Fraud claims rock Hungarian Red Cross

Hungary's most high-profile charity organization is currently the subject of one of the country's most high-profile public scandals, following charges by the outgoing head of the Hungarian Red Cross' (Magyar Vöröskereszt) that the group is mired in corruption. According to a recent report in Hungarian weekly HVG - an English translation of which can be read here - Ágnes Czimbalmos may have been sacked after just six months in her post because of her efforts to uncover and clean up fraud at the organization.

"After my appointment, I learned of several matters that were damaging the HRC. There was tax fraud, there were fraudulent contracts and illegal activities," HVG quoted Czimbalmos as saying in a document submitted to the group's directors.

She also submitted information to the National Audit Office (ÁSZ) and the State Tax Office (APEH) detailing her charges.

The same board of directors then voted in favor of summarily dismissing Czimbalmos.

Among the irregularities that Czimbalmos apparently uncovered were the unknown state of donations the group collected to aid victims of the Asian tsunami in 2004, as well as the fact that the organization had been working without a proper budget for the previous year.

Czimbalmos alleged that upwards of Ft 100 million (€425,000) remains unaccounted for.

Before taking up the top post at the organization, Czimbalmos was previous its deputy head, and in an interview with Caboodle.hu in October said that encouraging Hungarian to quit smoking would be among her top priorities as director.

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