AUDIO RECORD: Orbán’s Fidesz attempted to bribe opposition candidate in Budapest

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) demands an answer from ruling Fidesz to the question “how many opposition politicians has the party bribed or attempted to bribe to mislead and split opposition voters” in next year’s municipal elections, DK’s spokesman said on Monday.

Balázs Barkóczi told an online press conference that they had knowledge of a secret audio recording of a Fidesz politician offering 5 million forints (EUR 13,000) to a Budapest politician of the Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP). “If the opposition MKKP politician was fielded to run for mayor in the 18th district, that would weaken the re-election chances of Sándor Szaniszló, the incumbent mayor representing DK, by splitting the opposition vote [in the district],” said Barkóczi.

DK also wants to know “from what source had Fidesz received the bribe money and how much the ruling party plans to spend on election bribery in the 2024 municipal elections”, the spokesman said, insisting that DK suspected election fraud because, he said, “a tight race” was expected in several Budapest districts and in many localities. “If Fidesz’s bribe attempt in the 18th district gets proven, it will go to show clearly that the party is preparing to do the same across the country in next year’s municipal elections,” Barkóczi said.

Read also:

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The audio recordings of the conversation concerning the 2024 elections and the bribery attempt are in the ownership of Válasz Online, a Hungarian civic and independent news outlet. They broke the story this morning. You may reach their article HERE.