Csepel billboard contract faces scrutiny over transparency and ownership

Questions have been raised regarding a long-term billboard advertising contract in the Csepel district of Budapest. The agreement, which remains valid until 2034, was decided during a closed-door session of the representative body in August 2019.

Under the terms of the contract, Publimont Kft installed 60 double-sided CityBoard advertising tools in the district. The company pays the municipality a monthly fee of 108,800 HUF, totaling approximately 19,584,000 HUF over the 15-year period, with the condition that the municipality may use one side of every billboard free of charge.

There are ongoing concerns regarding the transparency of the deal and the ownership of Publimont Kft. Reports have suggested links between the company's owners and figures close to the government, noting that the company has distributed approximately 7.7 billion HUF in dividends since 2019.