability from the Karácsony–Tisza leadership. ‘If they took on the responsibility of leading the city, then they must do everything they can to restore its functionality,’ she said.
Addressing frequent criticisms that the central government does not support the capital, she listed recent investments: the 18,000-capacity Student City project, the Southern Rail Ring development, the new Pázmány university campus, the refurbishment of the Szentendre HÉV line, and an additional 50 billion forints for new trams in Budapest.
‘This is the government’s point. The financial collapse is the result of the coalition led by Karácsony and the Tisza Party,’ she concluded.
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