Hungary launches sweeping anti-corruption probe into Orbán-era governance

Hungary's new government has launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign aimed at investigating alleged misconduct under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's administration, Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on July 22.

Magyar announced legislation to establish a National Office for Asset Recovery and Protection, which he said would investigate suspected financial abuses and corruption linked to the previous government, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Speaking in parliament, Magyar said the initiative, dubbed "Purgatory", would form part of a broad political, economic and legal effort to eliminate what he described as entrenched corruption and organised influence within the state.

He accused former government officials, their relatives and close associates of benefiting from public procurement contracts, subsidies and public funds, and argued that Hungary's institutions had been weakened by widespread corruption.

According to the proposed legislation, the new agency would operate independently and report directly to parliament. Its responsibilities would include monitoring public procurement procedures, concession agreements, transfers of state assets, government investment projects, the use of European Union funds and financial transactions suspected of harming state interests.

The bill is expected to pass parliament, where Magyar's Tisza Party holds a more than two-thirds majority.

The Tisza Party made anti-corruption measures a central element of its election campaign, repeatedly accusing Orbán and his allies of using state resources for personal enrichment.

Orbán and his opposition party, Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Alliance, have rejected the allegations. The party has argued that the government should either provide evidence to support its claims or stop making what it considers unsubstantiated accusations against political opponents.

By Aghakazim Guliyev