Budapest Mayor apologizes to district leaders over parking revenue dispute

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has issued an apology to several district mayors after failing to consult them regarding a new agreement with the government concerning the city’s parking system. The controversy centers on a plan to redistribute parking revenues, shifting funds that currently go to individual districts directly to the capital city.

While Karácsony acknowledged the late notification, he maintained that the current parking system is inefficient and requires fundamental reform. He expressed a desire to increase the resources of the Capital Solidarity Fund twentyfold to address urban issues, though he characterized the intense reactions from district leaders as excessive.

District leaders have responded with significant criticism. András Pikó, the mayor of Józsefváros, accused Karácsony of failing to respond to formal requests for consultation and challenged the Mayor to prove any corruption within the district's current finances. Pikó stated that while his district supports the centralization of parking in principle, they have seen no concrete concept and demand compensation for the loss of revenue to fund local security and development. Other mayors, including Krisztina Baranyi of Ferencváros and András Rózsa of Zugló, have also voiced opposition to the lack of transparency in the decision-making process.