corruption

Hungary’s Integrity Authority ‘corruption’ scandal: director-general says allegations against him unfounded

Integrity Authority head about corruption allegations (Copy)

Ferenc Pál Bíró, the head of Hungary’s Integrity Authority, on Friday said allegations of embezzlement made against him by prosecutors were “unfounded”, and the investigation would find that no crime had been committed.

National Communications office probe followed by corruption allegations

The operations of the Integrity Authority have always been transparent and followed “the strictest legal and ethical norms”, Bíró told a press conference after being interrogated earlier this week by Prosecutorial investigators (KNYF) under suspicion of embezzlement and abuse of office. He said he was proud that the authority served “the good of the country on a strictly independent and professional basis”.

Bíró said the authority was open to cooperating with prosecutors, adding, at the same time, that he believed the extent and drawn-out nature of the investigation against him was unnecessary. “The timing is also interesting,” he said, noting that the authority had launched a probe of the activities of the National Communications office last week. He said he believed the true aim of the investigation was to make the authority’s investigative and monitoring activities accessible to “a much broader circle”.

Integrity Authority head about corruption allegations (Copy)
Pál Ferenc Bíró (l) with OLAF director Ville Itälä. Source: Pál Ferenc Bíró/FB

Personal attacks against the head of the Integrity Authority

“Yesterday they made personal attacks against me,” Bíró said, adding that the aim was to use the investigation against him to render the authority’s operations impossible. Commenting on the allegation that he used the Integrity Authority’s finances to rent a vehicle for his wife’s private use, Bíró said the authority rents some 20 vehicles of which three are assigned to the head of the authority and his deputies. Bíró said the use of the company vehicles was subject to internal regulations which were in line with the law.

He also denied the allegation that he had rented a car for an individual not employed by the authority. He said his wife had used his official vehicle occasionally, but this was allowed by the authority’s regulations.

Thousands of pages seized

Bíró said investigators had seized thousands of pages of documents during a search of the authority, including documents on the Integrity Authority’s ongoing investigations”. He said his home had also been searched, but investigators “didn’t take anything and couldn’t even say what they were looking for”.

Bíró speculated that the aim of the searches was to obtain information about the authority’s ongoing investigations. “These sort of attacks strengthen rather than weaken us,” he said, adding that the authority continued to work on curbing corruption.

Integrity Authority created by PM Orbán’s government

The Integrity Authority was created by the Orbán government to fulfil relevant demands of the European Union. They also hoped that establishing such an institution would help get EU funds frozen due to corruption allegations and rule of law problems. The Hungarian opposition slammed the institution for not being independent from the government. The institution’s main task is to fight corruption and fraud.

Read also:

  • OLAF and Hungary’s Integrity Authority pedge stronger EU-wide anti-corruption efforts – read more HERE
  • Minister Rogán on the US sanctions list: here are the first harsh reactions from the Orbán cabinet

Minister Rogán on the US sanctions list: here are the first harsh reactions from the Orbán cabinet

rogán orbán

As we were among the first to report, Antal Rogán, the head of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, has been placed on the US sanctions list. The Orbán government has conveyed messages through multiple channels to the Biden administration and to the US Ambassador in Budapest, David Pressman, whom the government holds personally responsible.

The Orbán government placed Hungary in a precarious position by openly supporting President Donald Trump in the last US election and interfering in the electoral process of another country. This is particularly notable given that Orbán has repeatedly warned foreign politicians not to meddle in Hungarian elections. When the Biden administration assumed office, Hungarian-American relations were at their lowest point in years. Instead of improving, tensions worsened, with US Ambassador Pressman increasingly engaging in a war of words with the Hungarian government.

The ambassador has persistently criticised the Orbán cabinet, while Orbán has strengthened his ties with Donald Trump. During the most recent campaign, Orbán vocally supported Trump. Now that Trump is president again, the US Ambassador is stepping down and returning home. However, it appears he has one final surprise in store.

You can read more about the background here: Hungarian minister Rogán added to US sanctions list – update

Rogán’s inclusion on US sanctions list ‘revenge’ by outgoing US ambassador

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that the US placing Antal Rogán, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, on a sanctions list was “personal revenge” by the outgoing US ambassador, who is leaving Hungary “without honour”. Szijjártó remarked on Facebook that “it is good that the people who will lead the US within a few days will view our country as a friend and not as an enemy”.

Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, on Tuesday described the United States’ decision to sanction the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office chief, Antal Rogán, as “a petty act of revenge” by outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman and the Democratic administration.

Speaking to MTI by phone, Gulyás said the decision to place Rogán on a sanctions list was “further proof that the outgoing US administration and ambassador want to exact revenge on Hungary and the Hungarian government for supporting Donald Trump in the election campaign”. He added that Trump had cited the Hungarian government and Orbán as positive examples more frequently than any other foreign politician.

However, Gulyás emphasised that Pressman and the outgoing Democratic administration were now “the past” in terms of Hungary-US relations.

He characterised the move as “a petty and baseless act of revenge that will not remain in effect for more than a few weeks”. He also said it would serve as “a reminder that the United States had an ambassador who, in violation of his official duties and ignoring the Vienna Convention, prioritised ousting the government over fostering good relations with the host country”.

Read also– From Mészáros to PM Orbán’s son-in-law: A new list shows this year’s 50 richest Hungarians!

BREAKING NEWS! Hungarian minister Rogán added to US sanctions list – UPDATE

rogán

Antal Rogán, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, has been added to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List.

Those on the list are prohibited from conducting business with US entities, Telex reports. No other Hungarian citizens are included on the list.

Rogán became a Member of Parliament in 1998, first through the national list and later via the regional list. He served as deputy leader of the parliamentary group until 2007, before becoming its leader from 2012 to 2015.

Since 2015, Rogán has held the position of Minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. He is regarded as one of the most powerful figures in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government, overseeing the intelligence services and central management of government communications.

The US imposed sanctions last spring on the International Investment Bank and three of its senior members, including two Russians and one Hungarian national. Imre Laszlóczki, the bank’s vice-president, had served as a Hungarian diplomat for decades. At that time, sanctions targeted over 50 Russian and other entities across 20 different countries or territories.

