Socialists demand speedier renovation of Chain Bridge

The opposition Socialist Party has called on Budapest mayor István Tarlós to drum up the resources necessary for speeding up the planned renovation the capital’s iconic Chain Bridge so that the project takes place over 2.5 years instead of five as originally planned.

Socialist representative Csaba Horváth told a press conference on Wednesday, before a special session of the municipal assembly, that Budapest residents pay 20 billion forints (EUR 62.5m) in taxes each day, and the mayor should seek a quarter of this amount from the government in order to accelerate the renovation project.

Also, referring to today’s main item on the assembly’s agenda, the flood defences along the Danube, the Socialist politician repeated a demand that an alternative plan to the discredited one to build a mobile levee on the Római banks of the river should be strengthened.

For that matter, Budapest’s metropolitan assembly approved a plan for a flood defence system along the Római banks of the River Danube.

The plan for defences in parallel to the banks of the river was approved with 20 votes for, 8 against and one abstention.

István Tarlós, the city’s mayor, said the chief objective was to ensure that the area around Csillaghegy is protected from flooding. Eight expert opinions had been sought but no solution existed that would satisfy everyone completely, he added.

A Párbeszéd party representative said at a separate press briefing today that the current plan for flood defences was environmentally unsound. Márta Naszály said the proposal to construct defences parallel to the Danube was unacceptable. Earlier an agreement had been made on plans involving two streams in the area, she said, adding that these should be implemented as soon as possible.

She also suggested that, when it comes to renovating Chain Bridge, it was worth examining whether the bridge should be eventually be restricted to pedestrians and cyclists.

In addition, Naszály proposed that Budapest should stipulate that sightseeing buses be electric vehicles only.

Featured image: Bódis Krisztián / Budapest Images/ www.facebook.com/budapestimages/

Source: MTI