The National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (NAV) has announced that it has found no evidence so far of criminal wrongdoing in the highly controversial investigation into the so-called Ukrainian “gold convoy” case, one of the most politically sensitive incidents of this year’s election campaign.
Hungarian tax authority awaits Austrian response before closing probe
In a statement released on Thursday, NAV said it had completed all investigative steps that could be carried out within Hungary. Based on the evidence gathered to date, investigators have not confirmed the suspected offence of money laundering. However, the authority has formally suspended the criminal investigation until it receives a response from Austrian authorities, which is required before the case can be officially closed.
The investigation was launched following a report from Hungary’s Constitution Protection Office and on the instruction of the Prosecutor General’s Office over suspicions that large amounts of cash and gold being transported through Hungary were of unknown origin, reported HVG.hu.
Austrian cooperation remains the final step
NAV said prosecutors issued a European Investigation Order to Austria in April in an effort to clarify the origin of the money and valuables. As the Hungarian authority has no further investigative measures to carry out, it has suspended proceedings while awaiting the requested legal assistance from Austria.
At the same time, NAV confirmed that it is conducting an internal review into its own handling of the case. The audit is examining whether every procedural and investigative step complied with Hungarian law and the authority’s internal regulations. NAV has pledged to publish the findings of both the criminal investigation and the internal review once they have been completed.
Two separate investigations will continue
The suspended money laundering investigation is only one part of the broader affair. A second investigation, led by prosecutors, is examining whether Hungarian authorities committed offences during the detention of the Ukrainian convoy and its personnel. Prosecutors have disclosed few details, saying the timing of public updates will depend on investigative needs rather than political considerations.
The case has already resulted in criminal suspicions against János Hajdu, the former director-general of Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK). Prosecutors suspect him of seven counts of unlawful detention involving aggravated treatment of the detainees.
Hajdu has denied wrongdoing and has received public backing from former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who declared his support after the allegations became public. Hajdu was subsequently appointed security director of the Fidesz party.
A politically charged case
The gold convoy incident dates back to the height of Hungary’s parliamentary election campaign, when Hungarian authorities stopped two Ukrainian cash transport vehicles travelling through the country. Seven Ukrainian citizens accompanying the convoy were detained after NAV announced it was investigating suspected money laundering.
The authority later acknowledged that the convoy had been transporting approximately USD 40 million, EUR 35 million and 9 kilograms of gold from Austria to Ukraine as part of a planned transfer.
Following weeks of controversy, Hungary returned the seized cash and gold to Ukraine in early May. Earlier this week, the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing also revoked the expulsion orders and three-year entry bans that had been imposed on the seven Ukrainian nationals.
Stay up-to-date: PM Péter Magyar publishes details of former President’s publicly funded US trip
Lawyer of Ukrainian convoy wants to ask former PM Orbán about the operation
The legal hasn’t reached its end regarding the money laundering probe. The lawyer representing the Ukrainian convoy has called for criminal proceedings against former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán over his alleged role in the affair, while prosecutors continue to investigate whether the detention itself was unlawful.
Although NAV now says it has found no evidence supporting the original money laundering allegations, the case remains open pending Austria’s response and the outcome of the ongoing investigations into the actions of the Hungarian authorities.
Read also: Hidden EUR 1 billion? Hungary’s Finance Ministry says it uncovered unbudgeted spending
It was all a desperate juvenile Orban stunt trying to get some anti-Ukraine hate going has he has been pushing for years and hoping that it might somehow create distrust of Peter Magyar. The public wasn’t buying any of this Kremlin style public manipulation. What Orban directed was a criminal hijacking of an armoured truck just as happens with other organized crime people. It was also a dangerous act using people with assault rifles against innocent people on a highway going about their job. Orban needs to be charged and brought to trial for this in additiion to the many other criminal acts he was been involved in.
typo in the last sentence with “was been”