Hungary’s FM files criminal complaint over Szijjarto’s private flights

Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orban said on September 15 that she had filed a criminal complaint against former Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and his team over the regular use of costly private and military flights instead of scheduled flights during the past four years.

The complaint is the latest in a series of findings by Hungary’s new government as part of its anti-corruption drive, following Prime Minister Peter Magyar’s April election victory over Viktor Orban, who had been in power for 16 years, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Viktor Orban has rejected allegations of corruption. His spokesman, Bertalan Havasi, said in an emailed reply to Reuters that the foreign minister’s flights had fully complied with the relevant government decree.

"In recent years, foreign engagements for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been organised with exemplary efficiency," he said. "Peter Szijjarto therefore deserves praise, not politically motivated attacks."

In a video posted on Facebook on September 15, Anita Orban said there was no evidence that cost savings had been considered when arranging Szijjarto and his team’s travel.

"From 2022 onwards, they routinely shifted to using chartered private flights or the army's planes for the minister [Szijjarto] and his delegation's travels," she said.

According to Orban, documents and the government’s investigation showed that travel between 2022 and 2026 had cost an average of almost six times more than scheduled business-class flights, resulting in an additional expense of 4 billion forints ($12.6 million).

"The uncovered facts therefore raise the suspicion of mismanagement of funds causing a significant loss, and also raise the responsibility of the ministry's former leadership," she added.

By Sabina Mammadli