Hungarian policeman: I was fired for my political views

A former Hungarian policeman was also arrested after the latest demonstrations for better education in Hungary. Péter Csőgör is convinced that he was fired for his political views and work on anti-corruption matters.

As we have recently written, student organisations held demonstrations against planned legislation changing teachers’ employment status. During the demonstrations, several participants were arrested. Among them was a former Hungarian policeman, who was recently fired, 444.hu reports.

Péter Csőgör, a former police investigator was also arrested after the latest demonstrations against the Hungarian government, where the police used tear gas against the demonstrators, for example against a 17-year-old student.

He was taken to the same custody where he previously detained suspected criminal patients, an experience he called “exhilarating”. Despite his hardships, he is not angry with the Hungarian police.

“I am not angry at the police; I am angry at the police officers who are involved. The police, especially the part of the police force that I belonged to, is composed of honest, decent professionals,” he told 444.hu.

“But this is the other side of the police force, which is useless for anything. Máté Hidász (the 17-year-old demonstrator) was beaten in such a way that he was completely passive, and I do not think that this is behaviour worthy of a police officer.”

A policeman fired for sniffing corruption

As a former triathlon racer and official, Csőgör holds a close connection with the sport which was under public scrutiny in Hungary after alleged corruption at the body.

“In 2019, I filed a lawsuit against the then-leaders of the federation, including Béla Bátorfi, known as Viktor Orbán’s dentist, and his adviser László Szűcs, because I suspected that they had misappropriated part of the billion-euro state subsidy based on strange financial transactions,” said Csőgör.

He said he has found “the necessary evidence” for his case, but the Hungarian Tax and Customs Administration hasn’t done anything about it. “In December 2021, when the police did not know about the charge, I received a reward for my outstanding professional work,” said Csőgör before internal investigations started against him which led to his dismissal.

He was not only fired for “openly admitting my political opinions” but was also sued by the companies mentioned in his original lawsuit and was ordered to pay more than HUF 20 million (EUR 54 thousand).

“I appealed to the Constitutional Court. I do not have much hope in the Hungarian legal system, but it is necessary to take the case to Strasbourg,” he said about his latest plans.

Recently, the Hungarian police announced a major rule change about the speeding limits on Hungarian roads.