The renovation was carried out with the support of the government, within the framework of the Modern Cities Program. The State Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office responsible for church and ethnic relations said after the festive liturgy: the reformed, evangelical church and its surroundings, as well as the Baptist and Jewish houses of worship in the city, will be renovated.

Miklós Soltész put it this way: he believes that the cooperation that characterizes the neighborhood now will change public thinking, and that everyone will finally be able to think responsibly for other people, other landscapes, and other cities. In the main parish church, the organ, statues, wall paintings, entrance, stairs, retaining wall, and surrounding area were renovated, the drainage system was rebuilt, a side chapel was created, and the building also received a new sound system as part of the approximately HUF 600 million investment.

Miklós Soltész also spoke about the fact that with the cessation of centuries-old coal mining in and around Salgótarja, the region "dropped out of the country's circulation from one moment to the next".

The Secretary of State identified the remedy of this as a task. On behalf of the Hungarian government, I can say that they can count on us in the future as well, we will pay attention to the community that deserves help due to its past.

The renovated church was blessed by Marton Zsolt, county bishop of Vác

Zsolt Fekete (Salgótarján, Szeretem! Association - DK, Jobbik, LMP, Momentum, MSZP, Párbeszéd, Tarjáni Városlákó Egyesület), the mayor , recalled that on March 21, 2017, he discussed the Modern Cities Program with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán this included the renovation of the main parish church and its surroundings, and when the project was completed, the church became the centerpiece of the town. He said that the program had changed at several points in the meantime and that the range of church investments had expanded significantly.

The city manager said that he is confident that the promised government subsidies for the implementation of the other elements of the Modern Cities Program will arrive soon, because the developments are of the utmost importance in terms of the livability and future of Salgótarján, and then he thanked for the investments that have already been made.

Source: MTI