Authorities found 10 Chinese guest workers and 37 metal bunk beds at a former restaurant in Szeged during inspections in late July. Officials subsequently determined that the building, in its current condition, was not suitable for use as accommodation.
Guest workers from China found in a dilapidated restaurant building
The inspections took place between 29 and 31 July at the former Kék Csillag Restaurant on Olajbányász Square. Authorities examined both the property and the foreign nationals present there. The Csongrád-Csanád County Government Office identified several irregularities at the property. There was no fire safety policy, while the operator could not demonstrate that the guest workers had received fire safety training, writes local outlet Szegeder.
Several safety problems uncovered
The building had neither an operating fire alarm control panel nor a built-in fire extinguishing system, and no fire extinguisher with a valid inspection was available. Officials also found that the operator could not prove that the kitchen ventilation system and electrical equipment met fire safety requirements, or that LPG cylinders were being stored properly. The property’s large kitchen gas appliances also lacked the required certificates of conformity.
The government office therefore concluded that the building was not currently suitable for accommodation. The operator was warned and instructed to remedy the irregularities. Officials said they had not identified circumstances posing an immediate threat to life, physical safety or property, so a warning was issued rather than a more serious measure.
Immigration proceedings launched
The presence of the 10 Chinese nationals led to a separate procedure by the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (OIF). All 10 guest workers had valid Chinese passports and valid Hungarian residence permits authorising them to work in Hungary. However, officials found that they were working at a location and in occupations different from those specified in their residence permits.
The OIF therefore launched immigration proceedings to examine whether their employment was lawful. The authority has not disclosed why the workers were at the former restaurant or whether they were staying there.
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But why were there 37 bunk beds?
The discovery of 37 bunk beds raised questions about whether the former restaurant was being used as guest workers’ accommodation. During its inspection, the local authority counted 37 metal bunk beds in the former dining area. However, officials said it was clear that the beds were not in use and that only their frames remained inside the building.
The municipality nevertheless warned the operator that the property could not be used as a guest workers’ hostel in its current condition. Such accommodation would have to meet legal requirements covering sleeping, washing and toilet facilities, as well as cooking, food storage and dining. Importantly, there was no registered accommodation service at the property.
Municipal records show that the Kék Csillag Restaurant had been registered as a catering establishment since 1997, but there was no record of accommodation services. The operator subsequently announced that the restaurant business would cease and that the property would be rented out. The establishment was later removed from the official register.
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Was it actually a guest workers’ hostel?
Despite the bunk beds and the presence of the Chinese nationals, there is currently no official confirmation that the building was operating as a workers’ hostel or that the Chinese nationals were staying there. The OIF has not disclosed the purpose of the workers’ presence at the property or whether they had any connection with the bunk beds.
Questions about a possible connection between the property and BYD or its suppliers have also remained unanswered by the Szeged municipality. When journalists visited the site on 7 September, the building’s windows were covered from the inside, making it impossible to establish whether the bunk beds or other accommodation-related equipment were still there.
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