Organization to collect signatures against Olympic bid

As reported last week, the organization needs to collect a total of 138,000 signatures within 30 days in the framework of its NOlimpia campaign in order to make the referendum take place against the bid, with the following question: “Do you agree that the Municipality of Budapest should withdraw its bid from the organization of the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games?”

The leaders of Momentum Mozgalom say they oppose the regime of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and are seeking change. They say they cannot rule out the possibility of forming a political party in the long term, András Fekete-Győr, the chairman of the movement, told index.hu.

Fekete-Győr claims the organization is made up of approximately 140 enthusiastic volunteers, who will be collecting signatures at 25 locations, and will also try knocking on doors. The campaign is being financed by membership fees and micro-donations. He reportedly added that the movement is independent of any parties, and “is not even backed by George Soros”; however, he added, they will accept any political party member’s help for their cause, according to the Hungarian website.

Anna Orosz, another leader of the movement, said that it is “entirely nonsensical” that the Hungarian government is planning to organize the Olympic Games while there is no economic and social upturn, without even asking the opinion of the people as to whether they would like to spend money on the event.

Using the five circles of the Olympics as an analogy, the movement says it believes the money being spent on the bid and the possible organization of the event should be spent on five key areas: healthcare, education, housing, living standards and transport.