The must-have newsletter about Hungary

SOCIALIST, PÁRBESZÉD MAYORAL CANDIDATES DEBATE

 

At a debate ahead of the preselection of the left-wing opposition candidate for mayor of Budapest, the Socialist and Párbeszéd candidates said they were campaigning for a greener Budapest and for better public transport. Both candidates, Socialist Csaba Horváth and Gergely Karácsony, pledged to involve Budapest residents in taking major decisions and to take a stronger stand against the government when it comes to local decision-making. Their main bone of contention was over Dávid Vitézy, former head of the Budapest Transport Center (BKK). Horváth insisted Vitézy was responsible for billions of forints of losses connected to the introduction of an electronic ticketing system whereas Karácsony maintained that Vitézy had done an excellent job at BKK. Both candidates vowed to support whoever ends up winning the preselection process.