Prime Minister Péter Magyar has dismissed General János Hajdu from his position as director-general of Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Centre (TEK), marking another major shake-up following the change of government.
According to a statement shared on Facebook on Tuesday evening, Magyar officially relieved Hajdu of his duties effective 27 May. The prime minister also announced that the government would soon submit proposals for a broader restructuring of Hungary’s police system.
One of Fidesz’s first flagship security institutions
The Counter Terrorism Centre, widely known by its Hungarian abbreviation TEK, was established shortly after Viktor Orbán and Fidesz returned to power following the 2010 parliamentary election.
Hajdu, formerly Orbán’s personal bodyguard, was appointed to lead the organisation from its inception.
Over the years, TEK became one of the country’s most prominent and controversial security agencies, operating with a substantial state budget and handling personal protection for several top officials, including the president of the republic, the foreign minister and the prosecutor general.
Critics of the previous government often referred to the unit as Orbán’s “private army”, while supporters argued it played a crucial role in national security and counter-terrorism operations.
Magyar previously rejected TEK protection
Magyar had already signalled his intention to distance himself from the Orbán-era security structure shortly after taking office. One of his earliest measures as prime minister was announcing that, from 9 May, his personal protection would no longer be provided by TEK.
Instead, responsibility for the prime minister’s security was transferred to the Hungarian Standby Police (Készenléti Rendőrség).
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