Criminal Complaint Filed over Former Finance Minister's Use of Private Planes
- 16 Sep 2026 7:19 AM
Anita Orban, the foreign minister, has filed a criminal complaint on suspicion of gross misuse of public funds, after an investigation revealed that Peter Szijjarto, her predecessor, had "routinely" used private or military planes to make official trips abroad.
Orban said on Facebook on Tuesday that the foreign ministry in 2022 adopted the practice of renting private jets or using aircraft owned by the military.
"While the number of trips or the nature of diplomatic programmes did not change, instead of scheduled flights, they used private flights more and more frequently" she said.
Opposition Fidesz said in reaction that the complaint was "frivolous" and argued that the foreign minister's flights had been "in full conformity with the relevant government decree".
In a statement, MPs of the former governing party said during their tenure diplomacy "was not tourism, unlike now, when government members spend days abroad to attend events that take a few hours".
"During the previous years … the foreign minister travelled at night if he had to; he had talks during the day, and did not spend a single minute outside the country unless it was necessary," the statement said.
Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.
Photo: Peter Szijjarto's Facebook page
*********************************************************************************************
You're very welcome to comment and discuss this via our Facebook page: XpatLoopNews
& via: Budapest Expats - The International Community / Expats Hungary - The Original Group
You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters
LATEST NEWS IN current affairs