January 27th, 2009

Magyar Posta bike scandal rolls on

cronopont-post-office-bikes.jpgOne of many ongoing corruption scandals involving government money rages on at Magyar Posta, albeit to a lesser degree. After the previous tender for bicycles was terminated due to widespread accusations of corruption, the Hungarian postal service announced a new tender last Tuesday. The budget has been reduced to Ft 500 million (€1.7 million) for the 4,800 bikes, which still works out at around Ft 100,000 (€350) per bike, reports Index.hu.

Magyar Posta’s last effort to buy new bicycles was challenged, while a senior manager was suspended for allegedly leaking insider information to Győr-based tender winner Cronopont Kft. Not only was that contract extremely pricey, the company, primarily a property developer, also failed to fill its delivery obligations and the contract was terminated in July 2008. Magyar Posta is now inviting new offers to supply 4,800 bicycles with an option on a further 2000. The value of the new contract will be around Ft 500 million and, unlike the previous deal, will not include servicing and maintenance, said spokesman Tamás Tomecskó. As for the price, it is possible to offer value for money at of Ft 100,000 per bike, but only with high-quality components, design and build quality. In other words, don’t hold your breath.

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  1. Stan says:

    “I’ve got a bike

    You can ride it if you like

    It’s got a basket, a bell that rings,

    and things to make it look good.

    I’d give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it.”

  2. Rolrox says:

    @Stan.

    Good to see your keeping with the spirit of the 21st Century, offering stuff that’s not yours and then taking it back!
    ;)

  3. sewage says:

    There is an economic downturn and the demand for bicycles has
    fallen massively… China made over half a billion bikes last year
    with an average sale price of less than $50.

    If someone from the government/magyar posta just got off their
    arse and called one of these chinese manufacturers with an order –
    a saving of around 70% will be acheived.

    IDIOTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. Stan says:

    sewage,
    Screw the Chinese.
    We have our own bike manufacturer, they can use a break, and their bikes are pretty good, for a lot less than Ft 100,000.

  5. Rolrox says:

    There’s the spirit. Perhaps Gy can visit China with a trade mission for the Csepel bike factory. He can offer them green bikes with baskets at the knock down price of say 250 EUR a pop.

  6. Stan says:

    Rolrox,
    I was just quoting Pink Floyd. “Bike” is the first song comes to mind when I read the word “Bike”. Weird…

    As for the Chinese, screw them and their cheap crap. We don’t want none of that. Let’s buy Hungarian bikes from a Hungarian factory for the Hungarian Postal Service. Can we do that just once?

  7. Rolrox says:

    @Stan. Ah, Pink Floyd. No wonder it didn’t rhyme. Good choice, a group that one appreciated all the more when on drugs fits with a country where you need to be on drugs to follow the policy decisions.

    I just don’t see the point of bikes for the postmen; I would have thought there are enough handme down Audis available from the FinMin office; all they have to do is paint ‘em green.

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  9. Nicole says:

    If they would estimate the bike prices cheaper, they couldn’t pocket the price difference, dooh ;)

  10. Anonymous says:

    Confiscate the high-profile cars with the “diplomatic immunity” stickers from the current bunch of government ministers. Then sell them on the open market to help balance the current trade deficit.

    When the hapless twats ask, “how are we to get about on important government business?”
    Produce the old, rusted, posties bikes and say,
    here you are, from one piece of useless old junk, to another!
    Happy Easter!!!

  11. Nicole says:

    Good one @anonymous
    Are they really Immune?
    How democratic is that?!