Fidesz: Foreign money ‘clearly’ linked to Budapest’s opposition mayor
Zsolt Wintermantel, the leader of the Fidesz-Christian Democrat group in the Budapest City Assembly, said in a speech before Wednesday’s session that the left had campaigned with foreign money in the run-up to the 2022 general election, money that was “quite clearly” linked to the mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony.
He said since 1990 there had been a political consensus that no one should run for public office using the money of foreign influential groups or under the pressure of such groups, but this had been upended last year.
Wintermantel addressed Karácsony, asking him whether he did not feel that his silence on the matter was “highly embarrassing”.
City Assembly votes to lodge objection to election rule changes
The Budapest City Assembly has voted to lodge its objection to proposed changes to the way local government elections are held ahead of the 2024 local and municipal elections.
The resolution submitted at Wednesday’s session of the assembly by the capital’s mayor, Gergely Karácsony, was approved with 18 representatives in favour, 6 abstentions, while 3 Fidesz-Christian Democrat representatives boycotted the vote.
The resolution notes that the Venice Commission, a body advising the Council of Europe, has consistently maintained the standpoint that electoral systems must not be changed in the year to date of elections.
The assembly also approved with 18 votes in favour and 11 abstentions the capital’s borrowing limit of between 20 billion and 40 billion forints (EUR 52.8m-105.6m) for next year.
They also passed a proposal submitted by Karácsony for taxi service tasks to be taken over in full by the Budapest transport centre BKK as of Jan 1, 2024 (read more HERE). The complex performance of taxi services is currently split between BKK and Budapest road maintenance company Budapest Közút.
BKK said in a statement that the decision would make taxi service administration and regulations simpler and more transparent.
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This is common knowledge. Foreign money, from shady billionaires and multinational corporations, one way or another is poured into most “democratic” countries in order to decide elections. Without it, Mayo Greg would have barely a couple grand to his name. The way to end this is to enforce a law stating that donations to political organizations can (1) come ONLY from private citizens, (2) permanently resident in the country, and (3) not exceed, say, $1,000 per citizen per financial year. That should not be objectionable to anyone with pure motives and conviction in the appeal and strength of their own ideas.
Haha Michael Steiner, as if your buddies in Fidesz would be happy with that. You’re very naive.