Election campaign reload – The investigations in the „Nokia box case” has been relaunched

In their submission full of formal errors Appellate Chief Prosecution Office in Szeged requested the initiation of the full reinvestigation of the story of Nokia-box at the regional court. If accepted this would be the third time that the case was put under investigation although the defendants have been acquitted by two times.

In case reinvestigation is approved by the Szeged Regional Court of Appeal in the proceedings beginning in September, it would be the third time that Fidesz would get the opportunity to influence the parliamentary elections with the same story. It should not be at the suprise of the ones following the case that along with the submission a prize from Péter Polt has also been accepted by the Prosecutor of Szeged competent in the case.

In September Tünde Handó, at long last, might be home and dry with one of her first decisons made right after she took office in January, 2012. The „Hagyó-case” did land in Szeged as it had been planned by Handó from the very beginning. Despite the decision made by the Constitutional Courd and their clear opposition, in the proceedings started the second time the only destination of the case could be Szeged. Perhaps, at the attempt to understand the ’why’ it could be useful to know that Attila Harangozó – the only candidate for the position of President of Szeged Regional Court of Appeal and then appointed by Handó – at a press conference referred to the President of OBH as his employer and he described the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg as gentlamen’s club. After all, it should not be at our suprise that Péter Polt’s prosecutors in Szeged are eager to carry out their duties accordingly. And what are these duties exactly?

Former Synergon-executive rescued from the Hagyó-case has become the CEO of the MVMI Information Technologies Service Centre Ltd.

Although it is not reflected in the registry of companies, on their official webpage Márk Lazarovits is indicated as the CEO of the MVMI Information Technologies Service Centre Ltd. Lazarovits ran the Synergon Information Technology Plc. between 2007 and 2011. According to the prosecution’s narrative – which they failed to prove – Lazarovits had been supposed to hide the 15 million HUF in the Nokia-box meant to Hagyó.  

The prosecution’s narrative and the indictment were based on the testimony given by Zsolt Balogh, third defendant. However the testimony was withdrawn by Balogh, meaning that the case was dropped for the CEO of Synergon. It is important to note that for some reason the prosecution did not carry out any investigation into Lazarovits’s case and did not questioned him at all in the two and a half years passed between Balogh’s giving testimony incriminating Lazarovits and its being withdrawn.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 22.

What decision was given at first instance?

After the prosecution admitted that they had committed mistakes and the charges related to the Nokia-box had been dropped, Hagyó was imposed two-year suspended sentence. However, he was not found guilty in connection with the Nokia-box and the metro line 4, furthermore the charge of being involved in criminal organization was also dropped. Since the ex Deputy Lord Mayor is still pleading his innocence the responsible defence lawyers have appealed the decision and the case goes to the court of second instance.

What were the antecedents of the decision?

The last witness was heard in September, 2015 in the BKV case. However, even after the case took more unexpected turns. In the last moment the prosecution amended the indictment again basically eliminating the count related to the Nokia-box.

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 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.

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 16

When did it turn out that the story of the Nokia-boxes is not more than a legend?

On October 9, 2012 the story took an unexpected turn: during his court hearing Zsolt Balogh unsaid his statements on the Nokia-boxes. He was called by Judge Ibolya Hadnagy to declare if he keeps his investigatory testimony. Balogh said that he keeps the one given before the court. About his significantly different investigatory testimony read out by the judge he said he had stated incriminatory things in it in order to meet the needs expressed by the prosecution and avoid prison: “I am not a hero. I did not want anything else just to go home.” Later, in March 2015 he completely withdrew the story of the Nokia-box and he apologized to Hagyó spending nine months in custody for his earlier false statements on him. Finally, the prosecution did drop the related investigation, admitting that the statements on the Nokia-box cannot be supported with evidence.

Why is it particularly significant that Balogh unsaid his testimony?

Because the whole Nokia-box scandal developed from his statements. Among others, this is how the story about the bribes delivered to Miklós Hagyó, former Deputy Lord Mayor, on several occasions by Balogh got around. The indictment of the BKV-case also based on these statements just like the two counts against Hagyó.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 15

Did Miklós Hagyó admit the charges against him?

The moment when Miklós Hagyó gave his testimony before the Court of Kecskemét was waited for impatiently by the media and the public as well. In his testimony Hagyó rejected the charges brought against him including the Nokia-box related statements. Moreover he drew the attention of the court to more inaccuracies in the indictment. In the indictment more dates are inexact and it was compiled without questioning him or other executives involved in the case about the Nokia-boxes during their pre-trial detentions.