The timing of these developments is notable, as they occurred two weeks before the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. The Orbán government, which has a strained and adversarial relationship with the Biden administration, anticipates that the change of power in Washington could lead to improved bilateral relations. Viktor Orbán is widely recognised as one of Trump’s most prominent European supporters.

Details have emerged regarding the new Hungarian Golden Visa scheme: Here is when the new Hungarian Golden Visa scheme starts: will Hungarian and Chinese businessmen supervise it?

On another note, quietly, the rules were changed as of 1 January. Here is when the new Hungarian Golden Visa scheme starts: will Hungarian and Chinese businessmen supervise it?

UPDATE 1: The official press release

Treasury Sanctions Corrupt Hungarian Official

January 7, 2025. WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning Antal Rogan, a senior Hungarian government official, for his involvement in corruption in Hungary. He is being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.

“Corruption undermines a country’s governing institutions and limits its economic development, providing short-sighted gain to a select few while depriving future generations of longer-term benefit,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States will not hesitate to hold accountable individuals, like Rogan, who use the power of their office to illicitly enrich themselves and their cronies at the expense of their country and their fellow citizens.”

Public sector corruption in Hungary has been worsening for more than a decade, leading to Hungary receiving the lowest score of any European Union (EU) member state on Transparency International’s 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index for the second consecutive year. The European Union suspended funding over concerns with breaches of the principles of rule of law in Hungary, including those related to public procurement, conflict of interest, and the fight against corruption.

Whistleblowers in Hungary have criticised the government for operating a kleptocracy with a notable lack of transparency and equity in public and private expenditure deals made between administrators in Budapest, such as Rogan, and loyalist business leaders. Hungary’s failure to address transparency issues in its public procurement mechanisms has most recently led to a loss of over one billion Euros in future funding from the European Union, disadvantaging Hungarian citizens.

ANTAL ROGAN

Antal Rogan (Rogan) is a senior Hungarian government official who has a critical role in Prime Minister Orban’s government. Currently the Minister in Charge of Orban’s Cabinet Office, Rogan controls many government entities, including the National Communications Office, the Digital Government Agency, and the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Rogan has used his role to enrich himself and those loyal to his party. Rogan also has been a Member of Parliament in Hungary since 1998. 

Throughout his tenure as a government official, Rogan has orchestrated Hungary’s system for distributing public contracts and resources to cronies loyal to himself and the Fidesz political party. Rogan orchestrated schemes designed to control several strategic sectors of the Hungarian economy and to divert proceeds from those sectors to himself and to reward loyalists from his political party. 

OFAC is designating Rogan pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is a current or former government official, or a person acting for or on behalf of such an official, who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery. 

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated person described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. 

In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the individual may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. 

GLOBAL MAGNITSKY

Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, E.O. 13818 was issued on December 20, 2017, in recognition that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity as to threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 hereFor detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

Click here for more information on the individual designated today.

Read also: Possible U.S. Ambassadors to Hungary: Meet the candidates

UPDATE 2

Minister Rogán on the US sanctions list: here are the first harsh reactions of the Orbán cabinet

BREAKING NEWS! Mega real-estate deal planned at Budapest’s largest railway stations, says Vitézy

Dávid Vitézy, the leader of the Podmaniczky Movement in the city assembly, has said a mega real estate deal is being planned in which the landholdings of Budapest’s four major train stations would be leased out for 99 years and developers would be able to commercialise the stations and their surroundings “for free.”

Speaking at a press conference on Monday at Nyugati Square, Vitézy said construction and transport minister János Lázár had opened the deal allowing national railway company MÁV to lease out the properties. He said the seven-page tender issued would close at the end of January. As we wrote earlier, Outrage erupts as Hungarian minister Lázár crosses the line with offensive remarks: Vitézy is an ‘aberrant, liberal kids, bootlicker’

Vitézy said MÁV had shown him the draft contract which included neither a purchase price nor a rental fee. Moreover, it did not prescribe any developments for prospective investors, he said.

He said Lázár’s ministry had claimed that the tenders only concerned the renovation of the station buildings, which he called “misleading”, as the tenders also would allow private companies access to areas of 15-30 hectares surrounding the stations, he added.

He said the tenders failed to include where and what the applicants should develop “in these vast areas” and had not been preceded by any consultation with either the districts or the capital.

He said that selling Budapest’s brownfield sites to investors “based on a seven-page shopping list” was typical of “the most corrupt countries in the developing world.”

Vitézy ended his Facebook post with this:

“Even in Africa or Latin America, such a unilateral tender, which would leave the state, the railways and passengers at the mercy of private interests for 99 years, would be a surprise.

There is indeed enormous development potential lying dormant in these areas of Budapest, with missing institutional and residential developments in disused railway areas, new parks, even a new Budapest congress centre behind the Nyugati, and the ideal location for the new Buda super-hospital near Kelenföld. Once the tunnel is built in the future, the South site will offer enormous urban development potential.

However, the successful development of a key area for a city region of three million people and the major railway stations serving the city can only be driven by the public interest. Turning off the public interest, driven solely by profit interests, will not bring a good end to urban development on this scale. We might have hoped that Hungary had learnt this lesson after the turbulent transition of regime change. János Lázár’s current move shows once again that he has learnt something quite different from the muddled period that followed the change of regime, and he not only wants to bring it back, but also wants to change the scale.”

The entire press conference here (in Hungarian):

read also:

How Orbán’s family affairs sparked the 2018 overhaul of Hungary’s secret service

Railway stations in major Hungarian cities to be completely rebuilt with private capital

OLAF and Hungary’s Integrity Authority pedge stronger EU-wide anti-corruption efforts

The Director-General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and Hungary’s Integrity Authority discussed cross-border cooperation within the European Union on fighting corruption and fraud, the Hungarian authority told MTI in a statement on Wednesday.

At their talks in Budapest, Ville Itala and Ferenc Pál Bíró underscored the importance of combining resources and expertise in handling complex cross-border crimes that target EU taxpayers’ money, the statement said.

They declared their common commitment towards expanding the powers and capabilities of the two authorities, uncovering and investigating international fraud and enhancing legal procedures.

“Protecting EU resources and safeguarding the integrity of our financial systems is of paramount importance,” the statement quoted Itala as saying. “OLAF’s cooperation with national authorities such as the Hungarian Integrity Authority is fundamentally important for cross-border transparency and accountability,” he said.

