The village of Nagygalambfalva in Hargita County has secured 1.59 billion forints in funding from Szerencsejáték Service Nonprofit Kft., a subsidiary of the Hungarian state-owned Szerencsejáték Zrt. The grant is earmarked for the construction of a poetry park, a project that has drawn attention due to the scale of the investment relative to the size of the community and the political channels used to secure the funds.
The Political Pipeline to Funding
Mayor Gyerkó Levente, who has led the village for 22 years, successfully secured the grant by bypassing traditional open application processes in favor of personal political connections. After several unsuccessful attempts to reach high-ranking Hungarian officials through letters, Gyerkó found a breakthrough through Kelemen Hunor, the president of the RMDSZ.
The mayor met with Kelemen in Cluj-Napoca on three separate occasions. During the third meeting, Gyerkó presented detailed financial records of Menza SRL, a municipal catering company that provides meals to 2,200 children in regional schools. This demonstration of local management success reportedly convinced Kelemen to act as an intermediary for the funding.
The funding was awarded to the Pro Golumba Egyesület, an association registered in 2024. While the association is led by municipal employees Nagy Katalin, Boros Ede, and Csomor-Máté Tünde, Mayor Gyerkó admitted that he is the project’s actual director. He stated that he cannot appear in the founding documents due to conflict-of-interest laws.
From Memorial House to Poetry Park
The project was originally conceived as a memorial house for the renowned 20th-century poet Kányádi Sándor, who was born in the village in 1929. However, the plan was blocked by Kányádi’s heirs—widow Tichy Mária Magdolna and sons Zoltán and András—who wished to preserve the existing family-run memorial room and grave out of municipal control.
In response, the mayor expanded the vision into a comprehensive poetry park. The current plan includes 30 Hungarian-language creators, two Romanian authors—Octavian Goga and Lucian Blaga—and Nobel laureate Herta Müller. The inclusion of certain authors, such as Wass Albert and József Nyírő, is expected to spark political debate given their controversial histories and views.
Labor and Social Contradictions
Construction is currently underway on three main structures: a welcome building with a souvenir shop and eatery, a “culture barn” designed for a 60-person conference room and gallery, and a smaller utility building. The project also features a water model reflecting the Nagy-Küküllő source and other regional landmarks.
A significant portion of the labor is provided by the local Roma community through communal work. While the mayor expresses pride in involving the Roma population, some workers report a climate of fear. One resident claimed that Roma workers comply with requests because they fear the municipality will withdraw their social benefits, referred to as the socsiált
.
This dynamic exists alongside a long-standing social issue: a Roma settlement between Kis- and Nagygalambfalva that has persisted for over a decade. Despite the village’s broader infrastructure boom, the only specific improvement provided to this community has been a paved bicycle path used to access the village center.
The Autonomous Village Model
The poetry park is part of a broader “autonomous village” strategy implemented by Gyerkó over two decades. The mayor has focused on municipal-run services—such as the Menza SRL catering company—to retain profits and reinvest them into local development.
This model has produced visible results, including a renovated cultural center, nine kilometers of forest asphalt roads, and the Várféle lookout tower. Residents and neighbors from nearby towns have noted that the village’s development often surpasses that of larger surrounding cities.
However, the project’s financial future remains uncertain. Approximately 1 billion forints of the 1.59 billion grant have arrived, leaving 400 to 500 million forints pending. Association representatives stated that if these remaining funds are not approved by the Hungarian government, several elements of the park may not be completed as planned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the primary financial backer of the poetry park?
The project is funded by Szerencsejáték Service Nonprofit Kft., which is a subsidiary of the Hungarian state-owned Szerencsejáték Zrt.
Why was a park built instead of a memorial house for Kányádi Sándor?
The poet’s legal heirs refused to allow the memorial house to fall under municipal supervision, leading the mayor to expand the project into a broader poetry park.
How was the funding for the project secured?
Mayor Gyerkó Levente secured the grant through personal meetings and mediation by Kelemen Hunor, the president of the RMDSZ.
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