Hungarians Acquiring Cultural Heritage Sites in Slovakia
A subsidiary of the Budapest-based company Manevi has acquired another national cultural heritage site in Slovakia, located in the historic center of the city of Bardejov.
Reported by SME.
If you stand on the rectangular square facing away from the town hall, to the left, there will be the small Basilica of St. Giles, and in front of you, a row of townhouses of different colors. There are 46 of them, enclosing the square on three sides. They typically feature narrow facades, two stories with steep roofs and a pediment facing the square. They are connected with German merchants who arrived in Bardejov from Silesia at the beginning of the 13th century.
During the Renaissance era, they were rebuilt into luxurious estates, adding rich façade embellishments. Many of the buildings retain their original layout from the second half of the 15th century.
The historic center of Bardejov, along with the complex of buildings forming the Jewish suburb, is listed as a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.
Currently, the property – a national cultural heritage site – has a new owner. It is the company Manevi SK. It was established as a subsidiary fully owned by the Hungarian cooperative Manevi, located near the national parliament in Budapest. Manevi SK's sole partner is the former Budapest state company Comitatus-Energia, which, like Manevi, belongs to the Hungarian Central European Immovable Heritage Preservation Fund.
Manevi plays a significant role in the acquisition of foreign real estate on behalf of the Hungarian Republic, and the mentioned fund and its companies are under the control of a trustee whose members are close to Prime Minister Viktor Orban's ruling party Fidesz.
Neighboring businesses in Bardejov have little knowledge about the new owner of this historic property. An announcement is posted on the window stating that the premises are available for long-term lease. A real estate agency offers its services on the website under the category "Rental of commercial, office spaces, and spaces for gastronomy, bars in the center of Bardejov." The description notes that it is an exclusive business space in a historic building in the most frequented part of the center.
According to the announcement, the building has a representative character, is in good technical condition, and can accommodate a large open space, known as an open space. The rental price is negotiable. When journalists inquired as potential tenants, the realtor confirmed that the owner is Manevi SK.
It was previously revealed that Hungary acquired two properties in the preserve of the city of Kosice. One of them is a building located at the corner of Main and Postal Streets, also known as Chaki-Dezsoff Palace. In the past, it housed the Constitutional Court, and until recently, the Panta Rhei bookstore.
According to the real estate cadastre extract, the owner of this national cultural heritage site is already the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Affairs of Hungary.
Previously it was revealed that the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Hungarian ambassador after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called Slovakia "part of a province far from Hungary".
Earlier, The Gaze reported on "Greater Hungary: Is it realistic to 'revive' the Hungarian Empire?"