Bíró said: “We are committed to the cooperation with OLAF to swiftly unveil and eliminate corrupt practices, and to facilitate the responsible use of taxpayers’ money.”

Read also:

Will the Hungarian Parliament accept a package of anti-corruption laws?

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) will on Monday submit a package of anti-corruption laws to enforce the fulfilment of promises the government has made to the European Commission, the party’s leader said.

Ferenc Gyurcsány told a press conference streamed also online on Friday that Hungary was not getting some 8,000 billion forints (EUR 20bn) worth of funding from the EU as a result of a years-long dispute going on between the European Commission, the European Parliament, the European Council, and the Hungarian government.

Part of this money, some 400-600 billion forints, could be lost for good within two and a half months when the deadline expires after which “it is not possible anymore to discuss under what conditions the money could arrive”, Gyurcsány said. Additionally, there is a daily fine Hungary must pay, meaning “we paid 400 million yesterday, we are paying 400 million today and will pay another 400 million tomorrow,” he said.

Gyurcsány DK anti-corruption laws
Ferenc Gyurcsány in the Hungarian Parliament. Photo: MTI

He said the government had earlier promised to the EC to fulfil 27 “milestones” that would solve this problem, 24 of which it failed to fulfil.

Here are the proposals

As a result, DK will submit its proposals, including the introduction of a “corruption fee” payable by the leaders and “real” owners of companies that had caused Hungary’s getting fined. Additionally, DK proposes that “the central budget cut ties with institutions and companies that directly or indirectly take taxpayers’ money to tax havens,” Gyurcsány said.

DK also proposes that regardless of whether Hungary becomes a member of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office or not, “the extent and depth of cooperation should be the same as if it was a member”.

Read also:

  • DK member counter-protester interrupts start of Viktor Orbán’s press conference in Strasbourg – read more and watch the video HERE
  • Hungarian PM Orbán blackmailed by Putin? – details HERE

Euro millions stolen from those in need: Hungarian Integrity Authority exposes overpricing in EU-funded projects

Hungary’s Integrity Authority on Monday announced the close of a probe in which it uncovered “extreme” overpricing in two European Union-funded projects to provide food assistance to materially deprived people.

The probe showed a consortium led by Haller Kft overpriced staples in the food assistance by 70pc, or HUF 7.6bn (EUR 19m), while Kata-Mill Plusz Kft inflated prices in its contract by 37pc, or HUF 2.6bn (EUR 6.5m).

The authority said the overpricing resulted in the delivery of 2.3 million food assistance packages, instead of 3.7 million, to the needy.

“The outrage of the whole of society that the people involved in these abuses have profited from those who are most in need and vulnerable – the elderly and the poor – is justified. The network, which bears the names of two companies, has effectively stolen 10.2 billion forints from the poor. The case is a clear example of what you have often said in public: that the abuse of power and corruption harms precisely the most vulnerable in society. Unfortunately, this case will probably be one of many in which, by the time any real progress is made, the perpetrators and the stolen money will have disappeared without a trace, with virtually no consequences,”

Ferenc Biró, President of the Integrity Authority, commented on the outcome of the investigation, adding: “Given the appropriate powers, the Authority can investigate such cases in a timely and complete manner, follow through with these procedures, recover the stolen money and help bring the culprits to justice. This is why it is essential that the powers of the Authority are clarified as soon as possible.”

In total, the four SCIF-related projects under review received 31.2 billion forints in funding, 85 percent of which was EU funding. The projects concerned were implemented between 1 October 2016 and 31 December 2023.

The Integrity Authority will file criminal complaints in the matter.

Read also:

Orbán cabinet admits to using misleading tactics to secure EU funds

Hungary could lose billions of euros in EU funding over ‘corruption risks’

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Budapest mayor in detention with corruption charges: another heavyweight player wants new elections

Dávid Vitézy, an elected member of the Budapest municipal assembly, has called for new local elections in Budapest’s 3rd district in wake of the arrest of the district mayor for alleged corruption.

Vitézy, a representative of With Dávid Vitézy for Budapest-LMP-Greens, said on Facebook that a new election was needed to allow local residents “to elect a mayor who, together with his deputy, is not heading a district with 128,000 residents from preliminary arrest”.

Vitézy criticised Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony for “not saying even a word about the political and administrative crisis that has developed in one of the largest districts of Budapest”.

He said the Budapest list in the local elections headed by Karácsony had included the current 3rd district mayor László Kiss (DK-LMP-Momentum-Socialists-Párbeszéd). According to the election billboards, Karácsony had recommended Kiss as “the best choice”, he added.

Budapest mayor László Kiss
Photo: FB/László Kiss

Karácsony should make it clear if he maintains his support for Kiss or agrees that he should resign, Vitézy said.

“Karácsony’s party could also be implicated” in the corruption case, considering that the campaign chief of Parbeszed co-leader and 3rd district MP Timea Szabo has also been detained by police, he added.

Re-elected mayor László Kiss insists he is innocent. However, the imprisoned mayor will not be able to conduct the inaugural meeting of the local government after 1 October.

László Kiss voting on 9 June:

Read also:

  • Budapest mayor imprisoned for alleged corruption – here you may read more about the matter

Budapest mayor imprisoned for alleged corruption

The mayor of Budapest’s 3rd district, László Kiss, another local council leader and a former employee of the mayor’s office have been placed in detention in connection with alleged corruption, and the prosecutor’s office has initiated their arrest, the Central Investigative Chief Prosecutor’s Office said on Thursday.

Corruption scandal in the 3rd district?

The chief prosecutor’s office has interviewed another five persons as suspects in an ongoing investigation, three of whom have been placed in detention, the statement said.

The office on Wednesday carried out a coordinated operation in connection with the case which involved searching local council properties and companies belonging to the local council and seizing documents.

Budapest mayor László Kiss
He is very popular in the district. Photo: FB/László Kiss

Kiss is suspected of arranging regular business transactions after his 2019 election as mayor with a company owned by one of his acquaintances, after which he and several local council employees were receiving kickbacks. The local council allegedly signed overpriced and fictitious contracts to conceal the bribes, it added.

The detention of the deputy mayor interrogated earlier in the case as a suspect has been extended until October 20.

