33 million in EU funds used to renovate 8 castles now set for free privatisation in Hungary

Hungary’s new “castle law,” introduced by Minister of Construction János Lázár, is opening the door for historic castles to be transferred to private ownership free of charge. These properties, many of which were recently renovated using millions of euros in EU and state funds, are now available through privatisation bids. Despite the significant public investment in restoring these landmarks, they will be handed over to private owners at no cost, sparking questions about the use of EU funds and the potential beneficiaries of the law.

Millions of euros spent of castles that are now being privatised

The core of the “castle law” is that the state is offering certain castles, manor houses, and estates for privatisation, many of which were recently renovated using billions of EU and state funds, often with the involvement of government-aligned contractors. To test this policy, eight recently refurbished castles have been put up for bidding. The news site Telex took a closer look at the costs involved in restoring these properties.

The Sándor–Metternich Castle. Photo: NÖF

According to Telex, a total of HUF 22 billion (about EUR 58 million) was spent on the renovation of these eight castles. Each of these properties received a mix of EU and state funding, although, in every case, the EU contribution was the larger portion.

Here are the renovation costs (in euros) of the castles now up for privatisation:

• Sándor–Metternich Castle (Bajna): 4.32 million from the EU, 1.52 million from domestic funds
• Károlyi Castle (Füzérradvány): 4.32 million from the EU, 3.56 million from domestic funds
• Nádasdy Castle (Nádasdladány): 3.81 million from the EU
• Bishop’s Palace (Sümeg): 4.32 million from the EU, 0.76 million from domestic funds
• Wenckheim Castle (Szabadkígyós): 4.32 million from the EU, 3.81 million from domestic funds
• Esterházy Castle (Tata): 4.06 million from the EU, 3.81 million from domestic funds
• Festetics Castle (Dég): 4.32 million from the EU, 3.81 million from domestic funds
• Kamalduli Hermitage and Esterházy Castle (Oroszlány-Majk): 4.32 million from the EU, 3.81 million from domestic funds

János Lázár and his team started working on the castle law over a year and a half ago. During this time, it became evident that the minister had made its implementation a personal mission. After some back-and-forth, the final version was approved by Parliament in June this year, Telex reports. The essence of the law is that the state is offering 48 castles for privatisation, many of which were renovated in recent years using billions in EU and state funds, often involving government-aligned contractors.

Read also:

• Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: Here’s how you can get free ownership of a Hungarian castle
• Hungarian top court finds so-called castle law unconstitutional