Hungary’s Parliament is set to deliberate on lifting the immunity of two former ministers, Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták, amid ongoing high-profile corruption investigations. This development occurs as the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, established in 2026, begins its mission to track and reclaim public assets suspected of being illicitly removed from state ownership. The office is empowered to investigate cases related to public procurement, state subsidies, concessions, EU funds, and state-owned enterprises.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar has declared that these proceedings signify a new phase in his administration’s anti-corruption initiative, termed “Operation Purgatory.” The asset recovery office plays a crucial role in Magyar’s broader agenda of institutional and anti-corruption reforms. Although it has not specified which cases will be formally pursued initially, the office can conduct investigations and represent public prosecution in court proceedings.
Hankó and Seszták are individually linked to separate cases; Hankó’s investigation pertains to the National Cultural Fund, while Seszták’s is connected to Volánbusz. Both former ministers have denied any wrongdoing, and no convictions have been reported in either case up to this point. The parliamentary session will also address immunity cases involving Prime Minister Péter Magyar and MP Mária Gurzó.
These deliberations underscore the Hungarian government’s intensified focus on tackling corruption through legislative and judicial avenues. The outcome of these proceedings could set a precedent for future actions by the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office as it navigates its mandate to safeguard and recover state assets.