Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orbán has filed a criminal complaint over the use of private and military aircraft for official trips during the tenure of her predecessor, Péter Szijjártó.
Billions in additional costs alleged
Orbán said an internal review of the Foreign Ministry had uncovered serious irregularities and alleged that the routine use of chartered aircraft from 2022 onwards may have caused significant financial damage to the state. She says the ministry increasingly replaced scheduled commercial flights with private or military aircraft even though the number and nature of diplomatic engagements had not changed significantly.
She estimated that private flights between 2022 and 2026 cost around HUF 4 billion (currently more than EUR 10.9 million) more than travelling on scheduled services. This figure, she stressed, does not include the cost of military aircraft, meaning the total could be higher.
According to FM Orbán, they haven’t even considered cheaper options
Orbán also claimed that aircraft were chartered for relatively short journeys to cities including Bratislava, Vienna and Belgrade, where travelling by car or train would have taken only a few hours. She said investigators found no evidence that cheaper travel options had been systematically considered before individual journeys, even though these private flights should have not been considered as an opportunity, according to the policies of the ministry, writes ATV.
On that basis, Orbán said she believed the circumstances raised suspicions of mismanagement causing particularly significant financial damage and potentially involved responsibility among the ministry’s former senior leadership.
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Fidesz calls complaint ‘frivolous’
The Fidesz parliamentary group rejected the allegations, calling the complaint frivolous and insisting that Szijjártó’s flights complied fully with the relevant government regulations. The party argued that the former foreign minister’s travel schedule was organised efficiently, claiming that Szijjártó frequently travelled overnight so that he could conduct meetings during the day.
It also said he returned home immediately after official programmes rather than unnecessarily extending his stays abroad. Fidesz further defended Szijjártó’s record as foreign minister, pointing to what it described as record levels of investment and job creation during the period.
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Szijjártó’s flights have long been controversial
The former foreign minister’s use of private aircraft has attracted media scrutiny for years. According to figures previously published by the Foreign Ministry, 53 private-jet journeys were made for Szijjártó over four years at a reported cost of HUF 4.87 billion (more than EUR 13.3), writes HVG.hu.
The issue has also been complicated by disputes over access to travel-cost information, with the government previously changing legislation concerning the disclosure of such data. The latest complaint is therefore likely to reignite a long-running political dispute over the cost and transparency of Szijjártó’s official travel. Any criminal responsibility, however, remains to be established.
Amazing if he could pocket enough to cover re-imbursements . . . A shame that no one told Peti about ZOOM
Really , let’s take our focus off running foreign affairs and focus on whether the previous foreign minister should of taken a car or maybe a bus or better still hitchhiked to Bratislava , is this woman serious how about get on and start to sell Hungary overseas as a place to invest and visit rather than an obsession with the previous govt , reading this here in Australia I can’t believe how petty these people are , I have never experienced a new govt coming in to power here and checking the invoices of the previous govt to make sure they travelled by public transport , Anita you are excelling yourself in the absolute trivial , well done
I am reading your comment from Budapest and I can’t believe the stupidity and ignorance you wrote.
Have you heard about the billions they stole? you don’t care?
I earn around 1 m Ft a month and still don’t feel that it is oké!!
Have beet to Nagy lajos Király street? Have you seen the quality of roads
Stupid spreading nonsense please from abroad!!
You my friend are an idiot with rosy coloured glasses on , I look at both sides of the argument whereas you are so focused kissing Magyars arse that you cannot see that he is obsessed with revenge against the party that he was a leader in previously and was part of all the previous goings on
The name = Peter Szijjaro, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and of Trade, the growing evidence of his Acts of Treason – the abuse of his Ministerial Portfolio – his use of Hungarian Tax payers money that this article centers on, his ABUSE, his Deceit – of our country Hungary.
Szijjaro, a “love child” of the “infamous” former humiliated Prime Minister and Leader of the “ill-fated” – Fidesz Political Party – Victor Mihaly. Orban.
Peter Szijjarto, a Gofer, to Victor Mihaly. Orban never thought an individual with intellect of “special quality” by those of “Learned” brains and positions that afforded them a right to express such an opinion, who played, as did Victor Mihaly. Orban – the ventriloquist role that Szijjarto was truly and factually, his the “stuffed” puppet.
Peter Szijjarto his idolatry “styled” likened to a lemming of Victor Mihaly. Orban – that as will be PROVEN in his thieving, from us, the people of Hungary, our country, the assets he stole from us to build his, his families “station in life” of Wealth.
We must seek justice and have Peter Szijjarto answer for his “apparent” CRIMES.
Orban/Szijjarto likened to Hitler/Speer – the DIFFERANCE needs to be that both Victor Mihaly. Orban and Peter Szijjarto go DOWN and that neither as did Speer avoid paying for his CRIMES.
Hungary /Hungarians – our Right to SEEK Justice being a RIGHT of DEMOCRACY.
Our right to SEEK what was STOLEN from us that the name Peter Szijjarto “played out” on us, on our country Hungary.
Name(s) – Victor Mihaly. Orban and Peter Szijjarto – that will in number sooner than later be PROVEN to have Be-trayed us individually and our country Hungary – stolen from us, our personal and our countrys assets – they must Never, never, never be = APPEASED and pay for what will be PROVEN, their Acts of CRIME.
Reading this right here in Hungary, I am very happy that these massive wasted public financial resources are brought to light and wrondoers are prosecuted.
It is exactly these reasons why we have no money for maintaining and developing e.g. public healthcare and education. Visiting Hungarian hospitals are often sad experiences just because of the crumbling buildings and worn-out facilities. Something that someone in Australia would not understand.
As an Australia, whom spent (2) two weeks in a central Hungarian Hospital – was an experience.
August /September – no air-conditioning = VILE.
Victor Mihaly. Orban – Fidesz – they got away with murder.
SEEK Justice deserved and RIGHT of millions upon millions of Hungarians to ” go after” – the THIEVES headed by Victor Mihaly. Orban.