Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony has dismissed Tibor Bolla, CEO of the Budapest Transport Company (BKV), following media reports that raised questions about his past associations. The Mayor’s Office confirmed the dismissal on Monday evening in a statement.
According to the statement, city leaders are expected not only to act lawfully but to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. The dismissal comes after a news article published earlier that day linked Bolla to individuals accused of budgetary fraud committed as part of an organized criminal group prior to 2019.
Karácsony requested a written explanation from Bolla earlier on Monday. However, the Mayor’s Office said the response failed to dispel all doubts—despite the absence of any direct claim that BKV had been overbilled in connection with external IT operations since the company changed ownership in the previous municipal cycle.
The statement emphasized that BKV, as the capital’s primary public transport provider, is operating under significant budgetary pressure. The company’s top executive must be able to focus entirely on keeping the service running. ‘This clearly cannot be done while responding to public controversy,’ the office said.
While thanking Bolla for nearly two decades of service, the mayor formally relieved him of his duties at his own request. Until a new permanent director is appointed, Deputy CEO for Railway Operations Péter Takács—who has worked at BKV for more than 25 years—will lead the organization.
Earlier on Monday, Mayor Karácsony had asked Bolla for detailed explanations regarding multiple questions raised in the press. These included whether Bolla had any personal or professional relationship with Zsolt F, a man accused of large-scale tax fraud, and whether photos reportedly taken in Shanghai and Bali—depicting the two together—were authentic.
The Mayor also inquired whether the pair had appeared together at VIP sections of festivals or sporting events, and under what circumstances such appearances occurred, including who covered the costs.
One particularly sensitive question was whether Bolla’s reported romantic partner, Franciska K, had ties to a company partially owned by her and whether BKV had registered a mortgage lien on that company’s property as part of a bank guarantee.
The Mayor’s Office clarified that there has been no indication of overbilling or misconduct in BKV’s IT services over the past five years. Nevertheless, the credibility of the organization’s leadership was considered compromised by the public nature of the allegations.
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