The re-opening of Rác Bath is postponed again

The renovation of Rác Thermal Bath started in 2002, with almost 35.5 million euros spent on it, however, as mno.hu reports, more millions are needed to finish the constructions.

There will be no more talks about the Hungarian Development Bank (HDB) getting the bath and the first class hotel built next to it. The plan was to sell the bath, which was renovated seven years ago and which’s worth is almost 26 million euros, for barely 10 million.

Gábor Bagdy, Budapest’s vice-mayor, told Magyar Nemzet that they cannot defend themselves against gossips spreading around in different media outlets claiming that in the hands of the prime minister’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, or Felcsút’s mayor’s, Lőrinc Mészáros, the facility could thrive. Bagdy further added that the original project involved a funicular railway up to Gellért hill, but today this depends entirely on the liquidator, since the liquidation of the company created solely for this investment, the Rác Nosztalgia Kft, along with Rác Beruházó Kft, has already started.

The city leadership referred the solution to the issue of Rác Bath to the General Assembly of Budapest in February, claiming that the renovation process should be handed over to the HDB for 10 million euros. Given that they find an investor, the HDB promised to open the bath in the following eight months. However, politics proved to be a problem again, as some of the Fidesz representatives did not find the offered price enough for the bath, which clearly is worth more. What also spoke against the deal was that the involved parties wanted to strike it in a closed meeting. In the end, it was the mayor, István Tarlós, whose suggestion settled the matter, and during an open meeting, it was concluded that the HDB will not be in charge of the renovations.