The current owner is pulling out of the party, but Budapest wants to continue.
“I received a letter from the CEO of Sziget Zrt. informing me that he is forced to initiate the termination of the agreement between the capital city and Sziget.”
This is what Gergely Karácsony, Mayor of Budapest, wrote in his Facebook post, according to which the future of the Sziget Festival has become uncertain.
He adds that Sziget is an asset, proof that Budapest is a free, open, and diverse city, and therefore Budapest must stand up for the future of the Sziget Festival to the best of its ability.
According to the mayor, the move may be due to a business decision by the foreign o wner of Sziget Zrt.
“I trust that the termination does not mean the end of an era, but rather the hope of a new beginning. And if the future of Sziget can be secured commercially in a way that preserves the values of the festival, then Budapest must also be open to this new beginning,” Karácsony writes.
Meanwhile, the Sziget Festival ownership team has contacted Károly Gerendai, who left the festival’s organization seven years ago after serving as its main organizer, driving force, and face for 25 years.
In response to a press inquiry, he said that he is considering the possibility and is confident that a solution will be found.
