"The leader of BKK who compares his own passengers to turkeys ready for slaughter" must leave, not only the right-wing, but also Péter Ungár, Dávid Vitézy and the Hungarian Transport Club. According to the BKK, they were the victims of a political campaign, and although Gergely Karácsony did not accept the resignation of the BKK leader, Walter Katalin, he did announce their withdrawal in the matter of reduced flight frequency.
Antecedent
As is well known, due to the reduction of BKK flights, the schedules of several frequently operating flights during peak hours on Mondays and Fridays from January 19 have been changed. According to information, the change will also affect several flights with 12-15 minute waiting times.
However, according to CEO Walter Katalin, social consultation in the matter would have been necessary before the current measure only if flights had been canceled or if network restructuring had been carried out, 24.hu wrote .
At the same time, on October 26, they consulted with the representatives of Közlekédő Tömeg - about which the organization claimed that this was not true - and then the next day with the leaders of VEKE and the Hungarian Transport Club. At the background discussion organized by the Budapest Transport Center (BKK), Walter stated that it would have been difficult to involve passengers in this process, because it is as if
"I'd ask the turkey what to do with it before Thanksgiving"
- said the BKK leader.
This sentence is eerily similar to the words of ex-SZDSZ minister János Kóka from the beginning of the 2000s, when he stated - in relation to his discredited subordinates who criticized the improvisational downsizing style of his ministry - that
frogs are not usually asked about draining the swamp.
Vitézy: We are human beings, the people of Budapest are not turkeys ready for slaughter!
In response to Walter's words, Dávid Vitézy published an image generated by artificial intelligence , which shows how the seven-week bus is filled with turkeys. As he wrote, "of course, there is no reason to joke: the head of BKK cannot talk like that about Budapest passengers. As I wrote yesterday: I can't even fathom how such a sentence could come from the mouth of the number one manager of a public utility carrying millions of passengers. We are people, Budapest is our home, we use public transport to go to school, work and have fun. The people of Budapest are not turkeys ready for the slaughter, who would do better to resign themselves to their fate, because Thanksgiving is coming - or this time, fewer flights. Not only a responsible leader cannot say such a thing, but also a person with a minimum of empathy."
Since Vitézy's post, it has become clear that although Katalin Walter submitted his resignation, Gergely Karácsony did not accept it , because according to him,
"a poorly worded sentence that does not reflect the CEO's personal beliefs does not overwrite the excellent professional work that BKK has done in recent years for Budapest's public transport".
Vitézy concluded his post by saying that the reduced number of flights should be withdrawn, and that the manager of BKK, who compares his own passengers to turkeys ripe for the slaughter, should leave. Since the post, the flight reductions have been withdrawn, but the driver has not left.
Walter Katalin, behind him Gergely Karácsony (Photo: MTI/Zoltán Balogh)
Magyar Közlekedesi Klub: Katalin Walter's turkey speech is already on the level of János Kóka
"BKK digs deeper every day. We call on the mayor to put an end to the comedy of reduced flights!" – wrote the Hungarian Transport Club (MKK) on its Facebook page
We consider it unacceptable and blood-curdling that BKK managers are repeatedly trying to cover up the issue of flight reductions by negotiating with the Hungarian Transport Club
- stated the organization. As they wrote, last fall they actually went to BKK to talk about scheduling issues, but at that time they did not see any specifics beyond the presentation of good-sounding principles, just like the other NGOs, so there was nothing to accept.
Walter Katalin's snarky comments are already at the level of János Kóka, he last said something similar in relation to railway lines
– pointed out the MKK. According to the organization, it is outrageous that BKK came up with a weak development package after the flight reduction failure. "Based on the stumbling, largely undeveloped ideas, we have to ask the question:
what has the transport organization department been doing since 2019?"
they wrote.
Péter Ungár also attacked the BKK leader in a Facebook post .
"Walter Katalin, the general manager of BKK, said in a background interview that the reason they did not discuss the reduced number of flights with Budapest passengers was that it would be like asking the turkey what to do with it before Thanksgiving." According to American tradition, the turkey is killed and eaten on Thanksgiving.
Two types of BKK leaders say this about Budapest commuters: those who have submitted their resignations, and those who are about to submit their resignations"
- says the president of the LMP.
Adds:
"Every minute that such a person is in office, Gergely Karácsony proves that he is not green, but a representative of the most radical and repugnant neoliberal tradition. Every single minute that Gergely Karácsony keeps such a person in office proves that he is not the master of what happens in his own team and is not suitable for city manager."
According to Ungár, those parties that consider themselves left-wing, but still stand by Walter Katalin after this, lose all credibility. LMP's position is clear, Walter Katalin must leave immediately, and the reduction of flights must be withdrawn.
Gergely Karácsony did not accept the resignation of the BKK leader, but withdrew the reduced number of flights
As he wrote on his Facebook page, "Walter Katalin, the CEO of the Budapest Transport Center (BKK), said an extremely unfortunate sentence at yesterday's press conference,
for which he politely apologized and offered me his resignation”.
However, the mayor did not accept it, because according to him, " a poorly worded sentence that does not reflect the personal conviction of the CEO does not overwrite the excellent professional work that BKK has done in recent years for public transport in Budapest".
"I am proud to be able to work in a team with such excellent people on the development of public transport in Budapest"
added Karácsony.
Mayor Gergely Karácsony and Katalin Walter, CEO of BKK (Photo: MTI/Tamás Kovács)
The reduced number of flights is over, Christmas has receded
The mayor also wrote a few lines about the reduced number of flights - in which he announced that the reorganization that had provoked a lot of criticism was over: "even the best professional proposal can bleed if it becomes a victim of the unscrupulous selfishness of individuals and the disparaging political campaign. The redeployment of only a few thousandths of Budapest's public transport has become the prey of the mayoral candidate's political campaign, which can undermine trust in public transport. And that harms more than the better schedule benefits.
That's why I asked the BKK employees to protect their professional work from the effects of the political campaign, restore the previous schedule, and coordinate with the districts on traffic improvements."
Source: based on Mandiner
Cover image: Dávid Vitézy's Facebook page
