The story of Pilismarót shows how a united community can stand up to a multinational company and win. In 2019, the village’s mayor secretly approved a gravel mine project just 500 meters from homes, later designating the area a “priority development zone” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Outraged residents forced his resignation. They organised a strong social media campaign, created informational materials, engaged the press, and collected 20,000 signatures. They also pushed for a referendum: although turnout was too low for a valid result, 90% of the 672 voters rejected the mine.
Despite the vote not being legally binding, the message was undeniable—the town refused the project.
Through persistence and collective action, the citizens of Pilismarót prevailed, at least for now.
This is the fifth video in @elsaltodiario ‘s series about women activists around Europe. This shortdoc is also part of our “Stories Breaking Borders” series. To watch other films in the series, check out our channel.
