Our “Top of Hungary 2015″ series aims to represent fifteen episodes of the the year, which – according to our assessment – played an important role in the public, cultural or sport life of Hungary during the last twelve months. Regardless of the positive or negative aspects, we have evaluated the events separately, therefore our list reflects nothing more but the personal opinion of the editorial team.
The fourteenth most important Hungary-related event in 2015 is that Budapest was awarded the hosting rights of the 2017 World Aquatics Championships.
The Hungarian capital will host the grandiose sports event instead of the Mexican city of Guadalajara, which stepped back due to financial troubles. The surprising announcement was made by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Cornel Marculescu, managing director of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) on 11th of March 2015. Hungary went along with organising World Championships in two years when a country usually has four years to prepare for hosting the event. The decision also means that Hungary has lost the its previously gained right to organise the same event in 2021.
According to the official estimations, hosting the prestigious FINA Championships could cost Hungary 49 billion forints (EUR 157m), including the 21.4 billion forints construction costs of an aquatics centre in the north of Budapest that will serve as the event’s main venue. However, five billion TV viewers are expected to tune into the event worldwide, which has been branded the largest-ever sports event ever to take place in Hungary. The event is expected to pay an invaluable contribution to improving the country’s image abroad and it could also boost Hungary’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Top of Hungary 2015
…
15. Red Bull Air Race in Budapest