Energy crisis: Budapest Municipality will not close down anything, says Karácsony

Strong local governments are essential for the functioning of a strong state because only then is it possible to clearly define which responsibilities are assigned to the right place, the (Fidesz) mayor of Székesfehérvár, in central Hungary, said on Thursday.

András Cser-Palkovics told a conference of the MÖSZ alliance of local governments that many problems must be resolved locally, and the current cycle would likely turn into a period of lengthy crisis management until 2024.

Local governments must take action and cannot expect solutions from elsewhere, he said. A new approach is needed, with larger cities thinking in terms of their agglomerations, too, he added.

He said that in the period of crisis, local council services must be devided in two groups. One includes services that must be maintained under all circumstances, such as kindergarten, social institutions, GPs, communal catering and, to a certain extent, public transport and lighting, he said. In the other group of services, changes must be introduced if no external support is received, such as the winter operation of theatres, sports halls and swimming pools, he added.