Gabor Demszky

Global Fellow

June 1, 2014 – November 15, 2016

Professional Affiliation

Doctor of Law, Wissenschraftskolleg zu Berlin, Germany; Former Mayor of Budapest, 1990-2010

Expert Bio

Studies:

1970-76 Student of the Law Faculty of Eotvos Lorandt University. While still a student, he was suspended for a year for organizing a left-wing student demonstration in 1972 /Graduated in 1976/.

1978-81 Sociological studies at the Sociology Faculty of Budapest University.

1988-89 Student of the Columbia University in New York.

Employments and Activities:

1979 Signed the Act of Solidarity for Charta ’77.

1979 Founder of SZETA a Foundation to Help the Poor.

1981 Organizer of the publishing house named AB Independent Publishers

1983 Sentenced to six months in prison, although finally the proceedings were to stay.

1983 The International Association of Publishers awarded him the Freedom to Publish Prize.

1988 One of the founders of the Network of Free Initiatives and of Alliance of Free Democrats

1990 Founder and one of the directors of the International Association to Save Children 1991 Co-president of the”Budapest Bank for Budapest” Foundation

1992 Vice-president of the Standing Committee of Local and Regional Authorities of Council of Europe

2004 From June to October Member of the European Parliament

1990 Mayor of Budapest /reelected in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006/

Wilson Center Project

"Reforms in Budapest: 1990-2010"

Project Summary

One of the most important cornerstones of the reforms that were implemented in “The Budapest Model” was the framework of medium term, 7-year financial planning. It is a rolling plan, updated in every annual budgetary round projecting revenue flows, expenditures, and financial liabilities. This method of fiscal planning provides an effective and robust instrument for ensuring financial sustainability, achieving a good credit rating in external financing, systematically examining the budgetary consequences of current commitments as well as striking the optimal balance between operating expenditures and investment activities. This framework is readily available for adaptation depending on the local institutional context.