Why did not the indictment fulfil the formal requirements?

The crime of bribery and blackmail described in Count II of the indictment is too general; also it fails to refer to the exact location and time of the delivery, in other word the situational elements necessary for the concretization are missing from the document. Therefore the charges against Miklós Hagyó which are related to the Nokia-box do not fulfil completely the requirements of the legal criminal procedure, which would ensure that the prosecution be brought only based on proven and concrete facts of the case filed accordingly in the Indictment. However, there are issues concerning the provability of the indictment, as the interrogatees reported the influence of the investigatory statements.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 13

Did also the indictment contain the Nokia-boxes?

At the beginning of 2012 the prosecution was brought. The Nokia-box count was based on exclusively and solely Zsolt Balogh’s contradictory statements. The indictment of course contains the case of the Nokia-boxes, however interestingly the Nokia-boxes themselves are not mentioned. In the indictment issued carelessly and inaccurately has a reference only to the 15-15 million forints which was delivered to Hagyó on a yearly basis. Any other details on the location, the time or other circumstances are not mentioned in it. The term „Nokia-box” does not occur in the text at all.

What does the indictment exactly say about the Nokia-box?

Literally the following:

Miklós Hagyó, first accused, as the Deputy Lord Mayor of Urban Management and Asset Management of the Budapest Municipality, abusing his official position in March 2008 instructed Zsolt József Balogh, fourth accused, as the Chief Executive Officer of the BKV to deliver 15 million forints to him on a yearly basis.

The Prosecutor’s Office also has disbelief in the story of the Nokia-box.

At the trial of the BKV-case on Tuesday, the prosecution also arrived at the conclusion that the main count against Miklós Hagyó – the receipt of the bribes hidden in the Nokia-box - could not be substantiated any more after the only incriminatory testimony had been unsaid before the court. Interestingly, the prosecution initiated the related investigation only after bringing charges against the former Deputy Lord Mayor of MSZP.

The most serious count of the indictment against Miklós Hagyó, former Deputy Lord Mayor of MSZP, seems to be refuted in the lawsuit heard at the Court of Kecskemét.

The count against Hagyó was based on Zsolt Balogh’s, former Chief Executive Officer of the BKV’s, contradictory statements made earlier during the investigatory phase. 

The statements made on the bribes delivered in the Nokia-box and becoming well-known in 2010 were unsaid by Balogh during an earlier phase of the lawsuit in 2012. This year he asked Hagyó for his apologize at the trial, furthermore he claimed: he had never delivered money to Hagyó, either in a Nokia-box or any other way. On Tuesday at the trial the prosecution admitted that the statements on the Nokia-box could not be proved.

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 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…”

The Magical Nokia-box - part 7

Did the BRFK proceed correctly in the BKV case?

During the trial of the BKV case the accused claimed one by one that their testimonies  - incriminating both themselves and the other accused, primarily Hagyó – were given under coercion. Some of the accused called the procedure a show-trial, others simply described the incident as a political showdown.

Does it mean that before the court the accused and the witnesses gave different testimonies from the ones they had given to the investigators?

Yes, it does. What is more, the testimonies heard at the trial in Kecskemét are in a sharp conflict with the ones given in the investigation period. The vast majority of the main defendants and witnesses unsaid their testimonies given in the investigation period and they gave a new testimony before the court. The testimonies incriminating others were stated to have been given as a result of police threat, in exchange for their release, under humiliating circumstances, furthermore they had been given under direction and coercion.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 2

How did the money jump into the Magic box?

Nokia box is magical because every time the money jumped into it in different ways. Firstly Balogh accused Synergon that the company paid royalty to Hagyó and he gave over the half of the 30 Million HUF bribe – of course in a Nokia box. However he stated to the press that the money was put together by managers of different companies which were close to BKV. It was not just the source of the money but the circumstances were also magically different. He took over once in a garage, in a car in another time and once he saw the content of the Box or who knows.

Then from where did the money come due to Balogh? 

One of the most magical characters of the Nokia box is that the money jumped into it every time in different ways. In his first interview to Magyar Nemzet daily on March 6, 2010 he said that BKV managers put together the money when they knew the time when Balogh delivers. This contradicts to his first testimony on February 24, 2010 when he confessed that the 2*15 Million HUF came from Synergon since the company allegedly paid royalty to Hagyó in order to win the software license tender.

