Two Budapest Districts call on city to ban music festival

Budapest's 4th and 13th Districts, the two areas of the city closest to the traditional location of the annual Sziget festival on the Hajógyári-sziget (Shipyard Island), have called upon Mayor Gábor Demszky to ban the festival unless soundproofing walls are built around the island.

In a letter sent to Demszky, District XIII Mayor József Tóth wrote that the District was going to sue the city unless the noise "pollution" emanating from the week-long festival is reduced. He quoted an opinion from the National Public Health and Medical Officers Service (ÁNTSZ), which said that the noise caused by the festival considerably exceeded the allowed level at nighttime.

The annual Sziget is Central Europe's largest popular music festival, and draws thousands of visitors to Budapest every August.

District IV has been fighting against the festival for years, and has already filed a lawsuit against the city. The first hearing in the case will take place next month.

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