The Hagyó-case: according to the Prosecutor General it was not legally established to interrogate Demszky - atv.hu

It was not legally established to interrogate Gábor Demszky, former Lord Mayor, in relation to the so called BKV-lawsuit against Miklós Hagyó, former socialist Deputy Lord Mayor, and his co-defendants - said Imre Keresztes, the Chief Prosecutor of the High Prosecutor’s Office of Central Investigations at the press conference taking place on Monday.

The journalists present pointed out that it is a case in which the authorities investigated the responsibility of the Deputy Lord Mayor and Demszky’s former inferiors and the abuses taking place in a company of the capital. 

The Fidesz is excited, the party is attacking the judges - hvg.hu

It got a rise out of the Fidesz that there is no culprit in the red mud disaster and only suspended sentence was passed on Miklós Hagyó. According to the Fidesz the judicial independence is nothing more than liberalism.

Szilárd Németh, Fidesz-related member of the parliament announced that the party initiates discussion in the legal committee of the Parliament on the jurisdiction in relation to the decisions made by the responsible court in the Hagyó-case and in the case of the red mud disaster.

MSZP: The Fidesz feeds the media with show trials - nepszava.hu

According to the MSZP the Fidesz is trying to increase their support by initiating show proceedings and they can find people at the Prosecutor’s Office who are happily willing to provide assistance to the Fidesz with their methods associated with the “darkest dictatorships”.

Gergely Bárándy, vice-president of the socialist legislative board of the Parliament stated: during the criminal procedure brought against Miklós Hagyó, former socialist Deputy Lord Mayor, and his co-defendants, it turned out that the charges were groundless lies. There was no Nokia-box, there were neither bribes nor corruption. Those who have provided assistance with the show trial were rewarded: for example the prosecutor bringing charges against Miklós Hagyó became István Tarlós’s, Lord Mayor’s chief advisor.

Hagyó finally does not need to go to prison – here is the court decision - nepszava.hu

Hagyó, ex socialist Deputy Lord Mayor, was sentenced to tow-year imprisonment suspended for four years for abuse of authority and breach of fiduciary duty as inciter by the Court of Kecskemét at first instance on Tuesday. The charge of bribery, however, was dropped.

The charge against Ernő Mesterházy (ex political chief advisor of the Lord Mayor), second accused, was dropped by the judicature presiding by Ibolya Hadnagy. According to the explanation of their decision in his case only one act of incitement without result could be established.

It was a lie, however it contributed to the two-third - atv.hu

According to the lawyer of Miklós Hagyó, ex-Deputy Lord Mayor of the socialist party - having been sentenced to suspended imprisonment – there is a direct twofold connection between the Nokia-box, the memento of the BKV-scandal reaching its peak during the parliamentary election period in 2010 and the win of the currently governing parties with two-third majority. According to the election expert answering to our questions the corruption case did contribute to the uncertain voters’ deciding for the right-wing.

Based on the sentence passed by the court of first instance at the beginning of the week none of the accused in the Hagyó-case has to go to prison, what is more some of them are entitled to bring an action for damages. Three of the four charges against the first accused, former Deputy Lord Mayor, have been dismissed by the court. However, for abuse of authority and breach of fiduciary duty he has been sentenced to tow-year imprisonment suspended for four years.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 21.

Why is the work of prosecution questionable?

The BKV-case is a good example of how successfully can the prosecution, the police and the court work together when the political interest requires so. One of the most important roles was performed by prosecutor Szabadváriné Dr., the chief of the Department of Special Investigation. It can be hardly considered to be correct that the first highly illegal arrests and interrogations in relation with the investigation took place with her approval – just as the fact that later she was awarded for this by Tarlós. Not to mention that the charges related to the Nokia-boxes were dealt with unexceptional attention and priority – often ignoring the related processes. The investigation in the case of the well indicated bribery was launched after Balogh unsaid his testimony. Until that time it was considered as a charge supported by one single person’s statements.

Who did initiate the prosecution in the BKV-case?

The scandal around the severance pays paid by BKV broke in 2009, not much before the parliamentary elections. The Fidesz, of course, abused the situation and they were continuously attacking the coalition leading the capital. The first charges were made by the future lord mayor as the representative of the party. István Tarlós turned to the prosecutor’s office in connection with the above mentioned severance pays on July 29, 2015.

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.