Fidesz suspects corruption behind acquittal in Szeviép case

The Szeged Court of Appeals’ acquitting defendants in the Szeviép case raises “a strong suspicion of the court being corrupt”, János Halász, parliamentary spokesman of ruling Fidesz, told a press conference on Wednesday.

Referring to press reports, Halász said that the mayor of Szeged “seems to have given benefits to members of the (appeals) court” that ruled that leaders of local construction company Szeviép should be acquitted from charges of gross violation of bankruptcy regulations.

According to Halász,

the Szeged city council, headed by Mayor László Botka, had “stuffed Szeviép with hefty contracts” worth a combined 34 billion forints (EUR 102m).

“The billions disappeared” while Szeviép failed to pay off its subcontractors and “made 500 small companies bankrupt”, Halász insisted.

Halász noted that

the primary court had sentenced three defendants to a combined 16 years in prison a year ago.

“And now the secondary court acquits the very same defendants as if nothing has happened,” Halász said, adding that “it is very strange, especially if reports of the city management giving contracts to businesses associated with the judge’s family are true”.