Proposed Legislation Aims to Mandate Asset Declarations for Hungarian MEPs
New bill introduced in Hungary seeks to align asset declaration requirements for MEPs with those of national lawmakers.
Legislation proposed by members of the ruling Fidesz party, Balázs Hidvéghi, and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) representative, Hajnalka Juhász, aims to impose mandatory asset declarations for Hungarian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
The proposed law stipulates that MEPs would be required to submit asset declarations that mirror those required of national lawmakers in Hungary.
Under the terms of the draft legislation, asset declarations would need to be submitted by MEPs by the conclusion of the first plenary session of the European Parliament, or within 30 days following the validation of their parliamentary mandate.
Thereafter, they would be obligated to repeat this process annually.
Additionally, the bill includes a provision requiring the asset declarations of MEPs' family members to be made available on the website of the National Election Office.
A significant distinction, however, is that these family declarations would not be made public in the same manner as the MEPs' declarations.
Access to family members' documents would be restricted to members of the National Election Commission and would only be permitted if an investigation is initiated based on the MEP's asset declaration.
The timing of this legislative proposal has raised questions.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán highlighted the planned measures during his annual review speech in February, shortly after Péter Magyar, president of the Tisza Party, threatened asset examinations against current political leaders and oligarchs as part of his 'Path to Prison' campaign.
Notably, Péter Magyar publicly disclosed his earnings from the past three years in July 2024, but this disclosure lacked the comprehensiveness of a full asset declaration, omitting details about property ownership, securities, or other assets.
If passed, this legislation would represent a further step toward enhancing the transparency of the financial situations of political officeholders in Hungary, extending existing national regulations to encompass Hungarian representatives operating at the European level.
Balázs Hidvéghi has articulated the necessity of this bill in a video, further suggesting that it may be vetoed in Brussels 'at Péter Magyar's request.'
The proposed law stipulates that MEPs would be required to submit asset declarations that mirror those required of national lawmakers in Hungary.
Under the terms of the draft legislation, asset declarations would need to be submitted by MEPs by the conclusion of the first plenary session of the European Parliament, or within 30 days following the validation of their parliamentary mandate.
Thereafter, they would be obligated to repeat this process annually.
Additionally, the bill includes a provision requiring the asset declarations of MEPs' family members to be made available on the website of the National Election Office.
A significant distinction, however, is that these family declarations would not be made public in the same manner as the MEPs' declarations.
Access to family members' documents would be restricted to members of the National Election Commission and would only be permitted if an investigation is initiated based on the MEP's asset declaration.
The timing of this legislative proposal has raised questions.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán highlighted the planned measures during his annual review speech in February, shortly after Péter Magyar, president of the Tisza Party, threatened asset examinations against current political leaders and oligarchs as part of his 'Path to Prison' campaign.
Notably, Péter Magyar publicly disclosed his earnings from the past three years in July 2024, but this disclosure lacked the comprehensiveness of a full asset declaration, omitting details about property ownership, securities, or other assets.
If passed, this legislation would represent a further step toward enhancing the transparency of the financial situations of political officeholders in Hungary, extending existing national regulations to encompass Hungarian representatives operating at the European level.
Balázs Hidvéghi has articulated the necessity of this bill in a video, further suggesting that it may be vetoed in Brussels 'at Péter Magyar's request.'
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