Hungary Lifts PM Peter Magyar's Immunity, Ex-Orban Ministers
The new anti-corruption office will open cases tied to public funds and state contracts, while lawmakers weigh immunity for senior politicians.
- On Monday, the Hungarian Parliament voted 139-0 to lift the immunity of Prime Minister Peter Magyar and two former ministers, clearing the way for prosecutors to pursue separate criminal allegations against all three.
- The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office launched today as a central element of Magyar's "Operation Purgatory," a program designed to recover public assets unlawfully removed from state ownership.
- Prosecutors allege Culture and Innovation Minister Balazs Hanko misused funds from the National Cultural Fund, causing losses of $52.3 million, while National Development Minister Miklos Sesztak faces separate bribery allegations involving Volanbusz.
- Magyar described the proceedings as a "farce," accusing prosecutors of attempting to link his case to corruption allegations against former members of the government led by Viktor Orban.
- Following the immunity votes, the NVVH is expected to begin turning the government's anti-corruption campaign into actual investigations this week, as Magyar, who defeated Orban in April, remains under scrutiny.
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28 Articles
Prime Minister Peter Magyar has backed the move himself. Two formation ministers who served under his rival Viktor Orban now face separate corruption probes.
Hungary's parliament on Monday revoked the legal immunity of Prime Minister Peter Magyar and two ministers in the government of former nationalist leader Viktor Orban to allow separate criminal investigations against them, Euronews reports.
The Asset Recovery Office has named its first four cases: investigations involving local government, state investment and propaganda expenditures will be launched.
He said they can take on cases in which at least one report has already been made.
The parliament may also extradite Miklós Seszták, Balázs Hankó and Péter Magyar at the extraordinary session on Monday morning, convened partly for this purpose and partly to elect (not) the candidate for Attorney General.
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