The Magical Nokia-box - part 18.

Is the public media biased towards the BKV-case?

The government of Fidesz passed the new press and media act. In the Media Council established under the new act there is no a single member who could be supposed to be in favour of the independent press. Although, it is the main responsibility of the MTI to provide the press with the latest and objective news, in the communication having been provided by them in relation to the BKV-case important bits of information have been lost. In most of their reports the focus is more on the details of the older testimonies which have already been unsaid in most of the cases. At many points they have penned briefly and ambiguously, furthermore their titles have not reflected accurately the events took place during the trials.

Has the public media given up being independent?

The new press and media act issued by the government of Fidesz and the omnipotent Media Council elected for 9 years provide this impression. Since its being passed the act has been heavily and justifiably criticised both at a nationwide and an international level. Negative opinions have been expressed worldwide on the current status of the Hungarian democracy and “freedom” of the Hungarian media by the leading newspapers, diplomats and political organizations.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 12

Did the Nokia-box case influence the municipality elections?

Of course, it did – Hagyó was suspected of the Nokia-boxes five week before the municipality elections. This was also the time when the records on the confrontation leaked out, which brought back the same public mood as before parliamentary elections. In fall – just like previously in spring before the parliamentary elections - the Nokia-box became a campaign topic again. Beginning a new wave of their attacks they used the BKV-severance pays as weapons. Later more socialist politicians were charged. The then mainly liberal and socialist Budapest failed. Although it has been revealed that the Nokia-box charges are false, the truth cannot change the results of the elections.

When and how did the record on Balogh and Hagyó’s confrontation leak out?

Again the timing of the right wing was careful and precise. The record on the police confrontation came to light during the campaign period of the elections. And although it is obvious it should be pointed out that the Magyar Nemzet did publish it under the following title “I live in fear of death by you, Miklós!”. Of course, the fact that the BKV-case was picked up again might have influenced the municipality elections as it might have done the parliamentary elections.

The prosecutor getting Hagyó into custody is also one of Tarlós’s chief advisors

The former prosecutor who succeeded to have the former Deputy Lord Mayor of MSZP in custody appears on the list of Tarlós’s advisors by the name of her husband’s with a monthly salary of 850 thousand forints. Former counter intelligence agents and police officers involved in the BKV-case are employed by the capital city, as well.

One of the Lord Mayor’s most well-paid chief advisors is Péter Ottóné Szabadvári dr. The lawyer currently using his husband’s name at the City Hall worked as prosecutor by the name of Katalin Vámos: she was involved not only in the Hagyó-case but also in proceedings against more executives in Budapest. Her name also appears in cases of breach of state-secrets and in the cases in connection with the UD Ltd. She is not the only one who took a role in these cases and became employed by the capital after Tarlós had been elected.

The former prosecutor can be hardly recognized

On the salary list published by the Origo a couple of weeks ago the most well-paid advisor in the 14-member advisory team appears by the name of her husband, Péter Ottóné Szabadvári dr. The chief advisor working as special referee for a monthly salary of 850 thousand forints was identified by the Origo as the former prosecutor who had played an important role in the Hagyó-case.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 9

How did the Nokia-box effect the parliamentary elections?

The smear campaign against Hagyó had significant role in the two-thirds victory. The new Fidesz-led government appointed Tünde Handó as the president of the National Office for the Judiciary, Péter Polt as the Chief Prosecutor of Hungary, Mária Szívós as signatory judge, furthermore they established their authority over the media with the help of the media law. As the Nokia-box had an influence on the election, the election also had an effect on the Nokia-box case, as the above mentioned appointees played a significant role in the progress of the BKV- and Hagyó-case.

Thanks to the Nokia-box legend has the left-party been associated with corruption?

Yes, it has. After Zsolt Balogh’s statement the whole nation was shocked. At the time of the 2010’s election the Nokia-box became the symbol of corruption in the public awareness. The idea of a corrupt, left-liberal and rotten government developed by the right-party related media seemed to be proved for people criticizing the Gyurcsány-government. As a result of the smear campaign the left-party not only lost the elections, but Fidesz was able to obtain the two-thirds majority.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 8

How did the press pick up the story of the „Nokia-box”?

One month before the parliamentary elections Zsolt Balogh begun to give interviews about the Noki-box, but only to the right –party related media. First, in the Magyar Nemzet, later on the Hír-TV the smear campaign continued. The Nokia-box, however, became more and more magic, since the former Chief Executive Officer’s statements on the exact source of the money and the circumstances of the delivery itself were changing day by day. These contradictions were never spotted by the investigators, although they were the only one aware of all the versions of the same story. For the audience only the official statements were available. By this time Balogh’s incriminatory statements were considered to be facts.

When was the first time when Zsolt Balogh talked about the Nokia-box?

The first “out-coming” took place one month before the parliamentary elections. 6 March 2010 the full interview done by the righ-party media appeared in the Magyar Nemzet with the title “I handed over the money to Hagyó in a Nokia-box…”

BKV case: the prosecution quipped to the Népszava

BKV case: the prosecution quipped to the Népszava

The prosecution disapproved the latest report of the Népszava on the Thursday’s hearing of the Hagyó case on the Kecskemét Tribune. We wrote that on the hearing of the former BKV leader who gave opinions about the contracts what were signed at the time of the main defendant of the case, Hagyó Miklós (former deputy lord mayor), it turned out that the witness of the prosecution agreed her testimony with the present leader of communication at the BKV.

We also reported that the prosecution made the witness to give back the glucose (candy) what she got from Hagyó Miklós, because according to the prosecution it can be suitable to have the “sympathy pique” of the witness.

According to the prosecution the published article which came out during the break of the hearing could influence the witness with the comments of our article what they criticized and the similar phenomenon’s can effect in the future that the witnesses will pick their words. However the defendants – from them occasionally Hagyó – continually communicate, they socialize/touch with the reporters who are in the hearing, the prosecution thinks that behind the writing which can influence the witnesses is „Hagyó’s impact”.

Kádár András, the lawyer of Hagyó Miklós on the hearing indicated that he feels a twin standard in the observation of the prosecution. „They labeled my protégée as the number one public enemy, they outraged him in the nation media, but in that time they didn’t take the stand” – drafted the lawyer.

Kádár also remembered, that the character of the Népszava report, whom the prosecution disapproved of, the BKV leader who was heard as a witness wanted to be in the media herself, because she signaled in the crossfire of the cameras and of the photographers that they can make pictures and sound recording of her and she allows the usage of the records. 

The BKV case after the interact, continued with the hearing of the witnesses about what henceforward we will report – without bias, according to the letters of the records what is available on the internet (www.hagyomiklos.com). 

On Thursday’s hearing on the court they heard 3 leaders of companies what were signed for BKV’s PR communication tasks. According to the indictment the contracts were unneeded and unsubstantiated. After the Népszava, the prosecution had to hang up in their witnesses too, because according to them the BKV was unable to do it by itself, as the indictment said.

Népszava-information

Source: http://www.nepszava.hu/articles/article.php?id=629894