The Liberty Statue on Gellert Hill belongs to Budapest and any changes to its pedestal can only be made with the consent of the Mayor’s Office and the Budapest History Museum, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said on Saturday. Commenting on plans to add a cross to the pedestal, Karácsony said on Facebook that he could not support any “retroactive tampering” that would rupture the unity of an artwork that was a symbol of the city. At the same time, he said he condemned the vandalisation of public monuments by removing religious or cultural symbols. He said he had ordered the immediate restoration of crosses broken off the Holy Crown decorations on Margaret Bridge.
Because of the significance of the Liberty Statute as a monument, any changes should be cleared by the municipal council, he said.