The Magical Nokia-box - part 23.

What are the expected consequences of the court decision?

I connection with the court decision considered to be “too lenient” the Fidesz wanted to call the judicature to account, however the high ranking representatives of the judicial power – involving Tünde Handó – have protested against it. The events took a dramatic turn when more judges making statements anonymously admitted that no independent judiciary exists in Hungary and the judges are exposed to the influence of their superiors. Definitely, this explains a lot in connection with the highly questionable decisions made in the BKV-case in the investigatory phase.

How did the MSZP turning their back on Hagyó react to the court decision?

After the court acquitted Hagyó of the most serious charges, the MSZP took the former socialist Deputy Lord Mayor under their protection. Better late than never, right? Well, since the story broke this was the first time that the socialist stood by their ex co-member having been dragged through the mire. Gergely Bárándy, the socialist vice-President of the legislative board stated that the charges were unfounded, they were lies. There was no Nokia-box, there was no corruption and there were no bribes. He also mentioned it more times that the Fidesz tries to increase their support by initiating show trials and unfortunately, they can always find people at the Prosecutor’s Office who are happily willing to provide assistance to the Fidesz with its methods associated with the “darkest dictatorships”. Gyurcsány referred to the Nokia-box as a smart marketing trick in an ATV program.

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.

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.

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 14

Why was the BKV lawsuit reassigned – twice – to Kecskemét?

The new Fundamental Law of Hungary granted Tünde Handó, president of the National Office for the Judiciary, the right to (re)assign the BKV-case to the Court of Kecskemét famous for giving unreasonably severe court decisions. According to the plans the judgement would be passed in the peak period of the campaign, 2014. The plan itself failed, however the BKV-case resulted in a “legal horror story”. Although the Constitutional Court stated that the reassignment of the case violated the law, the courts involved began passing the BKV-case to each other until it finally got back to Kecskemét again.

Was the possibility of the reassignment of lawsuits involved in the law because of the BKV-case?

Possibly, it was. The investigations in the BKV-case were already ongoing, when in 2011 the pro-government two-thirds of the parliament defined the term “case with high priority” in the Criminal Procedure Code. The related legislation made it possible that cases with high priority be assigned to a court by the responsible Prosecutor’s Office or referring to workload the president of the court could drop these cases. Since the Constitutional Court prevented that the Fidesz related Péter Polt, Chief Prosecutor, could assign the case to a court, another solution was produced.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 11

Was Hagyó accused of the nokia-boxes as well?

Yes, he was, but the accusation was unfounded and made long after Balogh’s testimony and Hagyó’s arrest. During his custody, he was not inquired about the nokia-boxes at all. Hagyó and Balogh were confronted on September 14, 2015. Hagyó stated that he has never received money from Balogh, however Balogh kept to his story and refused to answer to any questions. At that time, Balogh was already defended by István Szabó Dr., who was referred to as “the lawyer of the Fidesz” in the media.

When was Hagyó accused of the nokia-box?

He was accused of the box only on August 30, 2010 although Balogh made his first statement about the boxes in March. A whole season passed. Moreover, Hagyó was not inquired in relation with the boxes during his custody.

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 4

Who wins with the scandal?

The case came in handy to FIDESZ before the elections. They turned almost immediately to the Attorney General, 6 days after the scandal burst out. Everyone who may be familiar with the Hungarian political situation knew that BKV-case was very important with regard to the 2010 national elections. Hagyó resigned from BKV supervisory board in August, 2009. MSZP announced that they trust in the innocence of the Deputy Mayor but on the contrary they asked Hagyó in February, 2010 - in the middle of the election campaign - to resign from every title he had.

 If MSZP trust in Hagyó’s innocence, why did they have him resigned?

Knowing the position fights inside MSZP it is not surprising that the national management did everything possible to shrivel Hagyó from the fourth place of the regional list. They were insinuating and leaking in the press however they claimed Hagyó to resign only when it was published that two BKV managers took incriminating testimony against him.

The mafia charges of billions of forints have melted

In most cases because of the absence of crime police have terminated the criminal procedures initiated after the change of administration in 2010. stipulations of international treaties. In several cases the courts were unable to find proved the accusation of the existence of some kind of mafia entity. Tax payers are to bear the 100 billion Hungarian Forints which is contested in the lawsuit connected to Sukoro investment.

