Two ministers from Viktor Orban's former far-right government have been detained on suspicion of misusing public funds and taking bribes, after Hungarian MPs voted to strip their immunity.
Key facts
- Two ministers from Viktor Orban's former government have been detained.
- One is suspected of misusing millions of euros in public funds; the other of taking millions in bribes.
- Hungarian MPs voted to lift their immunity ahead of the arrests.
- Balazs Hanko, Orban's culture minister and a sitting Fidesz MP, was taken into custody late Monday.
- Hanko is suspected of misappropriation of funds and has denied any wrongdoing.
Two ministers who served in Viktor Orban’s former far-right government have been detained over suspected corruption, according to the Guardian. The pair are suspected separately of misusing millions of euros of public funds and taking millions more in bribes.
The detentions came hours after Hungarian MPs voted to lift the ministers’ immunity, clearing the way for prosecutors to act. Immunity provisions typically shield certain officials and lawmakers from prosecution unless parliament agrees to remove that protection.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday that Balazs Hanko, Orban’s culture minister and still an MP in the former prime minister’s nationalist Fidesz party, was taken into custody late on Monday, the Guardian reported.
Hanko is suspected of misappropriation of funds. He has denied any wrongdoing, according to the same report.
The Guardian described the two men as ministers in Orban’s former government, indicating the arrests relate to conduct connected with their time in office. The outlet did not name the second minister in the material provided.
The case centers on allegations of both the misuse of public money and the acceptance of bribes, though the two ministers are said to be suspected separately rather than in a single connected scheme.
Why it matters
The detention of two former ministers from a nationalist government marks a significant development in Hungarian politics, where questions over the handling of public funds have drawn scrutiny. The decision by MPs to lift the ministers' immunity signals that parliamentary protection is not shielding them from investigation.
Frequently asked questions
Who has been detained?
Two ministers from Viktor Orban's former far-right government. One named individual is Balazs Hanko, Orban's culture minister, who remains an MP in the Fidesz party and was taken into custody late on Monday.
What are they suspected of?
The two are suspected separately of misusing millions of euros of public funds and taking millions more in bribes. Balazs Hanko is specifically suspected of misappropriation of funds and has denied any wrongdoing.
How were the arrests possible?
Hungarian MPs voted to lift the ministers' immunity, which cleared the way for them to be detained hours later, according to the Guardian.