Head of Hungarian anti-corruption office charged with embezzlement and other offences
Ferenc Pál Biró, head of the Hungarian anti-corruption office, has been charged with embezzlement and other offences. According to the charge, the man caused damage of more than 140 million forint.
Head of Hungarian anti-corruption office charged with embezzlement and other offences
Ferenc Pál Biró, chairman of the Hungarian anti-corruption office established in 2022, has been charged with embezzlement and other offences by the prosecution. According to the prosecutors, the man caused damage of more than 140 million forint (approximately 9.5 million Czech crowns).
On Monday, Biró still spoke about the need to investigate Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's top officials over alleged fraud involving billions of euros from European Union funds. However, the following day it emerged that an investigation was being conducted against him as well. According to the prosecution, Biró purchased two luxury cars from the office's funds for himself, one of which his wife used. Fuel was also purchased on the office's account, causing damage of 21 million forint (1.4 million Czech crowns).
In addition, he concluded three contracts with a Belgian consulting firm totalling over 100 million forint. This was allegedly incompatible with the office's competence. The contracts concerned the opening of an office in Brussels, something Biró had no authority to do.
Among the charges is also that he employed a family friend at the office who lacked the necessary qualifications. Later, the man failed a security clearance, which ended his employment.
Biró is also accused of abuse of power and forgery of a public deed. The man declined to comment on the charges.
The anti-corruption office was established as part of reforms urged by the European Commission. In a previous interview with Politico.eu, Biró stated that his office had identified a number of cases in which EU funds had been transferred outside Hungary. He claimed that he had previously been targeted by politically motivated attacks and corruption attempts during the investigation of the public procurement system.
Source: Novinky.cz
Source: Novinky.cz