Hungary creates authority to pursue alleged assets linked to Orbán era
The National Asset Recovery Authority will investigate public funds, property and state assets allegedly diverted since Viktor Orbán returned to power in 2010.
Hungary’s new government has established a National Asset Recovery Authority to investigate and recover public funds and assets allegedly directed to Viktor Orbán’s family, allies, oligarchs and alleged frontmen during his time in power.
The authority, established at the end of July, will examine the flow of public funds, the use of real estate and the future management of state assets. It has policing and prosecutorial powers and is accountable to parliament.
Political scientist Anna Unger has been appointed to lead the body after being selected from almost 100 applicants. She will work with four deputies, including prosecutor Katalin Tasnády, who has around two decades of criminal law experience.
The investigations are expected to focus primarily on the period since 2010, when Orbán returned to power. Prime Minister Peter Magyar and his Tisza party campaigned on recovering assets associated with the former government, with Magyar citing an alleged total of about €60 billion. Other estimates reportedly place the figure as high as three times that amount.
Unger has cautioned that legally binding verdicts in major corruption cases may not be secured during the authority’s first six-year term. The authority has yet to report investigation or recovery results, while its independence and legal basis are likely to face political scrutiny. Deutsche Welle reported that its performance could affect public trust in Magyar and the Tisza party.