DK chief Gyurcsány did not defend his mayor

László Kiss won the municipal elections in Óbuda on 9 June 2024 with 47.11% of the vote, while his Fidesz challenger received only 38.56%. However, due to a change in the election law, the new local council will not begin its work until 1 October. Fidesz is calling for an early election, claiming that the mayor is culpable. Kiss, a former Socialist lawmaker, switched to the Democratic Coalition (DK) led by former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány after winning the 2019 elections.

Former PM Ferenc Gyurcsány's party DK slams President Sulyok
Photo: FB/Ferenc Gyurcsány

Gyurcsány commented on Kiss’s detention but did not unequivocally defend him, stating only that he believed in his innocence. The Hungarian courts will ultimately decide the matter. Gyurcsány slammed the police’s handling of the case, alleging that the authorities detained and imprisoned Kiss to prompt a new election in the district. He framed the issue as an attack on Óbuda, rather than its mayor, which may hold significance in Hungarian domestic politics.

Read also:

  • Insider: Tax evasion case of Hungarian billionaire businessman swept under the rug by high-ranking officials – Read more HERE
  • Corruption? Orbán’s son-in-law involved in government investments worth billions

Insider: Tax evasion case of Hungarian billionaire businessman swept under the rug by high ranking officials

György Gattyán Hungarian Playboy Hungary news

An investigator formerly employed at the National Tax and Customs Administration (NTCA) claims that individuals in high political circles helped to brush aside the tax evasion case against billionaire entrepreneur György Gattyán.

Former tax investigator Lajos Tiszolczi spoke to Partizán about the HUF 19.4 billion (EUR 49 million) tax evasion case against György Gattyán, one of the largest in the country. He asserted that the tax evasion case was closed due to the intervention of three politically influential individuals.

The background: tax evasion investigation

György Gattyán, founder of the adult camming website LiveJasmin and owner of Docler Holding, is one of Hungary’s richest individuals.

In 2012, his adult website came under the scrutiny of the NTCA, leading to a tax evasion investigation. According to Telex, LiveJasmin was operated by Lalib, a company registered on the island of Madeira. Lalib paid Gattyán a licence fee, with Gattyán’s company paying corporate tax in Hungary and VAT in Portugal.

Additionally, the intellectual property rights of the business were initially registered in Liechtenstein and then in Portugal, before being transferred to Hungary in 2009 in a so-called “royalty-free asset transfer”. This presumably led the NTCA to start monitoring the company’s finances.

A criminal investigation was officially launched in May 2012, initially focusing on the free transfer of know-how rights and the subsequent loss of value. On 12 September 2012, the headquarters of the Docler Group were searched, and documents were seized by NTCA officials.

In a surprising turn of events, the NTCA found that Gattyán’s company had not paid tax in accordance with domestic accounting standards but had, in fact, overpaid its tax by HUF 6.5 billion (EUR 16 million).

However, citing secret recordings, the NTCA claimed that Lalib was merely a shell company designed to give Gattyán a tax advantage. Officials argued that Portuguese VAT was 4 percentage points lower than in Hungary, and Lalib was structured to avoid tax payments in Hungary.

The investigation continued for years, involving the European Court of Justice at one point, and was only dropped in 2021.

György Gattyán tax evasion
György Gattyán. Photo: Instagram

Inside information: the case was covered up

.In an interview with Partizán, Lajos Tiszolczi, a former financial investigator, said he had worked on the case for years until it was suddenly dropped due to the intervention of three politically well-connected individuals, two of whom are widely known to the public. Tiszolczi stated that without their involvement, the NTCA would have continued the investigation.

By 2021, the NTCA was preparing to press charges in the tax evasion allegation case. However, contrary to established protocol and without prior warning, the 2012 tax evasion case involving HUF 19.4 billion was suddenly merged with a smaller case from 2015, and the NTCA closed the investigation into both cases shortly afterwards, citing a lack of criminality.

Earlier that year, several senior figures were removed from the agency, including the president and the director of criminal investigation. According to Tiszolczi, a system of self-censorship developed soon after. For instance, it became common practice for officials to informally ask whether they should proceed with investigations when influential figures were involved in tax evasion cases.

After the personnel changes, Tiszolczi was required to submit all his reports and was asked if there was anything else he had not yet documented. “I wrote a report, it was not lengthy, and I listed three names that could be linked to the Gattyán case, if applicable, and this was also submitted. The strange thing was that when I was questioned afterwards, I didn’t have to write anything down, I just had to report or answer the questions verbally. […] I believe their help was needed to get the case closed.”

According to Tiszolczi, after the investigation of the tax evasion case was taken out of his hands, he was not given any meaningful tasks and felt that administrative difficulties were being used to persuade him to leave voluntarily. When he was offered a job at the Integrity Authority, he resigned. However, the job offer was then withdrawn without explanation, and in a phone conversation, he was told: “We received a tip that you are a national security risk, so we are not hiring you.”

The NTCA responds to the allegations

Telex asked the NTCA about the claims made by their former employee. The office responded: “[t]he National Tax and Customs Administration (NTCA) always acts in accordance with the applicable legislation. Any claim to the contrary is most emphatically rejected. In the case mentioned in the video published today on Partizán’s YouTube channel, the NTCA exhausted all legal means, but a decision in favour of the defendant was reached in both domestic and international legal forums.”

The NTCA added that it “will take appropriate legal action against any allegation that could undermine public confidence in the NTCA.”

Read also:

Corruption? Orbán’s son-in-law involved in government investments worth billions

tiborcz Orbán's son-in-law property scam

The Hungarian government is set to acquire three properties for a total sum of at least HUF 580 billion (nearly EUR 1.5 billion) through non-public agreements. Each of these investments is connected to businessmen with close ties to the government, including Viktor Orbán’s son-in-law.

Válasz Online identified and summarised three major investments where the Hungarian state has agreed to pay at least HUF 580 billion (EUR 1.49 billion) to groups owned by businessmen allied with Fidesz. This includes the Főnix Private Equity Fund, which is linked to Prime Minister Orbán’s son-in-law.

The newly acquired properties include the office blocks in the city centre of Zugló, Dürer Park, and the buildings on the Kopaszi Dam, covering a total of 350,000 square metres.

