Budapest district mayors protest Mayor Karácsony's financial pact

Eight district mayors in Budapest have issued a joint protest against Mayor Gergely Karácsony following a financial agreement reached with Prime Minister Péter Magyar. The deal, made through the Capital Public Development Council, provides the Budapest municipality with a one-time 120 billion forints to avoid insolvency in exchange for withdrawing lawsuits against the state.

Under the agreement, parking revenues—exceeding 10 billion forints annually—will transfer from the districts to the Budapest municipality, and the BKK transport authority will become a joint state-city company. The district leaders, including Krisztina Baranyi and Imre László, argue that these decisions were made without their consultation and undermine municipal autonomy. They have accused Karácsony of using methods similar to the current government to drain resources from local authorities.

The mayors have called for an extraordinary general assembly of the Association of Budapest Municipalities (BÖSZ) to discuss the future of the organization and the impact of the pact on district interests.