Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Police Hold House Searches in City Hall Case, Budapest Mayor Speaks of Fidesz's 'Russian Methods'

Police Hold House Searches in City Hall Case, Budapest Mayor Speaks of Fidesz's 'Russian Methods'

The police conducted searches at the homes of Budapest deputy mayor Ambrus Kiss, and the Chief Notary and Budapest Capital City Property Management Center (BVFK) leader, Balázs J. Barts, in connection with the recordings in the City Hall case. The Budapest mayor speaks of Russian methods used in a smear campaign, while the opposition alliance’s PM candidate, Péter Márki-Zay, also stood by the Budapest leadership, labeling the case an “outrageous scandal.”

On Monday, the National Investigation Bureau’s (NNI) officers turned up both in the aforementioned leaders’ offices and in their homes, having reportedly saved data from their devices. The house search coincided with the French president’s visit to Budapest. Emmanuel Macron was set to meet not only Prime Minister Orbán but several opposition politicians too.

The City Hall case is based on the pro-Fidesz media’s publication of secretly-made recordings with the case centering around talks about the sale of Budapest City Hall. While Karácsony admitted that a sale was only an option that was taken off the table, he also consistently denies any wrongdoing. The case is just too complex to sum it up in a few sentences, but by now its focus has shifted to a related yet different question about the alleged commission system (a.k.a. corruption) in practice with Budapest Municipality property sales. While ruling Fidesz politicians pressed several charges in connection with the case, no wrongdoing has been proven yet.

In addition, besides former left-liberal PM Gordon Bajnai (who says he was only a middleman), several government-linked figures are also affected by the case, such as central figure, Gyula Gansperger, an important background player during the first Orbán administration. BVFK leader Barts himself was appointed during Fidesz-backed István Tarlós’ time as mayor, while the Rahimkulov family (who was thought to be the potential buyer) has dealings with government-linked projects too.

At the moment, a committee set up by the Budapest Assembly is also investigating the case, while Karácsony published the full documentation of all the Municipality’s property sales from 2019.

Karácsony: Fidesz crossed the line by applying Russian methods


In reaction to the searches, the Budapest mayor was angered and spoke of Russian methods, as in his view, investigating authorities have become campaign tools of those in power.

“The police have become a tool of Fidesz propaganda, and the investigative authorities have been involved in political smear campaigns – so they have crossed this red line (…) What happened was that [House Speaker] László Kövér gave the green light…in his scandalous speech [held] to the secret service leaders. The opposition is the target, and after the secret service surveillance, tracking, and wiretapping of recent months, the police have now been also deployed (…) All this as part of a smear campaign (…) and that’s enough, to take all the data, photos, and messages from the phone and computer of the deputy mayor, to rummage through his car for hours, to rummage through the children’s room, to rummage through the dry pasta in his kitchen (…) As of today, no one is safe in this country. If someone is talking about someone they don’t know and then intercepted, it is not the slanderers that the police are after, but the victim. As of today, we are forced to see the investigating authorities as servants of the Fidesz campaign. And this cannot be without consequences…”


The opposition alliance’s prime ministerial candidate similarly stood up against the intervention, labeling it an “outrageous scandal.” According to Péter Márki-Zay, the government only tries to divert attention from the fact that, for example, “A 5% increase in pensions actually means a 5% cut in pensions due to the 10% inflation, while corruption is being organized within the Justice Ministry, and House Speaker László Kövér considers the opposition a national security risk, while Orbán is failing to put together a far-right coalition.”

In reference to his meeting with government-critical billionaire, László Bige, he sarcastically noted that he hopes they were wiretapped too so that investigators would also appear in PM Orbán’s office, “…because I have been specifically informed about how Fidesz stole even from the utility cost-reduction program.” He also said that “Orbán’s desperate cling to power is understandable, as he fears losing the elections, which would also involve the risk of losing his personal freedom.”

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
×