Hungary’s opposition, Fidesz, reports that prosecutors conducted a raid on an office containing servers
Hungary’s primary opposition party, Fidesz, reported that prosecutors conducted a raid on offices containing its internet servers on Tuesday, alleging that the new center-right government is attempting to disrupt its activities.
Prosecutors and the ruling Tisza party have not yet replied to emailed requests for comment. Prime Minister Peter Magyar expressed in a Facebook statement that he was “looking forward to information from the prosecutor’s office.”
In April, Hungary witnessed a significant shift as Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party was ousted in a landslide election victory, bringing an end to the nationalist party’s 16-year reign. Magyar pledged to reinstate democratic standards in Hungary, a nation that has often clashed with the European Union regarding matters like the rule of law, corruption, and minority rights.
However, since losing power, Fidesz has accused Tisza of authoritarian policies. “Prosecution investigators have arrived without prior notice at the center that hosts the Fidesz party’s servers with the intention of seizing the party’s entire communications system and databases,” Fidesz wrote on Facebook. ” There has been no precedent for this in Hungary since 1990, the end of communism,” it said, adding that it would “stand up against the Tisza Party’s aggressive tyranny.
Tisza refutes claims of adopting an authoritarian approach towards political adversaries. It has committed to reducing corruption, which it claims was widespread during Orban’s administration, as part of Tisza’s effort to reintegrate Hungary into the EU mainstream.
Orban has refuted the corruption allegations.
The Fidesz statement did not specify the location of the raid; however, prosecutors in the southern town of Bacs-Kiskun informed the news site 24. It was revealed that the action was connected to an investigation regarding “misappropriation and other criminal offenses” at the National Culture Fund (NKA).
They provided no additional information.
Earlier this year, authorities initiated criminal proceedings against several current and former officials regarding NKA grant decisions totaling over 17 billion forints ($53.91 million). Those involved refuted any allegations of misconduct.
Criminal proceedings commenced following allegations that the NKA funneled billions of forints in state grants to artists and organizations connected to Fidesz via a non-transparent allocation process.
