Corruption-suspected Budapest mayor directs district from prison
Gergely Őrsi, leader of Budapest's District II, is in pre-trial detention in a bribery case involving multiple parties, yet continues to participate in running the district.
Corruption-suspected Budapest mayor directs district from prison
From behind bars, Gergely Őrsi, mayor of Budapest's District II, is actively managing his local authority, having been taken into custody in early June as part of a multi-party corruption investigation – according to 24.hu.
The politician with a socialist background announced on social media that on Sunday morning from nine in the morning until evening, his office would also join efforts to protect against the heat. Visitors could enjoy the panorama overlooking Mechwart Grove, and soda water would be offered in the air-conditioned building.
According to the position of the Central Prosecutor's Office for Investigation, district leaders regularly received benefits from the owner of a green space maintenance company in exchange for extending existing contracts and concluding new agreements on favourable terms. Investigators believe that the same entrepreneur also mediated payments from the leadership of a company operating a canteen to officials in order to win public procurement contracts.
Thirty-two people are involved in the criminal proceedings as suspects. According to the indictment, those implicated include Zsolt Láng, the district's former Fidesz leader, Csaba Gór, who was also a strong local figure for the ruling party, Zsolt Molnár, a former socialist parliamentary representative, and two former deputy mayors: Péter Puskás for Fidesz and Gergő Czeglédy for the MSZP, as well as Tünde Szkaliczki, a former Momentum local government representative.
According to the suspicion, contractors provided money to the politicians in exchange for securing and maintaining public procurement contracts.
Prior to his detention, voters returned Őrsi to the mayoral seat with a 70 per cent result. Following his arrest, his supporters also organised a demonstration in his support.
Source: 24.hu
Source: 24.hu