Dürer Park – Orbán’s son-in-law directly involved

The acquisition of the Dürer Park office buildings, located next to the City Park, has been in progress since 2022. The Hungarian National Asset Management Company concluded a preliminary agreement with Dürer Investment Ltd. without any public oversight. The plan is to house the Ministry of National Economy, the Hungarian Development Bank and several other state-owned companies in these offices.

As per 24.hu, the total price of the Park could be HUF 120 billion (EUR 309 million), likely to increase from the original HUF 110 billion (EUR 283 million) due to inflation. While the final sum is still pending government approval, the cost will be approximately HUF 2 million (EUR 5,162) per square metre, akin to luxury apartments in Budapest. Regardless of the final cost, reports indicate that the Hungarian state has already transferred HUF 80 billion (EUR 206 million) to investors as an advance payment.

The Dürer Park deal involves Market Asset Management Ltd., owned by government ally István Garancsi and the Főnix Private Equity Fund, linked to István Tiborcz, Viktor Orbán’s son-in-law.

The Zugló City Centre – Márton Nagy enters the picture

In the spring of 2023, the Hungarian state signed a preliminary agreement to transform the Zugló City Centre in Bosnyák Square into a government quarter. The state will purchase 150,000 square metres of office space for HUF 244 billion (EUR 629 million).

The relevant contract was made public by MP Ákos Hadházy, in collaboration with Transparency International, in early May 2024. Telex quoted Hadházy who said, “[the contract] gives an amazing insight into the system, for example, that the 244 billion contract was signed without any prior evaluations, that there were no plans ready at the time of signing, and that the contract says that the final plans will have to be agreed upon.”

The absence of final plans for the construction did not prove to be an obstacle to the project: just five days after the agreement, the state transferred the 10% + VAT deposit to the contractors. “The company probably really needed the cash,” Hadházy remarked. Even if the state disapproves of the plans, the deposit remains with the contractor.

Bayer Construct Zrt., managed by Attila Balázs, a business associate of István Tiborcz, is the contractor for the Bosnyák Square project.

Adding to the complexity, the lawyer who countersigned the contract, Judit Pete, is closely linked to the Minister of National Economy, Márton Nagy, and his brother. She took over the law firm of Márton Nagy’s brother on the day of his appointment as minister. This firm has signed contracts worth hundreds of millions with state-owned companies now under Nagy’s supervision. Shortly after taking office, Nagy appointed Judit Pete to the Public Procurement Council.

The future inhabitants of the Zugló properties include the National Tax and Customs Office, the Directorate General for Public Procurement and Supply (KEF), and the Pest County Government Office, despite a recent seven billion HUF complex for KEF completed in 2018.

Kopaszi Dam – Orbán’s son-in-law reappears alongside several other names close to the NER

The largest investment involves the office buildings on the Kopaszi Dam in Újbuda. In the summer of 2023, the state signed a preliminary contract to purchase 160,000 square metres of office space for HUF 255 billion (EUR 658 million).

The so-called BudaPart project, launched in 2016, is a priority government investment, meaning the municipality has no say in its completion. One of the first elements of the project was the construction of the Mol Tower.

As part of this state investment, the government signed a contract with the developer prior to completion, ensuring that the yet-to-be-built properties would meet the needs of the public offices that will occupy them. The BudaPart properties will likely house the MÁV-Volánbusz Group, the State Customs Court, the National Election Office and the National Intellectual Property Office, among others.

At the same time, this measure, as Telex pointed out, “is a great help to Kopaszi Dam Plc., as they can build with the certainty that there will be tenants in their office buildings.” However, Válasz Online reports that the six office complexes under construction will not be rented by the state but bought by it.

The four owners behind the developer, Kopaszi Dam Plc, include Viktor Orbán’s son-in-law, István Garancsi, Sándor Scheer (also close to the government) and Zsolt Hernádi (CEO of the Mol Group).

The total area covered by these three contracts is double the size of the government quarter proposed by the Gyurcsány government, which Fidesz harshly criticised at the time. In fact, as Válasz Online writes:

“The M4 metro line was completed ten years ago at a cost of HUF 452 billion (EUR 1.1 billion), and according to the European Anti-Fraud Office, there was plenty of suspected corruption in that project. Under cleaner conditions, HUF 580 billion today could be enough for, for instance, the development of a whole metro line or to renovate the Chain Bridge more than twenty times.”

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Orbán-ally oligarchs made EUR 38 billion in state motorway concession

M7-es_autópálya-highway motorway concession

The Hungarian government’s outsourcing of a large part of the highway network cost taxpayers HUF 15-17 thousand billion, equal to around EUR 38.4 billion. The motorway concession was awarded to a consortium of private equity funds owned by László Szíjj and Lőrinc Mészáros, two well-known government-close Hungarian businessmen.

The motorway concession contract, obtained by Szabad Európa after more than a year of litigation with the National Concession Office (NKOI), reveals the owners of the private equity funds and the amount to which the concession company will be entitled – information that was previously unknown.

The winning consortium of the tender set up in 2021 consists of seven private equity funds, with László Szíjjj and Lőrinc Mészáros as owners of four and three of them, respectively. Both men are closely linked to the government and Viktor Orbán himself.

We wrote about Mészáros and his relationship with Orbán HERE.

In addition to the owners, the finances were also revealed

The contract now obtained also reveals that the government’s 35-year motorway concession of a large part of Hungary’s highway network costs Hungarian taxpayers even more than previously estimated.

Before Szabad Európa’s winning litigation, it was Transparency International that received, also after a lengthy court procedure, the calculations that the government had prepared before the concession. The documents made public by the anti-corruption NGO revealed that a total of 12,600 billion forints (32.2 billion euros) of taxpayers’ money would go to the winning firm.

In the original contract with the winning concession company, the Hungarian Concession Infrastructure Development Ltd (MKIF), the state agreed to concede the management of 1,666 kilometres of road. There is also a possibility of an additional 381 kilometres of motorway going to MKIF, with the company operating the M5 and M6 highways until 2056. Including these sections in the concession, the government’s background calculation estimated the cost at HUF 13,700 billion (EUR 35.5 billion).

However, according to the documents obtained by Szabad Európa, the contract set considerably higher prices: the actual cost of the concession is a total of HUF 15 thousand billion (EUR 38.4 billion), which could reach 17 thousand billion forints (44.2 billion euros) when including the possible additional sectors.

The HUF 15,000 billion price consists of two items: HUF 8,580 billion for construction and HUF 6,492 billion for operation and renovation. As for the HUF 17,000 billion in the case of the extended network, HUF 9,222 billion would be spent on construction, and HUF 8,067 billion on the operation of the highways.

However, these amounts are subject to change, as the contract provides that the fees paid by the state may be indexed based on the inflation target of the National Bank of Hungary (MNB).

The motorway concession raises questions about possible corruption

Overall, the government intends to spend a total of HUF 8.5 thousand billion (EUR 21.7 billion) or HUF 9.2 thousand billion (EUR 23.5 billion), respectively, on new investments. As MKIF itself decides which contractor to use and how much to pay them, one of the concerning features of the concession scheme is that there is no necessity for a public procurement procedure in connection with these new projects.

As the motorway concession was granted to the interests of two of Hungary’s largest contractors, they have the right to use their own companies for development. Indeed, the funds had already declared at the time of the tender that they intended to hire subcontractors.

The biggest construction businesses in Hungary, which are known to win public tenders fairly easily, include Duna Aszfalt Plc., Hódút Ltd., Közgép Plt., and Mészáros és Mészáros Ltd. They are all, either directly or indirectly, owned by Lőrinc Mészáros and László Szíjjj.

The motorway concession raised troubles in the European Union, as well. On 24 April, the European Commission began infringement procedures against Hungary for violating the regulations on motorway concession contracts, after Transparency International filed a complaint.

The Commission has noted a number of issues with the motorway concession agreements regarding the motorways. It contends that Hungary violated EU legislation by awarding a 35-year concession that was not transparent concerning its projected contract value. Besides, Hungary failed to adequately transfer operational risk, and therefore, it was granted for an excessively lengthy period.

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Budapest’s world-famous pastry shop Ruszwurm may close its doors forever

ruszwurm cukrászda

Ruszwurm is one of Budapest’s oldest confectionery shops. One of the most iconic places in the Castle District, it is a favourite of locals and tourists alike. Now the future of this famous building is threatened in the midst of an alleged corruption case.

The owners of the Ruszwurm and Korona confectionery shops have been ordered to vacate their premises and hand over the former to the bailiffs on 9 May and the latter on 14 May, index.hu reports.

The municipality had previously planned to shut the buildings down on 4 December of last year, but the confectioneries survived for a few more months. Now, the latest news is that the two pastry shops could close for good in the upcoming days.

oldest pastry shops in Budapest
Source: https://www.ruszwurm.hu/

Ruszwurm is one of Budapest’s most iconic pastry shops – now, its long history may come to an end

The Ruszwurm confectionery is housed under 7 Szentháromság Street in the Buda Castle District, in the heart of the Hungarian capital. It was first opened in 1827 under the stewardship of Ferenc Schwabl and has survived several turbulent periods in the history of the country. The building stood strong not only during the 1848-49 War of Independence but also in the face of two World Wars and the considerable destruction they caused.

In 1990, Ruszwurm fell into foreign hands, but after some years, it came to be rented, and then eventually purchased by the Szamos family, namesake of the famous Szamos Marzipan.

Today, Ruszwurm takes you back in time: homely yet sophisticated, history comes alive among the furnishings that had been declared protected due to their cultural significance to the country. The cherry-wood bar, the gold table decorations on display, and the statues all evoke the charm of centuries past.

oldest pastry shops in Budapest 2
Source: https://www.ruszwurm.hu/

ruszwurm cukrászda
Ruszwurm Cukrászda, Budapest, photo: ruszwurm.hu

In the 1800s, the confectionery was a favourite haunt of noblemen, ministry officials, teachers, military officers, and engineers. At present, tourists and Budapest locals alike enjoy the traditional flavours of Ruszwurm treats.

The current conflict goes back years and might have sad consequences

As we wrote about it in THIS and THIS article, the story reaches back to at least 2019, when the district mayor candidate, Márta V. Naszályi approached Miklós Szamos, owner of the Ruszwurm confectionery and the Korona coffeehouse, and asked for financial support for her campaign.

“Before the elections, she offered that if the financial support was given, they would make a contract with me so that I could not be expelled, even with a criminal offence. The offer concerned two confectioneries, the Korona and the Ruszwurm. The mayor also stressed that if the subsidy did not happen, she would not protect me,” Szamos recalls.

Naszályi denied these allegations. According to the official response, the district had already terminated its lease agreement with the confectionery in 2015, and after years of refusing to vacate the premises, the district filed for the eviction of Ruszwurm in 2019. This all happened under the previous mayor, who Naszályi succeeded. After gaining office, she tried to settle the matter out-of-court, but no agreement was reached, and thus the lawsuit continued.

Szamos has now told Index that they plan to not carry out the bailiffs’ orders, declaring:

“If necessary, we will resist with force”.

He also stressed that the confectionery, which is protected by the state, is not owned by the municipality. “The land and the bricks are indeed theirs,” he said, but the tangible assets, the equipment, the property rights, are all owned by Szamos.

Szamos says that if his confectionery shops are closed, it will constitute national damage, in addition to 57 people being put out of work.

Indeed, whatever the background to the conflict may be, an important part of Hungarian history would disappear with the closure of Ruszwurm.

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Probe launched into suspected foreign financing attempt in Hungary

corruption foreign network financing

Hungary’s Sovereignty Protection Office on Thursday said it is launching an investigation into a suspected attempt at foreign financing of an election.

Foreign financing of election?

The office said in a statement that it decided to launch its investigation based on information published in Thursday’s edition of the daily Magyar Nemzet.

The Sovereignty Protection Office said it had reason to suspect that “foreign and Hungarian interests” that had attempted to influence the 2022 general elections and “played an active role” in several European Union campaigns were “once again targeting the Hungarian elections”.

It said several criminal proceedings were underway against the members of the network of companies suspected of being involved in the case.

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Dickhead and Bluebeard: corruption scandal of ministry officials in Hungary

corruption foreign network financing

In February, a total of 54 Hungarian ministry officials faced corruption charges, including finance ministry department heads, deputy officials and a former deputy state secretary.

