The biggest corruption scandal yet to hit the Tisza movement erupted after Ákos Hadházy published a Facebook post yesterday morning containing a series of emails. The correspondence suggests that certain interests had secured the organisation of the state celebrations on 20 August in advance. The businessman involved has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, while Márk Radnai – who, according to the emails, had oversight of the planning – has sought to distance himself from responsibility. The Ministry of the Interior, meanwhile, has launched an inquiry.
A cheaper event tainted by suspicions of corruption?
Ahead of the 20 August state celebrations, Péter Magyar repeatedly claimed that his government had saved a substantial amount of money compared with Fidesz. Instead of the original 17.5 billion forints, he said, the event had been organised and delivered for less than 4 billion, while providing essentially the same experience. According to Ákos Hadházy, however, it was not only the content that had been cut back – we also reported that the state no longer subsidised various food products and drinks as it had in previous years – but that the planning process itself was shrouded in suspicions of corruption.
The former opposition MP said that Hardrock Ltd, which organised this year’s celebrations, may have gained an improper competitive advantage by learning ahead of its rivals that it would be invited to a hastily announced public procurement procedure for the event. The emails published by Hadházy also suggest that the company held discussions in connection with the tender, received information and even obtained 14 specialists from Gyula Balásy’s company to help deliver the event.
Hadházy said this explained why, although three companies had been invited to bid, Hardrock Ltd was ultimately the only one to submit an offer. He said it was understandable that the short deadline made an open tender impossible, but that there was no justification for giving one company a competitive advantage as a result.
Radnai says he did not even see the emails
The former MP also objected to the fact that Márk Radnai, vice-president of the Tisza Party and government commissioner responsible for building a functioning and humane Hungary, appeared in copy on several of the emails, albeit using an earlier email address associated with the movement. Hadházy argued that this meant Radnai had effectively been aware of everything. Radnai, however, said that this was precisely why he knew nothing about the matter, although he did not identify the person who did know and was therefore responsible for the way the process was handled.
Company chief outraged and considering legal action
Dániel Besnyő, managing director of Hardrock Ltd, also denied that the company had acted improperly. He wrote that he had not conducted the procurement procedure and that his company had been invited to submit a bid by the National Event Organisation Agency. He nevertheless acknowledged that, before the tender was announced, he had requested information from Lounge Event, the previous organiser. He justified this by saying that, by then, it had become an open secret throughout the event-organising industry that Lounge would not be delivering the state celebration.
Have you read this one? Fundamental changes in Hungary’s foreign policy reflected in new UN guidelines
He also rejected the suggestion that his company was close to the government or was a “Tisza” business. According to Besnyő, Hardrock has operated independently of political parties and governments for more than 20 years and has successfully delivered more than 500 projects.
Living, working or doing business in Hungary?
Make things easier with professional support in English. Explore Daily News Hungary’s Services in English and find the help you need.
Ministry of the Interior launches inquiry
In the meantime, the Fidesz parliamentary group filed a public-interest complaint with the Public Procurement Authority, while Mi Hazánk filed a criminal complaint. The party also alleged that Miklós Zelcsényi, Tisza’s event organiser, had already held discussions with the eventual winner of the tender before the procurement procedure, acting on Radnai’s instructions. Mi Hazánk’s complaint alleges a restrictive agreement, breach of fiduciary duty involving an especially large sum and abuse of office.
The Ministry of the Interior said that the four-day programme itself had been a success: it was delivered at roughly a quarter of last year’s cost and under extremely tight deadlines, with the involvement of nearly 200 partners and subcontractors and more than 1,000 people. The inquiry now under way is expected to establish whether the public procurement procedure behind the spectacular and, according to the government, cost-effective event was conducted lawfully.
Péter Magyar reveals how long he plans to be prime minister as Viktor Orbán’s party falls apart
There is no mystery here. Everywhere humans go there is some level of corruption – in both the individuals and the group to which they belong.. Yet, that reality does not change what is good about the people and the respective groups. I have long preferred Toroczkai László and Mi Hazánk, and for many reasons. That said, I think Magyar and Tisza are doing a very good job. No, many of their ways would not be the ways I would prefer, but, that does not change the fact that Hungarians, of all persuasions, should appreciate the efforts they are making.
The event was clearly organised against extremely tight deadlines and not by Lounge who are in the dog house. To be frank it’s a small miracle the event took place at all, even more so with the quality apparent on the day.
Corruption allegations are a serious matter but corruption would have to take the form of either overcharging (which looks like a tenuous accusation when the event cost one quarter of that the previous year) or the payment of backhanders. My understanding is that there isn’t any suggestion of either of these elements.
Merely favouring one service provider over another can be a form of corruption, the usual reason is that the successful party is unfairly favoured by the decision making party and will return the favour at a later date (or immediately in the form of a backhander). Again, my understanding is that this isn’t the case here and that nobody else tendered for the job, presumably due to the short time horizons and the scale of the task. This might have something to do with the successful party being privy to valuable information in advance and securing the loan of Lounge staff to ensure that its offer would be the most persuasive. It would appear that as time was short corners had to be cut to ensure it would be alright on the night. I hope the tender process for the event next year is completely transparent and takes place on a level playing field but my inclination is that we can give them the benefit of the doubt on this one due to the circumstances. The alternative might have been having to call it off citing a lack of time.
Who is not corrupt?even Peter magyar he is.,just like all the other people .they all get payed by sorros and the gates family.
Even by great events are the corrupt.for money they do everything.