Budapest mayor links street drug use to failures in child protection system

Gergely Karácsony used his Facebook page on Saturday to draw attention to a new report on child-protection services in Budapest. The study found that a significant proportion of individuals who now use drugs on the streets had been placed in child-protection institutions as children. Karácsony warned that without overhauling the social framework that cares for children without families, the drug epidemic and its public-order consequences will persist.

He called for a partnership between the national government, the city, and municipal bodies to tackle the issue. The mayor also noted that younger homeless people are similarly affected by the child-protection system. He emphasized that Budapest already has a victim-support program and a drug-prevention strategy, but cooperation is essential for success.