The ringleader of the corruption network could potentially face up to a 10-year sentence, with the prosecution seeking prison terms for several other defendants. Many of those implicated have ties to high-ranking politicians.

The corruption network was exposed during a police raid in April 2022, with 24.hu providing detailed coverage of the case.

Defendants built a corruption network while their job was to combat fraud

According to the indictment, officials accepted bribes in exchange for facilitating the acquisition of non-refundable EU subsidies. Charges were filed in February against several dozen subordinates of Finance Minister Mihály Varga, potentially resulting in significant prison time for many involved.

The first-rate defendant built a well-organised network, maintaining contact with tender writers, project managers and company executives. The minister involved several of his colleagues, including senior government officials. In exchange for millions of HUF, he manipulated tender outcomes, inspection processes as well as the positive assessment of the applications and legal remedies related to the tenders.

Furthermore, they coordinated on-site project inspections: the head of the applicable department of the Ministry of Finance ensured that the relevant controls were carried out favourably for the beneficiaries and were concluded within a short timeframe.

According to the prosecutor’s office, a total of 108 tenders funded by the European Union and 8 domestic tenders were affected, with subsidies exceeding HUF 25 billion ( EUR 64,260,675).

“The case has a special piquancy,” notes 24.hu,

“which is that the first six defendants, serving in the Ministry of Finance, were tasked with implementing the national anti-fraud strategy, thus contributing to fraud prevention and detection.”

Just like in a spy movie: pseudonyms and burner phones

The main defendants invented a secret thieves’ cant (a sort of secret jargon) to conceal their dealings if under scrutiny. Codenames included “the Old One” (az Öreg), “the Kind One” (a Kedves), while some others were called “Turkey meat” (Pulyka husi), “Owl” (Bagoly) and “Greek salad” (Görögsali). The on-site inspection was referred to as “Gestapo”.

The defendant who headed one of the inspections within the Ministry of Finance was derogatorily called “the Dickhead” or “the idiot you have to go to.”

The first defendant acquired an old-school conventional phone without an operating system but with a phone number that was not registered under his name. He regularly changed numbers to evade detection. Similar phones were procured for other defendants to ensure secure communication.

The case also involves stakeholders close to Fidesz and independent politicians

One of the accomplices is Tamás Karsai, nicknamed “Bluebeard,” the former deputy state secretary of Minister of Finance Mihály Varga. He may receive four years in prison, as well as a four-year ban from public affairs, a fine of HUF 2.8 million (EUR 7,173) and confiscation of assets up to HUF 9.5 million (EUR 24,338).

24.hu contacted Mihály Varga’s Ministry on the matter but received no reply. Instead, the Ministry of Public Administration and Spatial Development wrote:

“There is zero tolerance for corruption in Hungary.”

“This is also proven by the fact that the employment of the employees concerned was terminated with immediate effect, regardless of their position. […] The relevant bodies will continue to assist the authorities in everything they do, and any further necessary steps that arise during the investigation will be taken immediately. The government has already taken and will take a number of measures in the future to prevent and detect corruption.”

Gyula Barta-Eke, the former chancellor of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the head of the IFKA Közhasznú Nonprofit Ltd., previously under the supervision of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology headed by László Palkovics, may go behind bars for five years and have many of his assets confiscated.

According to authorities, Barta-Eke asked the applicants for a bribe of three million forints each in exchange for the issuance of the pre-qualification certificate for EU tenders. Furthermore, he ensured that the submissions would be positively evaluated by the Ministry of Finance. He received kickbacks exceeding HUF ten million (EUR 25,670) on several occasions.

The fifty-second defendant in the case is István Vancsura, best known as the lawyer and ally of independent member of parliament Ákos Hadházy.

The prosecution accuses Vancsura of money laundering, alleging that the primary defendant purchased two apartments for his relatives using funds acquired through corruption. Vancsura was the legal representative during the purchase. Prosecutors contend that his failure to verify the origin of the purchase price constitutes a breach of legal ethics.

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Orbán cabinet erased names, data from prosecutors’ documents?

Orbán cabinet erased names, data from prosecutors' documents

All the documents pertaining to the so-called Völner-Schadl case are available, as well as evidence not included in the indictment, and “none have disappeared”, the head of the Central Investigation Prosecutor’s Office (KNYF) said on Thursday.

At a press conference, Pál Fürcht rejected accusations against the office that “facts” had been removed from the indictment. The indictment contains all data the prosecutor’s office had deemed provable, the charges against the accused and the evidence supporting the facts, he added. Proof not supporting the charges had also been filed, “all data can be followed up on,” he said.

We wrote HERE that a recording by Péter Magyar, the former spouse of ex-Justice Minister Judit Varga, surfaced, revealing that close associates of the government tampered with documents in the ongoing corruption trial involving Fidesz politicians.

The case concerns an investigation involving Pál Völner, a former state secretary of the justice ministry, and György Schadl, the former head of the Hungarian Chamber of Bailiffs, MTI wrote.

Prosecutors allege that Schadl had regularly bribed Volner until July 2021 and used his influence to secure the appointment of bailiffs of his choosing in exchange for kickbacks.

Charges of corruption, property crimes and money laundering have been filed against a total of 22 people in the case.

Biggest bribery scandal concerning a deputy minister of Orbán

According to the indictment, Schadl paid Völner a total of at least 83 million forints (EUR 217,000) in bribes between May 2018 and July 2021, who then exercised his influence as state secretary and deputy minister in Schadl’s interest.

Fürcht said that former Justice Minister Judit Varga was heard as a witness by the Metropolitan Investigation Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, declining to disclose details on an ongoing investigation.

He said that several separate investigations had been launched on connected matters, and were under way at other investigation authorities.

He said he would not comment on the evidence submitted in the ongoing investigation but the authorities would provide information once the investigations are completed.

Read also:

  • BREAKING: audio recording out, corruption trial manipulated by PM Orbán’s Cabinet? – Read more HERE
  • Another big protest by Péter Magyar was organised against the government – details in THIS article

Breaking: Hungarian politicians paid by Moscow to spread Putin propaganda?

orbán and putin in beijing china propaganda

Hungarian politicians may have been part of a Moscow-funded propaganda network uncovered by the Czech secret service, Spiegel reports. Half a dozen European intelligence services were involved in uncovering the propaganda network, with money going to German, Belgian, French, Dutch and Polish politicians as well as the Hungarian.

