Bill seeks to turn libraries, museums over to local govts

Budapest (MTI) – County libraries and museum buildings, currently in state ownership, could be transferred to local governments if parliament adopts a motion by lawmakers of the ruling Fidesz party.

The bill seeks to ensure that local government managing public collections should have ownership of the buildings housing them, Janos Halasz, one of the proponents of the legislation, told parliament’s cultural committee on Tuesday.

Halasz argued that the current structure, in which the building is centrally owned, and the local government finances the operations of libraries and museums through an asset manager, makes it difficult to embark on any development project. He insisted that those institutions could be managed more efficiently if the respective municipalities owned buildings and assets related to their functions.

Under the bill, 154 properties could be transferred nationwide.

Photo: pixabay

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters