Horse races to be held on historic Budapest square

Singer Péter Geszti and his company Vágta (Gallop) Kft. has received permission to stage horse races on one of Budapest's most frequented squares, Hősök tere (Heroes' Square), reports metro.hu.

The first such event will be held in middle of September, and more races will follow in the following two years, according to a Thursday decision by the cultural committee of the Budapest Assembly. András Bőhm, the Liberal (SZDSZ) chairman of the body, refrained from voting on the measure, while members of opposition party MDF supported the idea.

The organizers had earlier been denied permission to hold the race. A 2002 regulation aimed at maintaining the "dignity" of the square extensively limits the scope of events that can be held there. The assembly found a way around the regulation by labeling the planned race a "protocol" event.

Despite this, Budapest Mayor Gábor Demszky said that the event should be supported, because he believes it could encourage tourism and become a tradition.

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