Hungarian news television airs tape of back-room deal

Right-wing television station HírTV on Wednesday evening screened a recording from last year suggesting the theft of part of a Ft 225 million fund awarded for the construction of a swimming pool and other amenities.

Kossuth Rádió at midnight quoted Tibor Ferenc Vince, the independent mayor of Döge, Szabolcs county, denying HírTV's allegations that he is shown in the recording talking to a construction entrepreneur. The right-wing channel claims that his voice is heard mentioning that six local authority members can help him receive another subsidy for the project in exchange for a Ft 20 million backhander, and that the entrepreneur had previously paid him an Ft 8 million sweetener. The construction company ultimately was not granted the subsidy, and went bankrupt. The Nyíregyháza Investigative Prosecutor General's Office has launched proceedings on suspicion of bribery committed by an official.

Local Governments and Regional Development Minister Gordon Bajnai said "the responsibility of the government cannot be raised as it was not the institution responsible for allocating EU funds in question," but added that an investigation has been launched to check the related invoices.

Fidesz deputy chairman Mihály Varga said the corruption case of the mayor, who was supported by Fidesz, is a Socialist theft, as the independent politician "crossed over to the other side."

The above story is just one of more than two dozen published today by Hungary Around the Clock, the most comprehensive source of daily English-language news about Hungary. For a free trial of HATC, click here. Hungarian news sources include Népszabadság; Magyar Hírlap; Világgazdaság; Napi Gazdaság; Magyar Nemzet; Népszava; Kossuth Rádió news and Hungarian television's nightly news broadcast.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle