Hungarian authorities detained Balázs Hankó, former Minister of Culture and Innovation, and Miklós Seszták, former Minister of National Development, on September 28, 2026, following a parliamentary vote to strip both lawmakers of their legislative immunity. The arrests mark the first criminal proceedings against high-ranking figures from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year administration, stemming from separate investigations into public fund misuse and bribery totaling tens of millions of dollars.
Parliamentary Vote Strips Immunity as Fidesz Boycots Proceedings
The National Assembly voted 139 to zero to lift the parliamentary immunity of both Hankó and Seszták, opening the path for the prosecutor’s office to pursue criminal charges. Representatives from Viktor Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party and its coalition partner, the Christian Democratic People’s Party (KDNP), boycotted the parliamentary session. Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s newly established anti-corruption structure announced its first four investigations on September 28, targeting alleged public fund abuses from the prior government.
Culture Fund Investigation Targets Balázs Hankó
Balázs Hankó, who served as culture and innovation minister and currently holds a seat as a Fidesz lawmaker, faces accusations of misusing approximately 17.3 billion Hungarian forints—roughly 53.6 million dollars—from the National Cultural Fund. According to investigators, officials diverted funds meant for cultural projects in violation of established rules, with a portion allegedly redirected toward Fidesz political activities ahead of the April 2026 elections. Hankó rejected the allegations, stating he has nothing to hide, and was placed in custody following a formal summons.
Bribery Probe Involves Miklós Seszták in State Contracts
Miklós Seszták, who served as Minister of National Development between 2014 and 2018, was detained during a separate investigation into alleged bribe-taking and illegal commissions exceeding 12 billion forints, or about 37 million dollars. Prosecutors presented evidence to parliament linking Seszták to suspected irregularities in public procurement and supply contracts for the state-owned bus company Volánbusz, alongside other state construction contracts. Seszták, a KDNP lawmaker allied with Fidesz, denies any wrongdoing and turned himself in voluntarily to the Central Investigative Prosecutor’s Office, where authorities subsequently detained him.
Magyar Government Pursues Anti-Corruption Campaign Following Election Victory
The arrests form part of a broader anti-corruption initiative spearheaded by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, whose Tisza party secured a decisive victory in the April 2026 parliamentary elections. Magyar stated ahead of the operations that the “landing phase” of the anti-corruption drive had begun, promising that corrupt politicians would face investigators to fulfill the new administration’s pledge of accountability. Magyar previously asserted that corruption and misuse of public funds under successive Orbán governments cost Hungary between 8% and 10% of its GDP. Meanwhile, Fidesz and the KDNP denounced the actions against the former ministers as political persecution, while the government maintained that investigations must proceed independently of past political office.
Parliament Lifts Magyar’s Immunity Over Nightclub Incident
In a parallel development, the Hungarian parliament also voted to lift the immunity of Prime Minister Péter Magyar regarding a separate 2024 incident. Magyar requested the removal of his own immunity to clear his name against what he termed an “smear campaign.” The case involves allegations that Magyar grabbed a man’s smartphone in a nightclub and threw it into the Danube River, generating a 300-euro compensation claim. Magyar denied that his actions constituted theft, dismissed the case as a “farce,” and criticized prosecutors for conflating the corruption probes into his predecessors with a political character assassination attempt.
Detained former ministers face multi-billion forint corruption investigations
Who are the detained former ministers?
Balázs Hankó, former Minister of Culture and Innovation, and Miklós Seszták, former Minister of National Development, were detained following parliamentary votes to strip their immunity.
What are the specific financial amounts involved in the investigations?
Prosecutors are investigating approximately 17.3 billion forints (about $53.6 million) linked to the National Cultural Fund under Hankó, and over 12 billion forints (about $37 million) in suspected bribes and procurement irregularities linked to Seszták.
Did the officials respond to the allegations?
Yes. Both Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták have denied any wrongdoing and rejected the charges against them.
Why was Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s immunity also lifted?
Parliament lifted Magyar’s immunity at his own request regarding a 2024 nightclub incident where he allegedly threw a man’s phone into the Danube River during a dispute over filming.