Newly released documents from Hungary’s presidential office have shed fresh light on the country’s biggest political scandal in recent years: the controversial pardon granted to Endre K., a convicted figure linked to a child abuse cover-up case. The case was the one that made Hungary’s then-President, Katalin Novák, resign. The files appear to confirm that neither the presidential administration nor the Justice Ministry initially supported clemency, yet former Novák granted the pardon anyway, without explanation.
The documents were published on Friday morning by Sándor Palace after days of growing political pressure from the prime minister and public debate. According to Telex, the presidential office’s website briefly crashed shortly after publication, likely due to heavy traffic.
The released material includes 11 documents spanning more than two dozen pages, including internal memoranda, draft resolutions, ministerial submissions, and summaries connected to the clemency process.
Presidential office reportedly opposed the pardon
According to the files, even the president’s own administration recommended rejecting Endre K.’s request. A memorandum approved by the presidential chief of staff argued against clemency because of the nature of the crime and because the convicted man was already serving the remainder of his sentence at home under reintegration custody.
Officials also noted that Endre K. was nearing retirement age and therefore did not need relief from the professional restrictions attached to his conviction. Importantly, a presidential pardon would remove his criminal record and professional ban, potentially allowing him to work with children again.
Despite these recommendations, Novák granted the pardon on 27 April 2023. The decision suspended the remainder of the prison sentence for a five-year probationary period, lifted the remaining professional ban, and removed the legal disadvantages associated with a criminal record.
The files reportedly contain no justification explaining why the president overruled both her own office and the ministry’s recommendations.
Justice Ministry also rejected clemency request
The documents also reinforce earlier reports that then-Justice Minister Judit Varga (now-PM Péter Magyar’s ex-wife) did not originally support the pardon request either.
One memorandum from April 2023 reportedly showed that among 51 pardon cases involving 49 defendants, only three people were recommended for clemency — and Endre K. was not among them. Nevertheless, Varga later countersigned Novák’s decision, a legally required step for the pardon to take effect.
The newly published records do not clarify why Varga ultimately approved the decision despite the ministry’s earlier rejection.
Unusual procedure raises further questions
Several documents indicate that the pardon process may have deviated from standard administrative procedure.
According to the presidential office, after Novák signed the pardon decision, the original document was not returned to the responsible directorate as normally required. Instead, the administration reportedly only learned that the pardon had been approved after the Justice Minister had already countersigned it.
One summary also stated that both Endre K. and another individual received clemency despite ministerial recommendations against it.
The files additionally reveal that lawyer Tamás Gaudi-Nagy played a role in Endre K.’s clemency request. Gaudi-Nagy had also lobbied for a pardon for György Budaházy (a far-right extremist, who was placed in pre-trial detention on charges of terrorism in 2011), who received clemency on the same day.
Political fallout still shaping Hungary
The “pardon scandal” triggered one of the most severe political crises in Hungary in recent years. Within days of the case becoming public in early 2024, Novák resigned from the presidency, while Varga withdrew from public life. However, Zoltán Balog, another key figure linked to the affair, did not step down from all positions.
The scandal also became the political launchpad for Prime Minister Péter Magyar, who built his anti-government campaign around demands for accountability and transparency in the case. The controversy played a major role in the political developments that eventually led to Fidesz losing the April parliamentary election.
In recent days, Magyar and current President Tamás Sulyok publicly exchanged messages over whether the presidential office should release the documents voluntarily or wait for a formal government request.
On Friday, Sándor Palace said it fully supports the investigation into the case and is willing to cooperate with the government to ensure the public receives a “real picture” of the highly controversial affair. At the same time, the presidential office criticised what it described as political communication increasingly being conducted through social media and the press rather than through official institutional channels.
PM Magyar: I call on Katalin Novák to confess
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Péter Magyar called on Katalin Novák to confess whether she granted clemency at the request of the Orbán family:
“Following the information made public today, I call on Katalin Novák to come clean, 3 years late, about whether she granted clemency to Endre Kónya at the behest/request of the Orbán family.”
If you missed it: Reckoning: What has emerged so far in the pardon scandal that ultimately brought down Orbán and Fidesz?
