Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar has released documents and fresh allegations concerning a 2018 trip to the United States by former President János Áder, claiming that the HUF 55 million journey, funded by public money, included several days of what he described as family holiday activities rather than official state business.
PM Magyar alleges publicly funded trip included family holiday activities
In a Facebook post published on Thursday, Prime Minister Péter Magyar accused Áder of misleading the public about the nature of the visit after the former head of state had reportedly maintained that the week-long US trip had been conducted solely for official purposes.
Magyar said he was making public details of three days from the itinerary, arguing that they appeared more consistent with a family vacation than an official diplomatic visit. He also claimed that Áder’s daughter accompanied the presidential couple during the journey.
Disney World and New York sightseeing highlighted
According to Magyar, one of the most controversial parts of the trip took place on 25 October 2018, when the presidential delegation allegedly visited Disney World in Florida. He claimed the excursion cost several hundred thousand forints and that accommodation for the visit was booked afterwards, despite an earlier hotel reservation worth HUF 1.3 million already having been paid for but ultimately left unused.
The prime minister also pointed to the final days of the visit, alleging that on 30 and 31 October the former president and his entourage spent time sightseeing in New York, including helicopter tours over the city.
While criticising the itinerary, Péter Magyar acknowledged that the trip also included official engagements. He noted that Áder met members of the Hungarian Medical Association before holding talks with the Mayor of Miami on 26 October.
Péter Magyar demands repayment details
In his Facebook post, Magyar called on the former president to stop what he described as “evasive answers” and publicly disclose whether any of the HUF 55 million (now around EUR 154,000) in taxpayer-funded travel costs had been repaid to the state budget. He asked directly when, if at all, Áder had reimbursed the Hungarian treasury and how much had been returned.
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Áder responds: “See you in court”
The former president swiftly rejected the accusations. In a brief statement distributed through the Blue Planet Climate Protection Foundation, Áder responded with just one sentence: “See you in court.”
The statement suggests the former head of state intends to pursue legal action over the allegations made by the prime minister. At the time of publication, no further details had been released regarding any potential lawsuit or additional evidence beyond the documents shared by Magyar on social media.
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