The Magical Nokia-box - part 1.

Origins of the Magic box

The Magic box opened like Pandora’s Box: Zsolt Balogh former general manager of BKV started to talk about Nokia boxes filled with 15 Million HUF in February, 2010, which he had to give over Miklós Hagyó Deputy Mayor. He had repeated this story during the investigative phase of the BKV-case but later he withdrew it in the judicial phase. 168 Óra weekly indicated Balogh with “Nokia man” attributive in September, 2009 with which it predicted the script of the BKV-case.

Miklós Hagyó

How many Nokia boxes existed according to Balogh?

Due to Balogh’s allegation he had to give over 15 Million HUF to Hagyó twice a year. For the first time the one who allegedly possessed the money sent the general manager directly to Hagyó. The handover process was justified by Hagyó in the middle of the Hévíz-lake. Then Balogh gave over the other 15 Million personally to Hagyó in a Nokia box – allegedly.

The legend of the nokia-box and the pure truth - part 5

A news came to light in the Hungarian media in March 2010 which shocked the whole country. This served the proof to the ones who criticize the Gyurcsány-government that the socialist-liberal administration is rotten to the core. This prejudice has been created successfully by the right-wing media.

Contradictions in the confessions of the accused of IV order

Before proceeding to the contradictions among the confessions of Zsolt Balogh I would like to draw the reader’s attention to an interesting event of the investigation. Before the arrest of Miklós Hagyó he indicated to the investigating authority on 11th May 2010 that he shall be at their disposal, he lives in his residency and gave all of his availabilities. In spite of this the police failed to interrogate Hagyó before his arrest of 14th May 2010.

Zsolt Balogh also offered his testimony to the investigating authority in the first half of October 2009 howver he was interrogation only in February 2010 firstly as witness and then as a suspect as stated in the letter dated on 8th April 2011 and addressed to the K.D. Marshall.

The legend of the Nokia-box and the pure truth - part 4

A news came to light in the Hungarian media in March 2010 which shocked the whole country. This served the proof to the ones who criticize the Gyurcsány-government that the socialist-liberal administration is rotten to the core. This prejudice has been created successfully by the right-wing media.

Zsolt Balogh

An internal investigation at the BKV- An unused documentary evidence

Zsolt Balogh made his statement on 24th February 2010 at a police station in connection with the II point of the indictment as follows: BKV concluded an agreement in the summer or spring of 2008 with Synergon Nyrt. being the winner in the central procurement in order to supply Microsoft software.

The legend of the Nokia-box and the pure truth - part 3

A news came to light in the Hungarian media in March 2010 which shocked the whole country. This served the proof to the ones who criticize the Gyurcsány-government that the socialist-liberal administration is rotten to the core. This prejudice has been created successfully by the right-wing media.

The indictment was characterized in the article of HVG journal as “carelessly supported political pamphlet” since you cannot find a single document from the tens of thousands of pages which could support the accusation of crimes committed in criminal organization. There is not a slightest evidence or circumstance beside the preamble of the indictment that would lead to the allegation of some Mob-crime. the journalist writes an example that due to the standpoint of the indictment “Ernő Mesterházy mediates  the interests of the companies connected to the Lord Mayor toward BKV”. The method of how he did, who are the circles of Demszky (Lord Mayor at that time) and the prosecutor did not initiate the interrogation of Demszky Gábor as witness. There are only three crimes with which the prosecutor accuses Hagyó out of the fifty ones listed in the indictment. The evidences are mostly attestations by witnesses which are rarely incriminating. For instance János Pálocska – a company owner connected to BKV – based his attestation on rumors, second-hand information.

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.

BKV case: Hagyó didn’t wriggled necks

The transportation company’s technological deputy CEO on his hearing as a witness, farther refiner his incriminatory statements against Hagyó Miklós, former deputy lord mayor, who is the main defendant of the BKV case.



On the Kecskemét Tribunal Takács Péter’s testimony as a witness what he started on Tuesday and continued on Thursday, it still mostly reflected his subjective opinion.

For example it turned out that he didn’t mean that „Hagyó Miklós wriggled Balog Zsolt’s (former CEO of the BKV) neck” as word for word, he meant it indirectly.