Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar quizzed by European Parliament

Published on 24/06/2025 - 16:00 GMT+2

The Legal Affairs Committee of nan European Parliament grilled Hungarian MEP Péter Magyar connected Tuesday successful narration to 2 attempts to waive nan governmental immunity of nan cardinal force to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The requests travel from different authorities successful Hungary seeking nan waiver for 3 chopped cases.

If Magyar were to suffer his immunity, Hungarian authorities could analyse and complaint him for different suspected offences, each viewed arsenic politically motivated by nan opposition. The European Parliament did not remark further connected nan matter, Magyar told reporters afterwards that he suspected Orbán was down nan process.

"I deliberation it's evident to everyone astatine this Committee arsenic good that this is simply a governmental issue. I'm a forty-four-year-old lawyer pinch 3 children, a cleanable record, who has had nationalist information clearances for much than half of nan past 2 decades, because of my jobs and because of my ex-wife. And they've ne'er recovered anything," Magyar claimed, referring to his ex-wife, Judit Varga, who was nan justness curate of Hungary.

The first petition to waive Magyar's immunity was sent by Hungary's Chief Prosecutor's Office: past year, nan statement leader entered an statement successful a Budapest nightclub pinch a man who was filming him. According to nan prosecutors, Magyar took nan man's phone and threw it into nan Danube.

"Even if I spent nan remainder of my life throwing pallets of mobile phones into nan Danube - which I will not - I wouldn't origin arsenic overmuch harm to nan Hungarian people, nor would I bargain arsenic overmuch money arsenic Viktor Orbán and her oligarchs bargain successful a azygous hour," he said.

The ineligible affairs committee hearings were held down closed doors, and participants whitethorn not uncover details. Later, nan Committee will ballot connected a proposal whether aliases not to waive his immunity, followed by a ballot astatine nan plenary of nan European Parliament. The Committee usually rejects each requests that it sees arsenic politically motivated.

The 2nd lawsuit against Magyar relates to a erstwhile personnel of nan Hungarian Parliament, György Simonka, who sued Magyar for defamation. The 3rd tribunal case, initiated by nan far-right Our Homeland Movement successful Hungary, is besides for defamation.

"I americium fresh to waive my immunity astatine immoderate clip if Viktor Orbán and his authorities fulfill nan petition of nan Hungarian people, including galore Fidesz members, and instantly subordinate nan European Public Prosecutor's Office. And if he does, it'll go clear who'll beryllium successful situation for a longer agelong - he aliases I," Magyar said.

Magyar's Tisza statement is nan biggest situation to nan powerfulness of Viktor Orbán's Fidesz successful Hungary. The latest sentiment canvass conducted by Median past week recovered Tisza to beryllium up of Fidesz by 15%, if elections were held now. The Hungarian Parliament earlier adopted a caller rule allowing Hungary's National Electoral Office to revoke nan mandates of members of nan European Parliament if they neglect to comply pinch financial transparency rules.