A criminal case may be opened against the former prime minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, due to the detention of seven Ukrainian tax collectors who transported millions of dollars, euros and gold to Ukraine. The possible proceedings are reported by the “Financial Times“, referring to a prosecutor's report.
The case began on March 6, when the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary detained seven Ukrainian citizens on suspicion of money laundering. They transported $40 million, €35 million and nine kilograms of gold from Austria to Ukraine. Among them was a former general from the Ukrainian services. The detainees were deported to Ukraine the same day.
What the prosecutor's report claims
Later, Prime Minister Péter Magyar ordered an internal investigation to clarify the role of Orbán and the former head of the Counter-Terrorism Center, János Hajdú.
According to the “Financial Times“, the prosecutor's report quotes Hajdú as saying that “the decision to detain was made by Orbán“. The publication does not present this as a judicially established fact, but as a statement contained in the document and subject to assessment within the framework of the investigation.
The investigation could become the first criminal proceedings related to Orbán personally. At the moment, however, this is a matter of the possibility of a lawsuit, not of an official indictment or conviction.
The connection with the Russian oil dispute
According to the Hungarian publication „Telex“, the detention was carried out in response to the suspension of Russian oil supplies via the „Druzhba“ oil pipeline. Media sources describe the operation as a political reaction to the dispute over transit.
The case has caused tension between Budapest and Kiev. The Ukrainian collectors were detained while transporting funds for the state-owned bank „Schadbank“, and the Hungarian authorities have been checking the origin of the money and gold.
Orban has previously stated that Ukrainians have made threats to his family. It is unclear whether this claim is related to the investigation into the detention of the collectors.
Sources: Financial Times, Telex