Dávid Vitézy addresses Hungarian railway and housing crises

Hungarian Minister of Transport and Investment Dávid Vitézy has addressed critical issues facing the nation's infrastructure and housing sectors.

Regarding the railway system, Vitézy reported that the MÁV network faced severe challenges during the summer season. He stated that the ministry inherited “shocking conditions,” including a situation where one-quarter of MÁV carriages were inoperable, passenger information systems were broken, and restrictions affected 40 percent of the track network. He noted that the Dunakeszi vehicle repair facility had also become insolvent.

On the issue of housing, Vitézy declared a national housing crisis, noting that real housing prices have risen by 120 percent over the last 15 years, while real wages increased by only 60 percent. He highlighted a shortage of student accommodation, with only 49,000 dormitory spots available for 320,000 students. To combat this, the government is developing the Wekerle Housing Construction Program. Vitézy indicated that 550 million euros from EU funds could be allocated to this initiative, with the potential for a total of 2 billion euros when including bank and market co-financing.