Without citing its sources, the paper said that the Socialist politician had placed 575,000 euros and 162,954 US dollars in a securities account opened in Austria on April 10, 2009, while on October 16, 2013 his deposit account contained 770,000 euros.

The paper added that Simon’s earlier asset declarations failed to contain these amounts and there is no indication of their origin. The politician allegedly told the bank that the source of the money was the sale of a company and a Budapest property, the paper said.

The Socialists said in a press release it is currently not yet clear what is true of the paper’s claims but the competent party bodies have been convened for Thursday to hear Simon and take the necessary measures. PM co-leader Benedek Jávor, a member of the Unity opposition alliance formed with the Socialist Party, said earlier that he understood the Socialists had decided “to part with” Simon, realising that “his involvement in the 2014 election under the Socialists’ banner is undesirable.” Antal Rogán, parliamentary leader of the ruling Fidesz party, said “we are waiting for a Socialist reaction to clear up the situation.

They must say what’s true about these claims and what isn’t.” The leftist Democratic Coalition (DK), another member of Unity, said that if the news about Simon were authentic, the Socialists’ deputy leader should leave the political arena.

György Rubovszky, the Christian Democratic chairman of Parliament’s immunities committee, said the committee would start an investigation concerning Simon’s asset declaration.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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Source of photo: ORIGO