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Police Question Hungary's Former Central Bank Governor as Suspect in Erste Case

• 23 Sep 2026 7:07 AM

The National Bureau of Investigation of the Standby Police (KR NNI) has questioned seven suspects and conducted searches in connection with alleged abuse of office linked to the National Bank of Hungary (NBH), the Budapest prosecutor's office said. The national police headquarters told MTI that seven people have been questioned, including the former central bank governor.

Department heads within the central bank's supervisory body, the Bank Supervisory Centre, allegedly abused their official authority in 2023 - under instructions from their superiors - to exert pressure on a Hungarian bank owned by an Austrian parent company, prosecutors said.

The pressure allegedly succeeded in forcing a member of the Austrian parent company's supervisory board to resign.

Investigators have questioned seven individuals suspected of abuse of official authority in connection with the Erste case, including the former central bank governor, the police said.

The post of governor of the MNB was held by Gyorgy Matolcsy between 2013 and 2025.

The investigation began in April following an interview with Andras Simor, the central bank governor who preceded Matolcsy.

Simor spoke of pressure being exerted against him in connection with his membership of the supervisory board at Erste Group, the Vienna-based parent company of Erste Bank. During the proceedings, the KR NNI obtained documents from both the NBH and Erste Bank.

The National Police Headquarters said that the case would be investigated further in order to fully clarify the suspects’ roles.


Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881.

MTI photo 

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• György Matolcsy National Bank Of Hungary András Simor Erste Bank Investigation Abuse Of Office

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