Orbán cabinet sees new Budapest leadership as “partners”

The government sees the new Budapest leadership as “partners”, Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, said after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting.

Gergely Karácsony, the new mayor of Budapest who also attended the meeting at Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s invitation, told a joint press conference that it would be “much easier” to reach a consensus with the central government on “professional matters” than on “major political issues”.

Gulyás said that the “channels” used with Fidesz-backed former mayor István Tarlós will remain open, referring to the Budapest Public Development Council.

He said Karácsony had named the developments he is ready to support, such as completion of the Bozsik stadium for the Honvéd football team and a multi-purpose handball stadium.

Concerning the building of an athletics stadium and Budapest hosting the 2023 IAAF World Championships, the mayor will form a position after a municipal council session in late November, Gulyás added.

• This is what the Budapest Athletics Stadium will look like
• The New York Times – Hungary: Where they spend more on stadiums than hospitals

Regarding health-care developments, the government “acknowledges” the mayor’s “wish to be active in this field” although the sector falls under the authority of individual districts, Gulyás said.