The Magical Nokia-box - part 20.

Why is the Nokia-box still talked about?

It seems to be that a part of the leading politicians ignore the fact that Balogh unsaid his testimony. The parties are still referring to the Nokia-box in front of the public. They must have some interest in doing so, since they are continuously trying to put either each other or the MSZP in an awkward position with it.

Did they attempt to raise the issue again closer to the campaign period?

As they did it before in 2010 during the parliamentary elections period and later the municipal elections period they raised the issue of the nokia box during the campaign period of the elections in 2014. The timing was planned well in advance: at the beginning of 2012 at the press conference following the reassignment of the suit to Kecskemét it was announced that the firs-instance verdict will be delivered in the peak of the campaign period, 2014.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 19.

Are there any cases related to Miklós Hagyó which were closed?

In spite of the obvious partiality four cases related to the Magic-box were closed. It was proved before the court that in the pre-trial detention Hagyó did not commit falsification of private documents related to his registered partner’s visits. Related to the lockup of his wealth the court decision was made in his favour. The investigation initiated based on the report made by the State Audit Office was dropped, furthermore the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg decided in Hagyó’s favor against the Hungarian state in connection with the conditions of his custody.

How many proceedings have been closed in favor of Hagyó?

Currently the BKV-case the legal state is 4:0 in favor of Hagyó since the investigation initiated based on the report made by the State Audit Office was dropped by the Prosecution Office. It means that in all the four cases the court decided in favor of Hagyó in spite of every effort made by the prosecution.

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.

Here is the list: policemen, prosecutors and judges proving their loyalty to Orban earn millions

A couple of days ago it was revealed that Zsolt Nagy, ex-investigator responsible for the Hagyó-case, earns a million per month at the BKV. However, he is not the only one who has been assigned a position of a competitive salary in return for their services and loyalty. Although, since then it has become obvious that - putting it slightly - they committed a bunch of “professional mistakes”.

The prosecution has failed to prove the charges against Hagyó and his co-defendants. Before the court the defendants and the witnesses talked about their earlier statements as given under coercion. Zsolt Balogh withdrew his story about the Nokia-boxes two and a half year ago. What is more, in March 2015 he publicly apologised to the ones who he had incriminated with his false statements. Finally, the prosecution also admitted that his story about the corrupt money cannot be proved with evidence. This, however, has not meant a hindrance to reward all the policemen, lawyers, prosecutors and judges acting according to the political interest.

The ex-investigator having been responsible for the Hagyó-case currently earns a million forints a month at the BKV.

A new name can be put on the list of the winners of the BKV-case: it has turned out that the then investigator responsible for the Hagyó-case earns millions as the deputy project director of the DBR Projekt Metró Board.

It has been reported several times that policemen, lawyers, prosecutors and judges acting according to the political interest have been all rewarded for their readiness – despite the fact that it was proved in many of the cases that they had made “professional mistakes”.

If it is up to the prosecutor, Hagyó will be never released

According to the prosecution authority in case of eight accused the charge of continuous breach of fiduciary duty through organized crime is factual therefore the prosecutor requested for their heavy prison sentence and the exclusion of their release on parole in his prosecutor speech.

In case of Miklós Hagyó, Attila Antal, Zsolt Balogh and Miklós Regőczi the fact that the sentence for engagement in organized crime was raised from 20 to 25 years has not only theoretical significance – said Prosecutor János Homonnai representing the Prosecution - when at the end of his prosecutor speech he itemized the charges against each accused and the sentences he is requesting for them after closing the prosecution’s case-in-chief at first instance. According to his opinion in case of Miklós Hagyó, Ernő Mesterházy, Attila Antal, Zsolt Balogh, Miklós R., Ottó L., Éva M.-H. and Miklós H dr. the charge of engagement in organized crime – threatening the accused with double sentence – and the act of causing continuous and extraordinary material loss are well-based.

Most of the accused are charged with aggravated breach of fiduciary duty – some of them are charged as offenders, some of them are charged as instigators and others as abettors. Besides, Miklós Hagyó is charged with two counts of abuse of authority and two counts of bribery committed as an executive official. Besides breach of fiduciary duty, Attila Antal, Zsolt Balogh and Miklós R. are charged with more counts of falsification of private documents, as well. The rest of the accused are also charged with breach of fiduciary duty and falsification of private documents without the fact of engagement in organized crime.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 17

Who are the main protagonists taking advantage of the case?

György Pető leading the investigation got the lead of both FKF and FBI. Ottó Halász conducting Hagyó’s interrogation became the deputy director of the security board of FKF. Gábor Tóth currently is the supervisor of a public security working group at the Municipality of Budapest, where he can work together with more of his ex colleagues and other police higher-ups. Iván Szabó was awarded with the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, Officer’s Cross, while Imre Keresztes was awarded with the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, Commander’s Cross. Prosecutor, György Győri became the chief-deputy prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office in district XI and XII. Mária Szívós thrives as constitutional court judge.

So the ones who performed major roles in blackening the BKV-case were rewarded?

Exactly. Police officers, lawyers, prosecutors and judges acting according to the related political interests were awarded, despite the fact that they had committed – gently saying -“professional mistakes”.