Detention sought for György Matolcsy, former central bank chief made no statement
Prosecutors have called for the detention of the former MNB governor following his interrogation. Matolcsy made no statement, and according to his lawyer the charge sheet itself has presented difficulties.
Prosecution seeks detention of György Matolcsy, former central bank governor
According to reporting by 444, a Telex correspondent on the scene reported that the interrogation of György Matolcsy, former central bank governor, had concluded, with prosecutors calling for his detention. The questioning ended shortly after half past three.
Matolcsy's defence lawyer, Pál Bátki, stated that his client made no statement and did not comment on his personal circumstances. During the interrogation, the investigating prosecutors outlined the circumstances on which the charge was based.
"It was very difficult to process this five-page charge containing a great deal of information. Until we see what evidence forms the basis of this, we cannot respond to it," said Pál Bátki.
Matolcsy was taken into custody early Wednesday morning. He is suspected of the offence of economic fraud causing significant property damage and the misdemeanour of using a forged private document. His defence lawyer did not expect at the time of the arrest that his client would also be detained.
The Hungarian National Bank, led by György Matolcsy, channelled several hundred billion forints of public assets into foundations, with significant portions of those funds disappearing. The State Audit Office filed a report in the case, and an investigation is currently underway on suspicion of breach of trust. House searches were conducted in September at locations linked to Matolcsy, though no suspects had been named until now.
The initial investigation only began last year, although the press had regularly reported on suspicious dealings surrounding the MNB foundations since the 2010s. Last year, 444 revealed how the threads of the case connect at the home of a friend of György Matolcsy's son, Ádám Matolcsy, named Bálint Somlai.
The Tisza Party established a separate parliamentary investigative committee to determine responsibility. The committee chairman, Attila Csőszi, announced after Matolcsy's arrest that they expect the former central bank governor to appear for questioning on 5 November, even "on a lead" if necessary. Substantive work in the investigative committee could begin next week.
The Central Prosecution Office for Investigations has carried out operations at multiple locations in connection with the case.
Source: 444