Top secret real estate transactions: We are suing the Fifth District Municipality

Since the Fifth District Municipality has been particularly active in the area of real estate, we were curious to know which properties have ceased to be owned (or managed) by the Municipality and its property management company over the past five years. Consequently, we made Freedom of Information requests to City Hall and the Municipal Property Manager.

In mid-July, we received the following email from an officer of City Hall:

„With reference to your request for disclosure of information of public interest, which was received by the Fifth District Municipality electronically, we are able to advise you as follows. Since we are required to search a tremendous number of databases and sever the requested information, and it is time-consuming, we kindly ask for your patience.  We will be providing you with an electronic copy of the [requested] list when it becomes available.”

The response surprised us, because we had expected City Hall to have an up-to-date inventory of the Municipality’s assets, as well as its changes; nevertheless, we continued to wait patiently. We received no response at all from the property management company.

Since the statutory deadline for responding to a freedom of information request expired two weeks ago, we had no choice but to make an application to the Pest Central District Court of Justice for an order compelling City Hall and its property management company to disclose information of public interest.

Related documents:

FOIA request to the City Hall (Hungarian, PDF)

Application to the Court against the City Hall (Hungarian, PDF)

FOIA request to the property management company (Hungarian, PDF)

Application to the Court against the property management company (Hungarian, PDF)

LEAK: A contract of a property deal in 2008 (Hungarian, PDF)