Full Breakdown
Detention of Former Hungarian Ministers Following Parliamentary Immunity Suspension
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On Monday, the Hungarian Parliament voted in a special session to suspend the parliamentary immunity of former ministers Miklós Seszták (Christian Democrat, KDNP) and Balázs Hankó (Fidesz, former minister of culture and innovation). After the suspension, both men were taken into custody by the Central Investigative Prosecutor’s Office in Budapest. Seszták voluntarily presented himself to prosecutors and was detained, while Hankó was summoned to the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) building on Huszti Road, complied with the summons, and was subsequently detained and transferred to Kecskemét for overnight procedural measures.
Background of the Investigation
The arrests are part of a broader probe into the National Cultural Fund (NKA). Prosecutors allege that the NKA’s Temporary College for Priority Cultural Programmes misused public funds in 1,079 cases between September 2025 and March 2026, causing financial damage estimated at HUF 17.3 billion (? EUR 44 million). The investigation has already led to several arrests, including former NKA vice-president Balázs Bús and other individuals linked to the disputed allocations.
Official Statements & Responses
Prime Minister Péter Magyar described Monday as the first major day of a “Purification” operation, accusing political opponents of an “unworthy game of hide-and-seek.” Hankó’s lawyer Gábor Tóth reported that his client complied with the summons and was taken to Kecskemét by a NAV tactical unit for procedural measures. The Bács-Kiskun County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment on the ongoing procedural steps.
Criticism & Opposition
Balázs Hankó denied any wrongdoing, labeling the case politically motivated and asserting that the NKA funds were used for their intended cultural programmes. Fidesz parliamentary group leader János Bóka echoed this view, characterizing the proceedings as a politically driven attack on the right.
Verbatim Quote
- “Somewhat illogically, my client was detained at the NAV facility on Huszti Road, where we had been summoned and, naturally, complied with the summons,” — Gábor Tóth (lawyer)