Thousands of people protested in front of Parliament in Budapest on Tuesday, the 26th of March, demanding the resignation of chief prosecutor and Prime Minister Viktor Orban after a former government official accused Orban’s senior adviser of trying to interfere in a graft case, reports Reuters.
Protesters marched from the chief prosecutor’s office to parliament shouting “resign, resign”, with many carrying torches.
People took to the streets of Budapest demanding Orban’s resignation
Thousands of people protested outside #Hungary‘s parliament in #Budapest, demanding the resignation of chief prosecutor and Prime Minister Viktor Orban after a former government official accused a top Orban… pic.twitter.com/M0A5OiA4qQ
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) March 27, 2024
Peter Magyar earlier posted on his Facebook account a recording of a conversation with his ex-wife and Hungarian Justice Minister Judit Varga, in which she described in detail the attempt by Orbán’s cabinet aides to remove certain details from the graft case files.
“They told the prosecutors what should be deleted, but they (the prosecutors) did not follow through,” Varga said in the recording.
The case centres on former Justice Ministry state secretary Pal Volner, who in 2022 was accused of taking bribes from Gyorgy Schadl, the former head of the Court Bailiffs. Both have pleaded not guilty and prosecutors want to sentence both with jail time.
Prosecutors announced plans to analyse a recording published by Magyar from January 2023, saying it was impossible to tamper with prosecution documents, adding that additional evidence would be gathered.
The accusations come at a politically sensitive time as Orban prepares for European Parliament elections
in June and follows a sexual abuse scandal that last month led to the demise of two of Orbán’s political allies, former President and former Justice Minister Judit Vargas.
Magyar plans to start a new party to challenge Orbán.
“Hungarians, thank you … for coming tonight in thousands … to tell those in power that we have had enough,” he told protesters in a speech.
Former Justice Minister Varga did not dispute the authenticity of the recording, but accused Magyar of betraying her by secretly recording her. She claimed that the release of the recording served Magyar’s political ambitions.
Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs refused to answer Reuters’ emailed questions, saying only: “Much ado about nothing.”
Also read: EU Parliament to sue the Commission over Hungary funds
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