Decay must be stopped! – Budapester Zeitung – 2024-07-04 11:05:00

Schlösser

Written by Rainer Ackermann

The responsible state secretary has rejected accusations by the opposition that the government is selling castles to oligarchs close to it.

“With the Castles Act, the government aims to activate private capital in order to manage the castles sustainably in the long term,” explained Regő Lánszki on M1 news television. The State Secretary of the Ministry of Construction stressed the strict conditions that must be met before such an object can pass into private hands.

Thirty years of duty

The new, financially strong owners would have to present a 10-year plan for renovations and reconstructions as well as a 30-year plan for the management of the castle. Anyone who fails to meet their obligations will not only face penalty interest, but ultimately also the loss of management rights – in such a case the property might be repossessed by the state at any time.

Collections of public interest must continue to be accessible to the public, and castle parks must be open to visitors every day of the year. “Such strict conditions exist in very few countries,” noted the State Secretary of the Ministry headed by János Lázár. He cited France and Italy as examples of the successful involvement of private capital in castle maintenance.

Hundreds of objects waiting for their rebirth

After the fall of communism, but only under the Orbán government, Hungary invested more than 50 billion forints (125 million euros at today’s prices) in the renovation of 13 castles – partly with EU funds. However, since in many places these are real building complexes, the reconstruction is far from comprehensive. In addition, the administration and management of the castles costs the state a lot of money on an ongoing basis. Several hundred castles across the country are still waiting to be reborn; their decades-long decline must be stopped. The Orbán government would like to see them restored to their original state and ensure that these cultural objects remain open to the public in the future.

Currently, 48 castles are up for auction. Local investors are sought who have the necessary capital or skills to renovate and manage the properties, said Lánszki. Historically important castle complexes such as the Esterházy Castle in Fertőd, the Festetics Castle in Keszthely, the Tisza Castle in Geszt, the Széchenyi Castle in Nagycenk or the Andrássy Castle in Tiszadob are excluded from privatization.