Socialists demand Orbán fire Fidesz MP suspected of corruption

Budapest, August 11 (MTI) – The Socialist Party has demanded that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán fire a lawmaker from his party who has been linked to a corruption case involving European Union funds.

Political weekly 168 Óra said last week that in 2015 Fidesz MP Roland Mengyi had solicited bribes from social cooperatives in exchange for preferential treatment in the bidding process for EU funding.

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László Varga, the Socialists’ deputy parliamentary group leader, said on Thursday that if Orbán does not dismiss Mengyi, then he too would be “complicit” in the case.

Varga said his party “has good reason to believe” that the prime minister will not take any steps in the matter because any action he takes would reveal that “multiple Fidesz MPs, state secretaries and ministers are running a crime ring” that “goes all the way to the top” within the party.

He noted that last week the Socialist Party demanded that Mengyi give up his seat in parliament.

Varga also demanded that Orbán reveal if he knew that Mengyi had solicited 10 million forints (EUR 32,200) in bribes which — according to 168 Óra’s article — was referred to as a “constitutional fee”.

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Meanwhile, LMP co-leader Ákos Hadházy said at a press conference on Thursday that Mengyi’s case could supply as proof that alongside consulting firms and tender writing companies, politicians are also involved in the abuse of EU funds.

Viktor Szigetvári, the head of the opposition Együtt party, also demanded that Mengyi resign and testify in the case.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI