Hungary’s Parliament is set to deliberate on Monday whether to revoke the immunity of two former ministers amid ongoing high-profile corruption investigations. This marks a significant step in the government’s broader anti-corruption initiative, led by the newly launched National Asset Recovery and Protection Office.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar has described these proceedings as part of “Operation Purgatory,” an effort his administration claims will intensify the fight against corruption. The asset recovery office, established in 2026, is tasked with tracing and recovering public assets suspected of being unlawfully taken from state ownership. Its jurisdiction covers areas such as public procurement, state subsidies, concessions, European Union funds, and state-owned enterprises.
The two former ministers facing scrutiny are Balázs Hankó and Miklós Seszták. Hankó is under investigation for alleged irregularities related to the National Cultural Fund, while Seszták is embroiled in a separate case concerning Volánbusz, a major public transportation company. Both have denied any wrongdoing, and neither has been convicted at this stage.
In addition to these cases, Parliament will also review immunity matters involving Prime Minister Péter Magyar himself and Member of Parliament Mária Gurzó. Magyar, who has been an advocate for institutional reforms, has linked the establishment of the asset recovery office to his administration’s broader anti-corruption agenda. However, the office has yet to announce which specific cases it will prioritize in its investigations.