Miklós Hagyó former socialist Deputy Mayor was shocked when he saw himself in a picture in a FIDESZ campaign poster on the streets. In those posters he is not illustrated in a good manner at all. Although he has been retired for 4 years and he has no intention to return to the public life. Our newspaper went to what happened with those members of the public against whose criminal procedures were initiated – not exempted from political overtones – during 2009 and 2010. Which is the present status of these procedures, is there any decision in force, the accused are released or sentenced?

INDEMNITY

We were looking for Miklós Hagyó to take a statement about how he has lived through the past years, what lesson was stabbed from his position of Deputy Mayor, what he would do in another way and what is the truth about the alleged millions carried in a Nokia box. However – via his legal representative – he said that he does not intend to say a word. “Once you’re bitten by a snake you fear the lizard as well.” – reflected András Kádár attorney-at-law why his defendant rejects to comment. It is known from Hagyó that he lives secluded in the embrace of his family. After his arrest his physical condition was broken down, he lost 37 kg weight. Now he has been waiting for the end of the criminal proceedings regarding the BKV case. Miklós Hagyó was arrested on 14th new Parliament, almost at the same time when his former socialist party co-‘s took their oath. Although he had indicated – via his legal representative – to the authority weeks ago that it is his full intention to cooperate with them, special police force knocked on his house’s door. He opened the door then the special force pushed him against the wall, handcuffed and led him in the crossfire of the media. The video had been shown for weeks by the public media. Meanwhile Hagyó’s condition was getting worse and worse in the correctional institution, he spent more than 4 months in a guard house where the available space was 3,52 square meter per person, furniture included. Then he spent 4 months in another place where the ratio was 4,7 square meter per person. His lawyers wanted him to be placed to home guard however they also referred to and emphasized a procedural anomaly: the authorities failed to determine the real reason of the arrest. Also the European Court of Human Rights did not find everything fine since the Court judged EUR 20,000 indemnity in favor of Miklós Hagyó in 2013. As we know Hungary has already paid this amount to him. 

Hungary, An Election in Question, Part 5

This is the final post of a new series from my Princeton colleague Kim Lane Scheppele, head of Princeton’s Law and Public Affairs Program.

Hungary: An Election in Question
Part V: The Unequal Campaign
Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton
24 February 2014

Kim Lane Scheppele

Officially, the election campaign in Hungary starts 50 days before an election, so the race began in earnest on 15 February for the 6 April election. Once the campaign period starts in Hungary, special rules ensure that all parties are treated equally.

But as Anatole France once said, “In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets, and steal loaves of bread.”

We’ve already seen how the new system in Hungary was designed to push opposition parties into an uncomfortable alliance and to require they win by a substantial margin to win at all. And we’ve seen how the system of minority and foreign voting has opened the doors for Fidesz voters while closing them to those who would vote for opposition parties.

Not surprisingly, the rules for the campaign period itself also have a similar logic.

How Did Hungary’s Election Become a Circus?

By DANNY HAKIMMARCH 1, 2014


BUDAPEST — THE most visible poster on the streets here is not the one advertising the Deep Purple concert at the Papp Laszlo Sportarena. And it’s not the one for “Balkan Kobra,” a theatrical comedy featuring a stubbly hero sporting tight jeans and a Kalashnikov. And it’s definitely not the one for the Budapest Dance Festival.

Instead, it’s the one that shows three or four guys wearing neckties standing in a police lineup, alongside a clown. In one of the more ubiquitous versions of the poster, two of the men are former left-wing prime ministers of Hungary. A third is Attila Mesterhazy, president of the country’s Socialist Party and a current candidate for prime minister in the coming election in April. The fourth is Miklos Hagyo, the former left-wing deputy mayor of Budapest, who is currently the subject of a corruption trial.



An ad from a pro-ruling-party group features opposition politicians, a clown and the tag line “They Don’t Deserve Another Chance.” Credit Akos Stiller for The New York Times

The men, and the clown, appear above the slogan “They Don’t Deserve Another Chance.”

Given that political advertising has been sharply and abruptly curtailed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz Party, the pre-eminence of a political ad — on billboards, lampposts and the sides of buses — might seem surprising. But Fidesz, which has been widely criticized as taking Hungary in an autocratic direction since taking power in 2010, has become adept at controlling the message. It has rewritten the state’s Constitution, come to dominate all branches of government and held increasing sway over the news media. Meanwhile, according to the International Monetary Fund, Hungary’s economic output is not expected to return to 2008 levels until 2017.

