Hungary’s third-biggest city banned tourists because they leave too much rubbish

Csaba András Dézsi, the Fidesz mayor of Győr, believes that the tourists coming to the city leave too much rubbish. In return, he wanted money from the Mahart PassNave Passenger Shipping Ltd., who do not want to pay. As a result, boat journey tourists may be banned from Hungary’s third biggest city.

According to telex.hu, the leadership of Győr and Mahart could not agree on how tourist boats could moor in the city. The company would build the port, but the mayor wants money because he believes the tourists leave too much rubbish, which they must clean. As a result, Mahart began to build a port in Gönyű, 15 kilometres East of Győr. They would embark foreign tourists on buses and take them to Győr from the village. That would mean additional pollution even though they could stop directly in Győr with the boat they are in.

That is because a brand new floodgate was inaugurated near Gönyű, increasing the water level of the Danube. The construction cost HUF 30 billion (EUR 81 million), and it could enable tourist boats to moor in Győr. As a result, Mahart could take tourists directly into the heart of Hungary’s third-biggest city with middle-sized boats. Thus, Győr could be part of the international water tourism.

Győr’s mayor, András Csaba Dézsi:

Mahart wanted Moscow tourist boats (150 seats) and even the Twin City Liners commuting between Vienna and Bratislava to halt in Győr. The latter even did a test journey. However, Győr does not have a port, so Mahart wanted to build it. But the mayor, Csaba András Dézsi, opposed the plan saying boat tourists spend only 1-2 hours in the city and leave too much rubbish. He wanted money, but Mahart did not pay, so no agreements were signed.

The mayor on a boat tour in Győr:

Therefore, Mahart began to build a port in Gönyű, which will be ready by 30 June. Thus, they will put Győr and Pannonhalma, Hungary’s first Benedictine monastery, on Hungary’s water tourism map. Tourists will have to travel by bus to these destinations. Meanwhile, if Győr and the Mahart agreed it would take only three weeks to build a proper port in Győr.

Dézsi highlighted that he would agree with a boat company that respects Győr is a clean and liveable settlement. He added that, as a mayor, he terminated monopolies in the city. Moreover, he would like to harmonise the interests of anglers, boat owners and locals doing water sports. In a radio interview, he cleared the city would build a port.

Featured image: illustration

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