Given that the value of the goods stolen exceeded the legal threshold of HUF 50,000 (approximately $148 USD), criminal proceedings were formally initiated in the case.

Last week, the county prosecutor's office confirmed that the individual under investigation is indeed a high-ranking government official who currently heads a district office.

Legal Maneuvers and Rejection

According to the prosecutor's office, the official in question admitted to the offense and subsequently requested that the case be referred to mediation. In Hungarian law, successful mediation can often result in the termination of criminal liability, allowing the individual to avoid a formal conviction.

However, the local police station had initially proposed to the district prosecutor's office that the proceedings be terminated. This proposal was ultimately rejected by the county prosecutor's office.

The prosecutor's office also denied the official's request for mediation, stating that the legal consequences of the crime committed were considered too minor for that specific process to be applicable. Consequently, the criminal proceedings were not suspended and will move forward.

This incident offers a rare glimpse into how the Hungarian legal system handles criminal allegations against senior government figures, even for offences that might seem minor to an international audience.

Original article on 444.hu (in Hungarian) available here.
 

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