Govt offers Budapest HUF 60 bn in relief, if it can finance projects

The central government decided on Tuesday to offer the city of Budapest an initial round of 60 billion forints (EUR 164.4m) in relief, if the government can take over the financing of a number of big municipal projects, the Prime Minister's Office state secretary for Budapest developments told MTI on Wednesday. The government is proposing taking over the financing of the Biodome in the City Park, the Gellert Hill funicular, the extension of the tram network in Buda, the expansion of the Etele Square bus station, and a project that would partially pedestrianize the Pest embankment road, Balazs Furjes said in a statement.