Iconic Ruszwurm confectionery in Budapest to be closed!

Everyone who has ever been to Budapest has either visited or at least heard of Szentháromság Street 7 and the iconic little confectionery that occupies it. Now, one of Budapest’s most well-known bakery shops is closing its doors due to political bribes.

Ruszwurm is an iconic confectionery that has been a part of the city’s everyday life since 1827. It first opened its doors in that year and managed to survive the 1848 fight for independence as well as not one, but two world wars. During the 1990 privatisation, it fell into foreign hands, but the Szamos family succeeded in renting it and eventually buying it back. It is still in their hands to this day, now owned by Miklós Szamos. However, due to recent developments, things may change.

You can read more about Ruszwurm HERE and HERE.

Corruption in the making?

According to Index, Miklós Szamos received an offer from mayoral candidate Márta V. Naszályi. This offer would require Miklós Szamos to provide financial support to Márta V. Naszályi’s campaign for the district mayoral position. In exchange for this, Ruszwurm would receive their protection. This type of protection would entail a contract that could make it nearly impossible to permanently close Ruszwurm, which is basically protection money.

“To this , I said to her it’s enough for me if they respect the laws and property rights,”

commented Miklós Szamos. He also pointed out that, in his view, only making such an offer was already against the law. Although no exact sum was discussed, based on the context, he assumed that it would take approximately HUF 20 to 30 million (EUR 52,182.50-78,273.75) for this kind of protection to be finalised. Six months after she won the election, Márta V. Naszályi met with Miklós Szamos again to discuss the offer once more.

When quizzed about such an offer, Márta V. Naszályi, now the district mayor, denied asking for and receiving financial support for her campaign from Miklós Szamos. They also pointed out that such a thing would be visible on her public campaign account.

The Municipality of Budavár answered that the ongoing enforcement procedure is not a result of the refusal of such an offer, but rather the culmination of the ongoing legal dispute between the Municipality and Ruszwurm Ltd. The reason for the legal dispute is the reluctance of Ruszwurm Ltd. to return the rented premises after the termination of their leasing contract. As a consequence of Ruszwurm Ltd.’s reluctance to return the premises or pay the rent fees assigned to the premises, the municipality has initiated the enforcement procedure.

The recent enforcement procedure is rather interesting for the fact that it was not previously a part of the dispute between the two parties. It’s possible that this is the municipality’s response to the situation.

The end of an era