Orbán voices uncertainty over outlook of Hungary’s Olympic bid

Budapest, February 20 (MTI) – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Monday voiced uncertainty over the outlook for Hungary’s bid to host the 2024 summer Olympics, saying that he wanted to make a national case for the Games, but if this proved unsuccessful then it must be seen that making a political cause out of the bid would not lead to victory.

A new political group called Momentum has mounted a campaign to collect signatures with a view to securing a referendum on whether Budapest should host the Games. According to reports, it has collected around 266,000 signatures, twice the number necessary to trigger a plebiscite. Both the mayor of Budapest and the chief organiser of the 2024 bid have expressed doubts to the press about the bid’s chances.

Orbán said the government and the metropolitan assembly on Wednesday would debate the situation which has arisen.

“This situation is that we had a national cause which turned into a political issue, and now the question is whether it is possible to make a national issue out of it once more,” the prime minister said.

Asked about whether István Tarlós, the Budapest mayor, would carry on in his post after 2019 if he withdrew the bid, Orbán said the ruling Fidesz party did not hand out positions. Rather, it shared out work. Until there are parliamentary elections, no position will be subject to negotiation, he added.