Socialists demand speedier renovation of Chain Bridge

The opposition Socialist Party has called on Budapest mayor István Tarlós to drum up the resources necessary for speeding up the planned renovation the capital’s iconic Chain Bridge so that the project takes place over 2.5 years instead of five as originally planned.

Socialist representative Csaba Horváth told a press conference on Wednesday, before a special session of the municipal assembly, that Budapest residents pay 20 billion forints (EUR 62.5m) in taxes each day, and the mayor should seek a quarter of this amount from the government in order to accelerate the renovation project.

Also, referring to today’s main item on the assembly’s agenda, the flood defences along the Danube, the Socialist politician repeated a demand that an alternative plan to the discredited one to build a mobile levee on the Római banks of the river should be strengthened.

For that matter, Budapest’s metropolitan assembly approved a plan for a flood defence system along the Római banks of the River Danube.

The plan for defences in parallel to the banks of the river was approved with 20 votes for, 8 against and one abstention.