Civil Unity Forum (CÖF) – flyer for almost 40 million

The smear „clown” campaign against the leaders of the opposition united leaders can be even 100 million forint for the CÖF-CÖKA organization which organized the Peace Marches. For the first wave the country was infested with huge billboards, and on the last week they started to spread their 16 pages colored publication in 4 million copies. 

This is shows the opposition leaders in the clown composition which is well known from the billboards. The cost of the campaign is covert by the CÖF-CÖKA. As they still debtor with the cost of the „They ruined the country together” action in the end of 2012 which is focused on Gyurcsány and Bajnai.




Lot of people march with the CÖF, but the supporter is little  PICTURE: ISTVÁN BIELIK


Because in the name of the „civilian” László Csizmadia answered to our paper for the question about their present cost he answered that „we don’t declare in this cases because we said it more times that we are settling and we can be settle”, the Népszava tried to guess the costs for the campaign books. It made us harder that the Hungarian Post Office Ltd. didn’t want to tell us the cost of the spread.

On their website according to their official rate is net 4,5 forint to allocate to the target the advertisement publications, which would mean gross 22,86 million forint, but the Post Office reported that this price is only available for the ”public senders”. (According to our information the Post Office asks from the parties a near tariff as the public senders tariff, which based on the amount in 2010 it got 3,5-4 million „campaign message” to the houses – the editor.) If the state company wouldn’t give a preference for the CÖF-CÖKA which is campaigning for the Fidesz then it would cost 14-16 million forints. 

The official people who works in the BKV case can get 10 years

The bill submitted by MSZP not long ago would punish official people with the possibility of 10 years imprisonment – that way also the prosecutors and the investigators working on the BKV case – who produce made-up evidences or if they participate in this action with malfeasant tools.





The defendants and witnesses involved in the BKV case during the hearing reported one after the other that they’ve made their previous testimonies which were incriminatory to others under humiliating circumstances, directionally, coercion interrogations as a result of the interrogating investigators’ and policemen’s threats.

Even Zsolt Balogh, the case’s key witness and at the same time defendant also admitted that the reason behind his incriminatory statements (for example about the Nokia box) during the election campaign was that he wanted to meet the expectations and to avoid jail. “I’m not a hero, I didn’t want anything else just to go home” – he confessed before the court.

"Mr.Miklós Hagyó greatly helped over the past two years."

The home artistic swimmers postponed the proposed extraordinary meeting aimed at nominating a new President within a week. On Thursday, Mr.Laszló Szimandl, the Hungarian synchronized swimming Association (MSZSZ) Secretary General told MTI, that the reason why he was setting the summit forum on February 20, was because by then, it might be possible to sort out the differences between them and get to solve the current upheaval, which meant the resignation of President Mr.Hagyó, a Members of the Presidency. The suggested successor was to be Imre Pesti , a Fidesz politician.


(Photo Source: index.hu)

In the wake of the BKV (Budapest Transportation commission) scandals, the deputy-Mayor was forced to leave office in January, then, in December, the Socialist politician renounced his social functions, leaving the post vacant. The Association continued its operations without a President, but could not really function well after that.

In the Wake of Strasbourg’s Decision, Hungary Awaits an Announcement from the Handó Hearing

Navigating the Hungarian judicial system seems a bit like finding a foothold. Last Tuesday the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) announced that the prosecutors and courts responsible for the pretrial incarceration of Miklós Hagyó had violated several of his basic rights established and protected by the European Convention on Human Rights.




This was excellent news for the entrenched former Deputy Mayor of Budapest and socialist Member of Parliament.

The European Court of Human Rights Declares Hungary Guilty!

Hagyó Wins in Strasbourg! Just this morning the Second Section of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, France delivered its decision on the case Hagyó vs Hungary. The court announced that it found the Hungarian judiciary guilty and thus in violation of all alleged charges. The official decision is here.



Hagyó, former Deputy Mayor of Budapest and Member of Parliament, lodged a complaint with the ECHR on September 6, 2010 regarding the circumstances of his pretrial detention.

HagyoMiklos.com Offers Documentary Facts

Miklós Hagyó’s digital presence has been expanding, which is great news considering it has come in the form of a few blogs and a website offering case-related documents.

 The website, hagyomiklos.com, has published information concerning much of his legal plight such as trial testimonies from Hagyó and other defendants.