❌ No Bubi this spring.
Just imagine how wonderful it would be to cycle right now through the World Heritage streets of Budapest — but from now on, that won’t be possible with Bubi.
👉 After lengthy planning, we launched the public bike-sharing program in 2014 under our city administration, with the goal of providing Budapest residents with a fast, efficient, and sustainable transportation alternative.
Together with the Fidesz parliamentary group, we also proposed that anyone with a valid BKK pass should be able to ride unlimited times for up to 30 minutes free of charge.
🚴♀ Now that spring has arrived and the sunshine is back, more and more of us are getting on our bikes again, so the Bubis would be greatly needed. However, according to the decision of Karácsony’s administration, Bubi will be shut down from March 5 until the end of June, because they deliberately “forgot” to issue the tender that could have ensured the uninterrupted operation of the network.
They knew exactly that this would happen. They knew that the new tender process could take up to 18 months, yet they intentionally delayed it.
🗣 The shutdown is therefore on their conscience, and the consequences and responsibility also lie on the mayor’s shoulders. While they constantly warn about bankruptcy and claim that the city is on the verge of collapse, new skeletons keep falling out of City Hall’s closet every day — and now this forced shutdown is the latest example.
1️⃣ Nostalgia and claiming past achievements
Excerpt:
“Back in 2014, under our city leadership, we launched the public bike-sharing program…”
Technique:
👉 Self-credit / emphasizing past achievements
Goal:
To suggest that the program’s success is due to the previous leadership.
Effect:
Readers may form the impression that:
“they created it → therefore they are the ones who understand how it works.”
2️⃣ Creating an idealized image
Excerpt:
“Just imagine how wonderful it would be…”
Technique:
👉 Emotional framing / romanticization
Goal:
To create a positive emotional image of Bubi and cycling.
Effect:
The reader first emotionally identifies with the idea, and only afterwards receives the political message.
3️⃣ Scapegoating
Excerpt:
“According to Karácsony’s decision…”
“They intentionally forgot to announce the tender.”
Technique:
👉 Scapegoating
Goal:
To tie the problem to a single political actor.
Effect:
A simple narrative forms in the reader’s mind:
problem → Karácsony → deliberate mistake
4️⃣ Suggesting intentional wrongdoing without proof
Excerpt:
“They intentionally forgot.”
“They deliberately delayed it.”
Technique:
👉 Attributing motives
Goal:
To frame the situation not merely as a mistake but as deliberate harm.
Effect:
It provokes stronger outrage among readers.
5️⃣ “Us vs. them” narrative
Excerpt:
“we launched it” vs. “Karácsony is shutting it down”
Technique:
👉 Polarization
Goal:
To create two opposing sides:
- we = the builders
- they = the destroyers
6️⃣ Generating a sense of scandal
Excerpt:
“new skeletons keep falling out of the city hall’s closet every day”
Technique:
👉 Scandal framing
Goal:
To portray the city leadership as being in constant crisis.
Effect:
The reader may feel that “something is seriously wrong.”
🧠 The overall narrative in short
The post tries to implant a simple story in the reader’s mind:
- Fidesz created Bubi.
- The current leadership is unable to operate it.
- The shutdown happened due to either intentional action or incompetence.
- This is further proof that the city leadership is failing.
✅ In summary:
This is a classic campaign message that simultaneously uses:
- nostalgia
- scapegoating
- suggestion of intentional wrongdoing
- scandal framing
- “us vs. them” political polarization.