Hungary’s supreme court okays new procedure in Szeviép case

Hungary’s supreme court, the Kúria, on Wednesday upheld a decision by the appeals court of Pécs, which ordered a new procedure in the case of construction company Szeviép, whose leaders have been charged in connection with gross violation of bankruptcy regulations.

Three leaders of the company have been suspected of syphoning some 1.5 billion forints (EUR 4.3) off the company while it was being liquidated, thus preventing payments to Szeviép’s debtors.

A local court in Szeged earlier sentenced the defendants to prison, while the district court acquitted them in a secondary ruling.

The Pécs appeals court ordered a new procedure, saying the district court had passed the secondary decision without a trial.

The Kúria expressed agreement with the appeals court and said that deficiencies in the primary ruling could only be remedied through presenting evidence and hearing further experts.

Szeviép is believed to have received hefty contracts from Szeged’s Socialist leadership, while it failed to pay off its subcontractors.