OMM Newsroom
Hungarian authorities have found cash worth about $19.5 million hidden in buildings and forests as part of a bribery investigation involving Miklos Sesztak, a minister under former Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Investigators uncovered large sums during two days of searches in remote parts of Hungary, the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH) said Friday, according to AnewZ.
The money had been buried in a forest, hidden in farm buildings, warehouses and homes, and kept in a high-value safe. The searches turned up 5.07 billion Hungarian forints ($15.33 million), 2.66 million euros ($2.93 million) and $1.26 million. The funds were handed over to Hungary’s State Treasury.
Finance Minister Andras Karman said 12 treasury employees counted the banknotes over eight hours using five counting machines.
Former minister accused of taking bribes
Sesztak served as Orban’s minister for national development from 2014 to 2018. He is accused of taking bribes in a scheme that also involved a state transport company. Sesztak denies wrongdoing.
The investigation is part of a broad anti-corruption campaign launched by Prime Minister Peter Magyar. Magyar defeated Orban in the April election, ending his 16 years in power.
Magyar has called the campaign “Operation Cleanup.” He has pledged to investigate corruption allegations from the previous government and restore Hungary’s relations with the European Union.
After the money was found, Magyar said the discovery marked the end of a “mafia” he linked to Orban’s Fidesz party and its Christian Democrat allies. In a social media post, he shared footage of treasury employees counting the cash and called Orban an “overthrown mafia boss” and Fidesz a criminal organization. The post was dated Nov. 13.
The anti-corruption campaign has also led to the arrests of other senior officials from Orban’s government, including another former minister and former Central Bank chief Gyorgy Matolcsy. All have denied the charges against them.
Earlier this week, Hungarian authorities detained Orban’s younger brother and three other people in a separate human trafficking investigation. The former prime minister called the move political revenge and accused the government of trying to eliminate political opponents.
Support for Fidesz declines
The investigations come as support for Orban’s Fidesz party has dropped sharply. A Median poll published in November found that 16% of voters supported the party, about half its level before the April election.
Political analyst Gabor Torok said images of the cash discovery could further damage the party’s standing. Another Median poll published by Hungarian news website HVG found that 70% of respondents consider Magyar’s anti-corruption campaign very important.
The latest findings were announced as Magyar’s government continues to investigate allegations of financial misconduct under the previous administration. Orban has said the investigations are politically motivated.
