Hungary’s Parliament is set to deliberate on Monday whether to revoke the immunity of two former ministers, Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták, as part of an ongoing effort to combat corruption. This development comes as the newly created National Asset Recovery and Protection Office embarks on several significant corruption investigations. Established in 2026, the office is tasked with tracing, protecting, and recovering public assets that may have been unlawfully removed from state ownership.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar emphasized that these proceedings signify a new phase in his administration’s anti-corruption initiative, “Operation Purgatory.” The asset recovery office has broad authority to scrutinize issues involving public procurement, state subsidies, concessions, European Union funds, and state-owned enterprises. It possesses the capability to conduct investigations and represent public prosecution in court cases.
The former ministers are implicated in separate investigations: Hankó’s case is connected to the National Cultural Fund, while Seszták is associated with a matter concerning Volánbusz. Both politicians have denied any wrongdoing, and no convictions have been reported to date.
In addition to the cases involving Hankó and Seszták, the Hungarian Parliament is expected to review immunity matters concerning Prime Minister Péter Magyar himself and MP Mária Gurzó. Magyar has linked the activities of the asset recovery office to his broader agenda of institutional and anti-corruption reforms.
While the asset recovery office has not yet disclosed which specific cases it will prioritize for formal investigation, its establishment marks a pivotal step in Hungary’s efforts to address corruption and ensure the integrity of public resources.