Prime Minister Péter Magyar has accused the Prosecutor General’s Office of protecting alleged criminals after prosecutors publicly rejected his criticism of their work. The escalating dispute follows a decision to seek the suspension of the parliamentary immunity of Magyar and two opposition MPs, with the prime minister questioning why the three cases were announced together.
The confrontation continued late on Tuesday, when Magyar responded to a statement from the Prosecutor General’s Office in a comment on Telex’s Facebook page.
“Was this written by some comedian? When you’re protecting mobsters, you’re not so sensitive, you little rascals. The sun will rise soon, and you won’t be able to carry on your shady dealings in the dark,” the prime minister wrote.
Magyar’s remarks came after prosecutors rejected his accusations against the organisation and its staff, insisting that their decisions were based solely on the law and professional considerations.
Péter Magyar questions the prosecution service’s impartiality
The prime minister continued his criticism on Wednesday morning in a separate Facebook post, questioning the prosecution service’s claim that legality and impartiality were its only guiding principles.
“Really? What about the gold convoy case, the MNB foundations, the Rogán-linked bailiff mafia and the alteration of investigation documents? Are you familiar with the term aiding and abetting?” Magyar wrote.
His remarks referred to several investigations and alleged corruption cases involving figures or institutions associated with the previous Orbán administration.
Prosecutor General’s Office rejects the accusations
According to MTI, The Prosecutor General’s Office issued a statement late on Tuesday in response to Magyar’s earlier video message, rejecting his criticism of the organisation and its employees.
“As a participant in the administration of justice, the prosecution service always strives for lawful and proper cooperation with the executive branch. However, this does not mean that it will remain silent in the face of statements that seriously criticise the organisation or its staff,” the statement said.
Prosecutors welcomed Magyar’s stated willingness to facilitate the smooth conduct of criminal proceedings. However, they stressed that legality, impartiality and equality before the law were the only standards governing their constitutional duties.
According to the statement, requests to suspend MPs’ parliamentary immunity are prepared on a strictly legal and professional basis, independently of any political or other considerations.
The office also acknowledged that prosecutors were not infallible but maintained that their decisions were guided by the law and their conscience, regardless of the identity of the suspected offender or victim.
“The Prosecutor General’s Office rejects statements questioning this on behalf of all prosecutors,” the statement concluded.
What sparked the dispute over parliamentary immunity?
The confrontation began after the Prosecutor General’s Office requested the suspension of the parliamentary immunity of three politicians: Prime Minister Péter Magyar, Fidesz MP Balázs Hankó and Christian Democrat MP Miklós Seszták.
Magyar’s case relates to a 2024 incident in which he allegedly threw another man’s mobile phone into the Danube following a confrontation at a party. The other two requests concern separate investigations involving alleged financial misconduct.
In a video posted on Facebook on Tuesday evening, Magyar called on the Hungarian Parliament to suspend his immunity without delay. However, he criticised the prosecution service for announcing the three requests together.
The prime minister described the move as the “last pathetic attempt” by what he called the “Polt-era prosecution service” to downplay the change of government.
He accused prosecutors of attempting to equate alleged corruption involving tens or hundreds of billions of forints under the former Orbán administration with what he described as a repeatedly failed political character assassination attempt against him, launched in 2024.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has rejected the suggestion that political considerations influence its decisions.
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