Skip to main content

Is Budapest set to resemble Dubai? Controversial megaproject sparks concerns

1 min Mena Today

The Hungarian government is poised to sign an agreement with the United Arab Emirates for the construction of an ambitious real estate complex in the capital, raising concerns from the city's mayor.

Budapest, the capital of Hungary © Mena Today 

Budapest, the capital of Hungary © Mena Today 

The Hungarian government is poised to sign an agreement with the United Arab Emirates for the construction of an ambitious real estate complex in the capital, raising concerns from the city's mayor.

The project aims to revamp a nearly abandoned railway station and its surroundings at a cost of €5 billion.

According to a document released late Thursday on the Hungarian government's website, authorities will sell the land, located not far from the city center, to a private entity selected by the UAE "without conducting a tender."

In return for this "major investment," Hungary commits to carrying out infrastructure work "amounting to at least €800 million."

The nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues his controversial endeavor of large-scale projects that alter the city's landscape, including its UNESCO-listed historic center.

In December, Construction Minister Janos Lazar defended the project, referring to it as "maxi-Dubai" in response to media headlines that called it "mini-Dubai."

He insisted that the result would not be mediocre and that it would be an "internationally acclaimed" project.

Related

Hezbollah

How Hezbollah signed its own death warrant

On March 2, 2026, Hezbollah made the most catastrophic strategic miscalculation in its four-decade history. It didn't stumble into war. It ran toward it, eyes open, missiles armed. And now, the reckoning has begun.

Turkey

Turkey opposition leader says Imamoglu trial is purely political

The trial of Istanbul's jailed mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, is a purely political affair aimed at preventing him from challenging President Tayyip Erdogan in the next election, Turkey's main opposition leader told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Mena banner 4

To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.

  • Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.