Two former ministers from Viktor Orbán’s governments have been caught up in a major corruption investigation, with one ordered into pre-trial detention and prosecutors seeking the detention of another.
The cases involving former national development minister Miklós Seszták and former culture minister Balázs Hankó concern alleged misuse of public funds and bribery. Both politicians deny wrongdoing.
Court orders Seszták detention
A Budapest court on Wednesday ordered Seszták, a Christian Democratic Party (Kereszténydemokrata Néppárt, KDNP, the junior partner of Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz) MP and former national development minister, to be held in custody for 30 days.
The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (Nemzeti Vagyonvisszaszerzési és Vagyonvédelmi Hivatal, NVVH) suspects Seszták of accepting bribes and committing other offences. The court said it found no grounds to doubt the reasonable suspicion of corruption offences and ruled that detention was necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation.
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Seszták was involved in the so-called Volánbusz case
According to prosecutors, Seszták allegedly accepted bribes worth hundreds of millions or even billions of forints from construction companies during his time as minister between 2014 and 2018. Investigators also allege that Seszták and Norbert Szivek, then chief executive of the Hungarian National Asset Management Company, obtained around HUF 11 billion (more than EUR 30 million) in illicit benefits.
The investigation also concerns alleged losses linked to Volánbusz procurements. Authorities suspect that more than 600 second-hand buses were purchased at inflated prices between 2015 and 2018, causing around HUF 10 billion (EUR 27.3 million) in damage.
Investigators also allege that the purchase of a Volán company headquarters in Kecskemét was overpriced, resulting in losses of at least HUF 550 million (more than EUR 1.5 million). Seszták has pleaded not guilty. His detention order is not yet final and his defence has appealed.
Stay up-to-date: Former Fidesz minister Seszták gives interview before being detained over EUR 34 million bribery scheme
Prosecutors seek Hankó’s detention
Meanwhile, prosecutors in Bács-Kiskun County have requested the detention of Balázs Hankó and another suspect in a separate investigation into alleged mismanagement. Hankó, who served as culture minister, is accused of helping divert funding administered by Hungary’s National Cultural Fund (NKA) away from its legally designated purposes.
Prosecutors allege that a parallel decision-making system was used to distribute funds according to political considerations. Authorities say that 1,079 grants were improperly allocated between 3 September 2025 and 30 March 2026, allegedly causing HUF 17.3 billion (more than EUR 47.25 million) in financial damage to the central budget.
According to Telex’s report, prosecutors cited the seriousness of the alleged offences and the suspects’ extensive networks as reasons for seeking detention, arguing that there was a risk of flight and interference with the investigation.
More on the NVVH: Former Slovak police chief warns Hungary’s asset recovery office as he claims ‘2 years should be enough for accountability’. Also, questions arose whether one of the weakest candidates has been installed at the helm of the all-but-omnipotent NVVH.
He claims a political campaign is ongoing against him
Hankó was questioned for around five hours after being detained and transported to Kecskemét. He denied the allegations and filed complaints against both his detention and the suspicion against him. He has described the proceedings as a political campaign against him and said they were intended to marginalise nationally minded politicians and artists.
The Kecskemét court is due to decide on the prosecutors’ request for Hankó’s detention on 1 October. The legal processes of the Volánbusz case started as Hungary’s newly established NVVH took over several major investigations into alleged corruption and misuse of public assets, while Hankó’s detention was requested by Bács-Kiskun County’s prosecution. Authorities have indicated that further investigative measures are expected in the cases.
