Ruling Fidesz proposes committee to look into OLAF metro project findings

Budapest, February 4 (MTI) – Ruling Fidesz has proposed that Budapest’s city council should set up an ad hoc committee to look into alleged corruption involved in the construction of the city’s fourth metro line, on the basis of a recent report by the European Union’s anti-fraud office (OLAF).

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Balázs Hidvéghi, communication chief of the party, called the construction project the “greatest corruption case” since Hungary’s democratic transition in 1989-1990.

Hidvéghi argued that the proposed body could greatly contribute to shedding lights on shady businesses in the project, through which he said as much as one third of the total budget was “embezzled or stolen”. He insisted that the previous, leftist governments and city management were “clearly responsible” for those cases.

Hidveghi said that Hungary would need to repay 59 billion forints (EUR 190m) to the European Commission, and the total damage amounted to 166 billion forints. “Where has that tremendous total gone?” Hidvéghi asked and urged that politicians involved in the dealings should be identified. “Who are those Socialist politicians, who are those Liberals who are still active within the Socialist Party, the Democratic Coalition, Együtt or in other parties?” he asked.

Photo: Daily News Hungary

Source: MTI