Extensive propaganda network

petr fiala
Petr Fiala in 2022. Source: depositphotos.com

Hungarian politicians may have been part of a Moscow-funded propaganda network uncovered by the Czech secret service, hvg.hu reported on Wednesday, citing Spiegel.

The group spread narratives through the Prague-based Voice of Europe news portal aimed at discouraging the European Union from helping Ukraine in its fight against the Russian army,

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Wednesday.

According to Fiala, the BIS, the Czech security information service, found that the pro-Russian network had been carrying out activities that “have serious consequences for the security of the Czech Republic and the EU”. The group had been agitating in the EU against “the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine” and its activities had reached the European Parliament.

Voice of Europe no longer available

The Czech daily Deník N reported that the Voice of Europe news website had published statements by politicians calling on the EU to stop aid to Ukraine.

The operator of the website “voiceofeurope.com” is registered in Prague and is active on social networks such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), where it has more than 180,000 followers. Voice of Europe was no longer available on Wednesday evening.

Money received from Moscow for propaganda used to fund election campaigns

Some European politicians who have worked with the news site have been paid by Russia, and in some cases, the money has been used to fund their election campaigns for the European Parliament elections in June.

Viktor Medvedchuk
Viktor Medvedchuk Source: Wikimedia Commons/duma.gov.ru

German, Belgian, French, Hungarian, Dutch and Polish politicians received the money, Deník N reported, citing Czech Foreign Ministry sources. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) was also involved. The Czech Republic has added Voice of Europe and its alleged supporters to its sanctions list.

According to Spiegel, half a dozen European intelligence services were involved in exposing the network. Voice of Europe is allegedly backed by a Ukrainian-born pro-Russian oligarch and close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Viktor Medvedchuk. According to the Spiegel article, Medvedchuk used Voice of Europe to provide secret financial support to candidates in the European Parliament elections.

According to Reuters, Medvedchuk, who was also a member of parliament in Kyiv, was exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war with Russia in 2022, when he was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship.

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Another big protest by Péter Magyar was organised against the government – UPDATED

Péter Magyar opposition Hungary corruption case

Péter Magyar, the husband of the former Justice Minister, now at the centre of attention, handed over the incriminating footage to the prosecution before calling for a demonstration tonight. A large number of people responded to the call.

As we detailed earlier this morning, footage emerged of the former minister alleging that members of the Hungarian government had interfered in a corruption case, falsifying documents. Full details can be found here.

At 6 p.m., Péter Magyar convened his followers. Approximately a thousand people gathered at the outset of the demonstration on Markó Street, facing the Prosecutor General’s Office. In his speech, Magyar emphasised that this wasn’t a partisan affair but a demonstration for the nation. He said that, following the airing of the tape, the courts had no choice but to summon ministers and eventually the prime minister. Magyar urged the crowd not to allow the authorities to sweep under the rug the most significant political and moral scandal of the past three decades.

How the protest by Péter Magyar unfolded?

The throng chanted “To prison, to prison!” as Péter Magyar called for the resignation of Attorney General Péter Polt. He then asked the crowd to demonstrate on Kossuth Square that “this nation belongs not to the Tiborczs, Rogáns and Polt Péters but to the Hungarian people.”

The crowd swelled to several thousand as they marched slowly towards Kossuth Square, led by a group of torchbearers. After filling most of the square, thousands more gathered to hear Péter Magyar’s address at Vértanúk Square.

“We’re well aware of what Viktor Orbán chooses to ignore.” Magyar highlighted the prime minister’s disregard for the rule of law, the Istanbul Pact, the nurses’ case as well as his apparent neglect of pardon cases and investigations by the prosecutor general.

“My dear friends, we wait in vain for an audio recording wherein the Prime Minister will tell us how his family came into possession of 300 billion forints of public money.”

The impromptu demonstration concluded at 7:30 p.m. By eight o’clock, Péter Magyar remained in Vértanúk Square, encircled by hundreds eager to talk to him.

Central Investigation Prosecutor’s Office reaction

The Central Investigation Prosecutor’s Office (KNYF) said in the afternoon that Magyar had been heard again as a witness by the Metropolitan Investigation Prosecutor’s Office in an ongoing criminal case.

Prior to the interview, Magyar made public a recording of a private conversation he had with his ex-wife.

The office acknowledged as correct a statement in the recording that Chief Public Prosecutor Peter Polt did not lord over the prosecutor’s office. “The chief public prosecutor heads and manages Hungary’s public prosecutor’s office where the rule of law is in force,” it added.

The prosecutor’s office will analyse, assess and further verify all statements made in the recording and during the testimony by Magyar, it said in a statement.

“It must be pointed out again that the disappearance or revision of documents at the prosecutor’s office is not just legally, but also physically, impossible” the statement said. “All data processed at the office is documented from the time of receipt and is not stored in a single location, but appear in the databases of other organisations, including those of investigating judges and authorities involved in covert operations,” it added.

Péter Magyar opposition Hungary
Photo: MTI

“The history of all the documents pertaining to the so-called Völner-Schadl case is known and all of the activities revealed from the available data have been or are being investigated, in line with the law,” it said.

The authority said it would provide further details at a press conference on March 28.

UPDATE: Magyar demands resignation of public prosecutor, government at demonstration – MTI

At a demonstration in central Budapest on Tuesday evening, Péter Magyar demanded the resignation of Chief Prosecutor Peter Polt and the government, and called for a truly independent investigation of a case referred to in a recording he secretly made in his home of a conversation with his ex-wife, the former justice minister.
Magyar had invited his followers to the demonstration after his hearing at the Chief Prosecutor’s Office earlier in the day. The demonstration started in the front of the office headquarters and then moved to nearby Vertanuk Square.

Magyar told the event that Hungary had sunk in the “deepest political, moral and legal crisis” since post-communist transformation as a result of the cover-up of paedophile crimes, a scandal involving a presidential pardon, and corrupt bailiffs and government members. He also said that the Chief Prosecutor’s Office should interview several government members and the prime minister in connection with the recording he had presented during his hearing.

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