Hungary’s Parliament is set to deliberate on Monday over the potential lifting of immunity for two former ministers amid ongoing corruption investigations. This move comes as the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, established in 2026, intensifies its efforts to trace and reclaim public assets suspected to have been unlawfully diverted from state ownership. The office’s mandate covers a broad range of areas, including public procurement, state subsidies, and European Union funds.
The two former ministers under scrutiny are Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták. Hankó is being investigated in connection with the National Cultural Fund, while Seszták is implicated in a separate case involving Volánbusz. Both have denied any wrongdoing, and no convictions have been reported to date. The consideration of their immunity in Parliament is part of a larger anti-corruption initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, dubbed “Operation Purgatory.”
Prime Minister Magyar has highlighted the establishment of the asset recovery office as a key component of his broader program of institutional and anti-corruption reforms. While the office has not yet announced which specific cases will be prioritized for formal investigation, its authority extends to conducting investigations and representing public prosecution in court proceedings related to misuse of public resources.
In addition to the cases involving Hankó and Seszták, Parliament will also address immunity considerations for Prime Minister Magyar himself and MP Mária Gurzó. These deliberations signal the government’s commitment to tackling corruption at various levels and underscore the significance of the newly formed office in advancing these efforts.
As Hungary embarks on this renewed phase of anti-corruption measures, the developments in Parliament will be closely watched for their impact on the country’s political landscape and the effectiveness of its governance reforms.