Marki-Zay, opposition hail large turnout at Hodmezovasarhely election

Peter Marki-Zay, newly elected mayor of Hodmezovasarhely, in south-eastern Hungary, and opposition parties hailed the over-62 percent turnout at Sunday's interim election in the city. Speaking to a press conference after the election in which he snatched victory from the ruling Fidesz-Christian-Democrat alliance as an independent candidate, Marki-Zay thanked all voters who cast a ballot, regardless of whom they supported. "The election showed that this is still a democratic country; people expressed their opinion clearly today," he said. Commenting on the result, Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the residents of Hodmezovasarhely "wanted to elect a new mayor and they did so", and he congratulated Marki-Zay. "Hodmezovasarhely is an important city... we will do everything to facilitate its development," Orban added.