Mayor Gyula: Predictable politics ensures the continuous development of the settlement

– Why do you recommend the readers to visit the Star Tour in May?

– The city of Gyula is a complex tourist attraction. In addition to permanent locations such as the Castle Spa, the Castle, the Almásy Castle and the gastronomic attraction, it is very important to have events that provide entertainment. And the Star Tour is exactly such an opportunity.

Firefighters come from many European countries and provide programs that cannot be seen anywhere else in Hungary. From the parade of oldtimer fire engines to the fire band programs, there will also be other special programs related to the world of firefighters.

– In the last five years, crisis followed crisis all over the world: there was a COVID, and then the Russian-Ukrainian war broke out, which resulted in an energy crisis in Europe. How did their city survive these trials?

– Despite the pandemic and the energy crisis, city operations ran smoothly and we were able to implement our developments. We implemented a pre-approved development program that covered all important sectors.

I would like to point out that the handover of the Airbus factory, which manufactures helicopter parts for one of the most important players in the aircraft industry, was an event of historical importance in the city’s economy.

I note that after the regime change, the local industrial capacities ceased, and this was the first production plant that was built. In the Airbus factory, industrial activity with high added value takes place, which requires qualified professionals. And this coincides with the municipality’s intention to keep qualified young people in place.

– Was there state support for the implementation of the project?

– This factory is a joint venture between Airbus and the Hungarian state, so the Hungarian state is also present as an owner and has provided it with various subsidies. By the way, Airbus made several settlements compete.

– How did they cope with the energy crisis?

We started to modernize the energy systems in the settlement ten years before the crisis.

We installed a geothermal heating system during the renovation of the Erkel house, as well as in the case of the Almásy castle, which was rebuilt from its ruins. In the Várfürdő, we utilize the waste heat of the thermal water, and we have built solar systems, which we have implemented in many other institutions in addition to the spa. In several cases, we installed a heat pump heating system.

– What is the position of the city in the region?

– I think that Gyula is an outstanding settlement in this region. Unemployment is low, according to my latest information, the rate of registered job seekers is 3.5 percent. Tourism is also a significant employer, and several investments have been made in the field of economic development thanks to EU and government subsidies that serve the development of tourism.

Thanks to the support of the government, we built an outdoor children’s experience pool in the Várfürdő through the Kisfaludy Program, which is known as a children’s water paradise. In addition, we also expanded the indoor facility of the castle bath. Primarily, we are currently developing other capacities necessary for bathing: such are the changing capacity, the expansion of medical services, catering, and we are also renovating the stable, which is one of the indoor spa facilities. In addition, we were able to create a playhouse from one of the listed buildings and renovated the Centennial Confectionery, which is the second oldest confectionary in Hungary. Also, we renovated the Ladics house, which shows the culture of 19th-century bourgeois life, and also expanded the bicycle paths that lead to the Körös.

– As mayor, how do you see the significance of the upcoming municipal elections?

– I think it is very important that the development of the city is not disrupted. This, however, requires the stability that we have provided so far. This also assumes development, and security is very important.

In other words, the security of farming is important, which is also guaranteed by the kind of predictable policy that we pursue in partnership with the government. A small rural town cannot develop without these conditions, especially here in Eastern Hungary.

All developments that enhance or protect the green environment are important to us. In recent years, we have renovated parks. The network of parks that contribute to the cleanliness of the air is traditional in Gyul. But it is very important for us to create a green ring around the city. About 50 percent of the forests in Békés County are located in Gyula. However, in the south and south-west of the city, there are areas owned by the municipality where you can plant forests.

In the last five years, we have planted oak forests on 20 hectares and we want to plant about 80 hectares more. If we succeed, we will create a green ring around the city, which will filter the air and make the city’s climate more pleasant, as well as contribute to increasing biodiversity.

These goals also include, for example, the Japanese garden created in the garden of the city library, which we created jointly with a local NGO, the Friends of the Japanese Garden Association, from a grant.

– Do I know correctly that the meat factory in Gyula is also owned by the municipality?

– In 2012, the company was privately owned and was liquidated, however, the government provided the municipality with a significant amount of economic development support, with which we reorganized the meat industry in Gyula. We bought the movable and immovable assets of the factory from the liquidator, as well as all the licenses and patent trademarks necessary for production.

We took over the employees and founded a new limited company, which is 100 percent owned by the municipality. We have been operating profitably since 2013. At that time, we saved roughly three hundred jobs, and today the number of people working there is around 330.

Featured image: Gyula Castle on April 9, 2024. (Photo: MTI/Zsolt Czeglédi)