Politicians' wealth made public

The financial assets and liabilities of Hungary's parliamentarians, including leaders of the four largest parties, were made public at 8:00 this morning, shedding light on the personal finances of the nation's leaders. According to business daily Napi Gazdaság and other reports, the documents revealed that Liberal leader Gábor Kuncze had the most savings of the country's major politicians, while conservative opposition leader Viktor Orbán has the biggest debts, and smaller party leader Ibolya Dávid (pictured on front page) had the most modest income.

Orbán handed in his declaration at the last moment. Last year, he received Ft 662,000 a month for being the president of Fidesz on top of his salary as an MP. He counts among his possessions a half-share District XII residentail building bought in 2002 and a nearly five-year-old VW Golf. He and his wife have Ft 2.6 million in savings, balanced by what is left of a Ft 20 million mortgage taken out in 2002.

According to Orbán's declaration, he is currently living in his house under a temporary usage permit, as an ongoing renovation project of the 211 square-meter building continues. He also divided up ownership of the house between himself and his wife. In the "other comments" field of his form, Orbán explained that information about the house his family is currently building in the town of Felcsút can be found in his wife's declaration. Daily Népszava noted that last year Orbán told the committee investigating the origin of his family's wealth that the reconstruction of their villa on Cinege út was completed at the end of 2003.

Socialist party head and former Culture Minister István Hiller has ownership stakes in three properties: four-fifths of a 113-square-meter apartment in District VI, three-quarters of a 137-square-meter apartment in Sopron, and half of a vacation plot in Kővágóörs-Pálköve. Hiller owes four-fifths of a loan of Ft 426,000 to a bank for the apartment in Budapest. A year ago, Hiller declared that he had Ft 7.2 million in cash, which Ft 1.7 million less than at the end of last year. He received more money for leading the National Cultural Heritage Ministry (Ft 1.1 million per month) than being the leader of MSZP (Ft 600,000 per month).

SZDSZ leader Gábor Kuncze accumulated the most savings last year of any major MP, and saw his cash increase from Ft 10.4 million to Ft 12.9 million. He received Ft 265,000 a month for leading the smaller governing party. He owns securities worth about Ft 2.82 million, while he owes Ft 18.9 million to banks.

MDF leader Ibolya Dávid owns half of two District II apartments and a third of a 90-square-meter vacation home in Zamárdi. She receives Ft 840,000 a month for leading the smaller opposition party. Since January 2005, she has given the Ft 225,000 she receives for being a committee member to charity. She owes Ft 13 million to banks.

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