The mayors of four central European capitals signed a so-called “Pact of Free Cities” in Budapest on Monday, vowing to stand together against populist national governments in the region. The mayors said they would push for direct European funding, particularly to help fight the climate emergency. The hope is that in the next European budget cycle, some funds will be disbursed directly to cities. “Our cities will remain open, progressive, tolerant, and most importantly European,” said Trzaskowski. The group said they are open to cooperation with any other cities that may feel out-of-place in their domestic political environments.

Source: The Guardian December 16, 2019 17:09 UTC