A significant proportion of the population - and not only Hungarians - did not think it was right that the city government wanted to build a public toilet in the park named after the greatest Hungarian poet, a few meters away from the statue of Sándor Petőfi.
On the corner of Petőfi tér Csendej (formerly Tolsztoj) utca in Ungvár, Transcarpathia, the construction of a public container toilet started the other day. Prior to this, the Executive Committee of the Ungvár City Council authorized AVE Ungvár Kft., which performs public cleaning tasks in the city, on November 25, 2024. for him to establish a public toilet on Petőfi Square.
The construction of a public toilet would have been welcomed by everyone, as it is no secret that the lack of public toilets has been a problem in the county center for decades.
The last one, at the foot of the pedestrian bridge, was dismantled a few years ago when the area was privatized. Since then, not a single public toilet has been operating in the county center, which welcomes many tourists. Thus, the townspeople and guests can only go to the restrooms in the catering units, of course in case of certain consumption, or in the worst case, they can relieve themselves in wooded areas, at the foot of the bridges.
However, the location of the new toilet caused public outrage. A significant proportion of the population - and not only Hungarians - did not think it was right that the city government wanted to build a public toilet in the park named after the greatest Hungarian poet, a few meters away from the statue of Sándor Petőfi, for which the foundation had already begun in mid-December.
József Rezes, the vice-president of the Ungvár City Basic Organization of the Subcarpathian Hungarian Cultural Association (KMKSZ), said that there are plans to install some toilets in the city.
- This is really necessary due to the large number of tourists and the significant increase in the population, especially since the lack of public toilets is a problem in Ungvár anyway. It was only revealed afterwards that, according to the planning documentation, one of these would be near the Petőfi statue. In our view, this is not correct because
the square is a place of pilgrimage for the Hungarians of Ungvár and the surrounding area, where we also organize large-scale events, and this toilet would not fit into the environment and background that should be there. The toilet is necessary, but not there! he pointed.
László Brenzovics, the president of KMKSZ, wrote a letter to Mayor Bohdan Andrijiv, in which he requested a review of the decision.
"We express our deep concern regarding the location of the toilet right next to the statue of the greatest Hungarian poet, Sándor Petőfi. This square is not only a place of historical importance, but also an important cultural center of our city. Different events are held here every year, which enrich the cultural life of Ungvár. The statue and the surrounding area are regularly maintained thanks to the efforts of the local community. We believe that placing the toilet next to the monument does not correspond to the cultural and aesthetic value of the place.
Therefore, we strongly request that the decision regarding the installation location be reviewed and that the public toilet be built in another, more suitable area for this purpose," read the letter of the president of the KMKSZ.
The Hungarian Democratic Union of Ukraine (UMDSZ) also addressed an official petition to the Executive Committee of the Ungvár City Council, in which they initiated the withdrawal of the issued building permit, as well as the initiation of public hearings to select a new, suitable location for everyone.
The Subcarpathian County Council also reacted to the city council's controversial decision and strongly suggested that such issues be investigated more thoroughly.
President Roman Szaraj emphasized that this issue is not within their competence, but they strongly recommend to the Ungvár City Council the relocation of the public toilet in order to avoid disagreements.
Bohdan Andrijiv commented on the protest of Transcarpathian Hungarian interest protection organizations: "We still remember that there used to be a public toilet next to the pedestrian bridge, which is also part of Petőfi Square. The competent specialist committee, which dealt with this issue, recommended that the new public toilet be located on Petőfi Square. Maybe we didn't take into account all the aspects, that it causes such a public outcry. There will definitely be a toilet in the center of Ungvár, but we are still considering its location."
Well, it seems that common sense will prevail in Ungvár this time, following the quick and coordinated protest, and there will not be a public toilet near the Petőfi statue.
Cover image: There will still be no public toilets at the foot of the Petőfi statue
Source: Mandiner.hu
