Róna told commercial television station ATV that the bank had purchased a precious violin and artwork without legal authorisation. In the same programme, Róna also voiced agreement with an Index article on the subject, entitled “MNB gifting money to cronies without restraint”.

The NBH said Róna’s remarks lacked any basis and “create the false appearance that the supervisory board has questioned legitimacy of the bank’s decisions”. Róna’s words “seriously damage the bank’s credibility and public trust in the institution”, it added.

Last Wednesday, the bank also sued news website Index for claiming that the bank spent large sums of money on non-essential items without sufficient transparency or control. Index said that the bank was spending 90 billion forints on property, and its plans included purchasing a 330-yearold Guarneri violin for 4 million euros and a work by Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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