The Hungarian Parliament approved on September 28 the lifting of Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s immunity. The official is under investigation in a case involving theft and has asked the parliamentarians to adopt the decision.
The case originates from an incident two years ago, when Magyar allegedly snatched a man’s phone who was filming him and threw it into the Danube, according to Moldova 1. The incident occurred in June 2024.
Magyar denies that his act would constitute theft and has categorized the case, in which the damage is estimated at just over 300 dollars, as a politically motivated action.
“I did not commit a crime, I take responsibility for all my actions. Anyone who has nothing to hide comes forward and speaks openly,” said Magyar to the deputies, before the lifting of immunity.
At the Hungarian Legislative session on September 28, immunity was lifted for two deputies who were part of Viktor Orbán’s previous governments. The first is former Minister of Culture Balázs Hankó, suspected of improperly handling about 47 million euros of public money for electoral campaigns and personal purposes. The elected official denies the accusations.
The other case involves Miklós Seszták, former Minister of Development, suspected of corruption and signing contracts for the purchase of second-hand buses at unjustified prices. Seszták also denies the allegations.
The Fidesz party of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and its allied KDNP formation boycotted the parliamentary session in which the prosecutors’ requests were examined. The lifting of immunity does not establish the guilt of the two parliamentarians, but removes the legal obstacle that allows the continuation of criminal proceedings.
Péter Magyar and his Tisza party came to power following the April elections, after promising to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power during Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule.