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18th July, 2025

First town uses law to "protect local identity"



Just days before Hungary’s new law on local identity took effect on July 1, the small town of Mezőkeresztes became the first municipality to adopt a local ordinance granting itself the right of first refusal on real estate purchases.

Despite a 14% population decline since 2001, the town of 3,500 in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county moved quickly to enact the measure.

The stated goal of the legislation is to preserve local identity, traditions, and community cohesion.

The ordinance allows the municipality to intervene in property sales to support public aims such as community spaces, housing programmes, and to curb speculative purchases.

Decisions on exercising this right will be made on a case-by-case basis by the local finance and economic committee.

Buyers are exempt if, for example, they have family in the town or are using state housing support like CSOK.

Mayor János Majoros declined to explain what prompted the move.

Majoros previously drew national attention in 2016 for publishing an open letter in a local paper targeting the Roma community and linking them to falling property values.

Sources regularly consulted, with abbreviations used in text: Népszabadság (N); Magyar Hírlap (MH); Világgazdaság (VG); Napi Gazdaság (NG); Magyar Nemzet (MN); Népszava (Nsz); Kossuth Rádió news (KR); nightly TV news (TV).

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