It’s official: taxi fares are to increase by more than 30 pc in Budapest!

The Budapest municipal assembly on Wednesday approved several measures aimed at helping refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. The municipal assembly voted unanimously to condemn the Russian aggression that started the war and assured Berehove (Beregszász), Budapest’s twin town, of its support.

The body also voted to include the assistance of refugees among the municipal council’s responsibilities. The council’s budget decree was also amended to include funding for aiding refugees and Berehove. The assembly also voted to have the municipal council cooperate with the Vodafone Hungary Foundation and the Terre des Hommes Foundation in Hungary with a view to improving the situation of Ukrainian refugees.

Meanwhile, the assembly voted unanimously to increase the base fare for taxis from 700 to 1,000 forints effective May 9. It also voted to raise the per-kilometre fee from 300 to 400 forints and the waiting fee from 75 to 100 forints.

Deputy mayor Ambrus Kiss said the measure was the product of a compromise reached at talks initiated by cab drivers. The fare increase was justified by higher vehicle fuel prices, rising inflation and minimum wage increases, he said in the amendment to the regulation.

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In an address to the assembly, Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said the outcome of the April 3 general election clearly reflected the will of the voters and created new conditions for cooperation between the municipal council and the government. He said voters in Budapest and in other parts of the country had expressed different views as to what kind of government they believed the country needed, noting that the opposition had won in 17 of Budapest’s 18 individual constituencies.