Hungary detains six including ex-mayors in 43m NKA embezzlement probe

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9 days · 11 summary articles
Six people, including two former mayors, have been detained in Hungary as part of a sweeping investigation into alleged embezzlement of nearly 17 billion forints (€43 million) in National Cultural Fund (NKA) grants, prosecutors confirmed on Thursday. Among those taken into custody was Attila Ughy, a former Fidesz mayor of a town in Pest County, whose arrest was captured on video as he was led to court in Budapest on a leash, a procedure critics say is designed to humiliate suspects. Ughy is accused of participating in a scheme to divert public funds intended for cultural projects, according to prosecutors cited by local media .
Bálazs Bús, a former deputy chair of the NKA and ex-mayor of Óbuda-Békásmegyer in Budapest, was also arrested on Tuesday, the same day as five other individuals, including Ughy. Prosecutors allege the group misused NKA grants by awarding contracts without proper oversight, creating a slush fund estimated at 17 billion forints. Bús has claimed the arrests are politically motivated, telling reporters the decision to detain him was a “political act” .
The Fidesz party, which governed Hungary until April 2024, has dismissed the investigation as a “show trial,” arguing that the funds were used to support both high culture and everyday cultural initiatives nationwide. In a statement, the party accused law enforcement of acting under political pressure, a claim prosecutors have not addressed publicly .
The scandal has intensified just months after Hungary’s opposition won national elections, ending a decade and a half of Fidesz rule. Analysts say the case could further erode public trust in state institutions if perceived as politically weaponized. The investigation is being led by the National Bureau of Investigation, with hearings ongoing in Budapest.
Separately, in Slovakia, police sent a classified document to the wrong recipients, triggering accusations of a “spy game” by opposition figures. The document, which contained sensitive security information, was immediately handed over to the National Security Office by the recipients, who lacked the necessary clearance to review it. Their lawyer called the incident a deliberate attempt to smear the opposition, though authorities have not commented .
In France, the Greens in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region have filed a criminal complaint against Laurent Wauquiez, the leader of the Republicans in the region, accusing him of embezzling public funds. The complaint alleges Wauquiez continued to exercise de facto control over the regional government despite resigning in 2024, diverting resources for political purposes .
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