Viktor Orbán: The former head of government of Hungary and his colleagues are under observation by the new government.Image: IMAGO / photothek
Bags of compromising material were apparently found in a former ministry building in Budapest. The new head of government wants to take action.
May 19, 2026, 4:35 a.mMay 19, 2026, 04:36
Simon Cleven / t-online
The new Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar wants to file a criminal complaint after suspicious material was found in a former ministry building. According to him, these are 15 to 20 bags of shredded documents and election campaign materials from former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party. The party flyers in particular raise questions about the former government’s use of state funds.
In a video posted on Facebook on Sunday, Magyar explains that employees found the materials in the basement of the former headquarters of the Ministry of Construction and Transport. Shredded papers, leaflets in the colors of the Fidesz party and Hungarian flags can be seen in the photos. The campaign material is linked to former Fidesz minister János Lázár.
Péter Magyar in the Hungarian Ministry of Transport: The Hungarian Prime Minister published a video on Facebook showing bags of shredded documents.Image: Facebook
Magyar announces criminal charges
Magyar raised the suspicion that several violations of the law could have occurred: illegal party financing and the misuse of state resources for political activities. The head of government announced a criminal complaint. “The Court of Auditors should have examined these matters and of course the police will also investigate,” he said in the video. He would like to report on the status of the criminal complaint in due course.
After the Tisza party’s overwhelming victory in the parliamentary elections on April 12, the people’s representatives elected its leader Péter Magyar as prime minister on the Saturday before last. Since the election, Magyar has called on those responsible in key institutions installed by Orbán to resign on their own initiative.
During the election campaign he promised to make Hungary a “humane and functioning country”. He has declared war on the supposedly deep-rooted corruption under Orbán. According to his wishes, the criminal prosecution of politicians and officials suspected of corruption should be carried out in a manner that is consistent with the rule of law.