Some weeks ago we already wrote about some revolting tendencies in Budapest: the government has decided to cut the wings of all alternative civil institutions, or so it seems. The trend continues in Szeged…
Monday, 15:10
The employees of the downtown cinema (Belvárosi mozi/Casablanca) and the arts cinema (Grand Café) became speechless of the news: managing director of the IH Kft. running these institutions, István Sódar (pronounce show-dar, nomen est omen), announced the INSTANT close-down of the movies. The reasons: the authorities found the building not fire-proof enough so it would be dangerous to spend there a single moment more. He assured the workers to take care of them. (For example they could go and sell ice-cream at the still CLOSED beach…) When the 180-million-forint maintenance would end, he could not tell.Actually, the control of the fire-brigade in December resulted in a list of 8 improvements. One if these was still not accomplished half year after the check, so they ordered Sódar to disconnect the high-voltage electric equipments. To disconnect, not to shut down completely! According to independant technicians, the renovation could be performed step-by-step, without closing the whole building. Also, the Grand Café has an electric circuit totally independent of the other cinema’s. Things go hanky-panky...
Just a few hours later, surprised locals and employees gather in front of the cinema. A mike appears and we can hear some poignant speeches. The Belvárosi Mozi was the first building in the whole country that was built with the purpose of a cinema. It belongs now to the City of Szeged, a.k.a. the local government. To save this remarkable erection, the employees offer the whole some of their redundancy money (a total of 10 million forints). Those present were moved to tears… In the crowd we can see two policemen. Then a third one, walking nervously up and down the phone in his hands. Just a few minutes later, several police-cars appear. (more photos and video)“Nobody has registered the demonstration” – we get to know. The organizer has to take responsibility. Organizer?! We all looked troubled, since every one of us took part in spreading the striking news. So?
BTW, according to the regulations, you do not have to announce spontaneously evolving protests 3 days before…
As a fairwell present, anyone could go and see the last movie for free.
Tuesday
People go to work, as usual: also the employees of the Grand Café and the Belvárosi mozi continue their daily routine in the empty, haunted building. They did not get any notice to act else. We are still puzzled because of the happenings. Conspiracy theories start; everybody explains his or her thoughts. But the question remains: who wants to get rid of the cinemas and the cafés?
Wednesday morning
TPZ (from the Grand Café) receives a phone call. Sódar’s security guards enter in the building, demand the employees to leave the building and so that they can change the locks. The Grand Café crew remains basically locked-up in the building. They quickly decide to launch a stream to show live what’s going on.
2PM
Having a valid rental contract, and not receiving any official document reasoning the above mentioned steps, they decide to call the police.
3PM
Soon they cannot keep in touch anymore, says TPZ on the Facebook page of the Grand. They got cut off the electricity. The technician was order by Sódar, although the latter denies it.
17:12 - the mayor's press conference
Applause follows the mayor's words. He was astonished to hear about the shut-down of these two important institutions, that came as news to him as well. He ordered an inspection of the IH Kft. and this case in specific. The result is the following: the maintenance of the dangerous points could be solved out of ca. 863 thousand forints within a single week. (Put this next to the proposal of 186 million forints). He added that it company seems to have financial problems: the movies show less income, yet, the lawyer expenses increased drastically. Therefore he orders István Sódar to start the construction as soon as possible, and at the general assembly next week, he will propose the dismissal of the managing director.
Smart guy, he became the local hero.
A few words about how this strange situation could happen: at the local elections, the socialist László Botka got elected for the third time as mayor. However, he has to work with a government of 30 people, where the socialists have 13 seats, the right wing Fidesz 14, and the alternative LMP and the extreme-right Jobbik have 1-1. You don’t need to be a maths genius to see that for a simple majority both parties need to go in compromises. So the extreme right Csaba Kereszturi Farkas (supposedly childhood friend of Sódar) has a terrifyingly big power.
17:18
Sódar himself also appears at the press conference. He keeps repeating that his has THE expertee-reports (which he is not willing to show, nor name the person or company who executed the investigation) which say that the building is dangerous, and needs 186 million forints for a complete reconstruction. Even experienced journalists giggle at his fake demagogue replies. For the question, why they have not opened the free beach, for which they have a contract, he could only reply: the temperature of the Tisza is not adequate. ROFL
What is in the background?
Out of the many-many conspiracy theories that have popped out of the minds of the worried locals, three seem probable:
1. Somebody likes the building, especially the nice terrace of the Casablanca Café.
2. The government wants to destroy this nest of liberal free thinkers and artist, as we can observe elsewhere in the country.
3. There is no money for the stars of the SZIN musical festival, which is also being organized by the IH Kft.
Maybe we will never find out the true reason.
We have won a battle, but it is probable that the present political situation will still cause some surprises. Just to make us laugh and cry. Because “all the world’s a stage…”
Update # 1 - Thursday afternoon 16:00
Despite the immediate intervention of the mayor, 8 employees got transferred to the infamous free Beach of Szeged. The directors and the projectionist could not get any "qualified" jobs. After 30+ days of compulsory holidays, they will get their severance pay. The maintenance has not started today, obviously the IH Kft. does not plan to open up in a week's time.
The LMP found out that the " independent expert" of Sódar's re-construction plans is a man expelled from Chamber of Architects.
Grand Café guys were asked to announce one day in advance if they want to enter in the building. They refused.
Update #2 - Friday, 11 AM
Good news: repairs finally have started today, as the local government summoned Sódar yesterday. Good boy... Grand Café got electricity back.
Udpate #3 - the commitees
Monday, 27th of June was the meeting of the Cultural Commitee, that turned into political accusations, sarcastic comments and debates on the meaning of such word as forthwith... Finally Harry Potter might save the cinema (they would loose a lot of money if the didn't open the downtown cinema for the new success movie).
Wednesday, 29th of June, @ the meeting of the Legal Committee: the political battles continued. The right-wing people tried to blame everything on the penultimate director of the IH Kft., Gyula Boros. The left-wing politicians found an annual report that dates back to the end of 2010 where the experts found no "life danger" in the building. The committee doesn't want to discuss the matter any further.
Well, tomorrow we shall see at the general assembly how the story goes on/ends.
Update #4 - the Gorgeous Assembly of Sunshine City
(this section got lost for some reason, I will write it again, soon... some really funny details are missing)
Update #5 - July 1 - mission accomplished
László Botka mayor just published on the Facebook protest site that they finished the maintenance, the fire brigade declared the bulding and equipements as safe and the buildings can open.
Political campaign? Yes... Do we object? Not in this case.
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You are welcome to join the virtual protest on Facebook.
Photos: Andrea Schmidt (delmagyar.hu), szegedma.hu
