Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – The brother of former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has been taken into custody, according to reports in some media outlets and echoed by Prime Minister Péter Magyar on Monday. "Áron Orbán, brother of Viktor Orbán, has been taken into custody on charges of human trafficking," Magyar wrote on Facebook.
The news was initially published by Kontroll, a news website owned by Márton Magyar, the prime minister's brother. For its part, Hungarian police announced that "several people have been arrested" in Budapest and two other cities in the neighboring Pest region, as part of an operation conducted in connection with two criminal cases.
“Searches are currently underway at the homes of the people involved,” he said in a statement, adding that he would provide further details on the alleged crimes later this afternoon.
Áron Orbán founded several companies that experienced rapid growth during his brother's 16-year rule. Last year, journalists identified links between one of his companies and an alleged scheme to facilitate the issuance of work visas.
The arrests were made during a joint operation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NNI) and the National Agency for Asset Recovery and Protection (NVVH), an anti-corruption body established by the government of Péter Magyar. According to several media outlets, in September the NVVH took over four investigations, including an influence peddling probe allegedly involving Áron Orbán. The investigation concerns a group linked to several politicians who, in exchange for money, promised to obtain visas for foreign citizens by bypassing standard administrative procedures.
Viktor Orbán responded by accusing the government of seeking to eliminate its political opponents. "The real target is me, my brother is just a tool," he wrote on Facebook, denouncing what he called a "low blow." Péter Magyar came to power in May, promising to dismantle the Orbán system and fight corruption. Under his leadership, Hungary joined the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), strengthened transparency requirements for elected officials, and expanded Parliament's investigative powers. The government also established the NVVH, a central element of the conservative leader's strategy to dismantle what he calls the "Orbán mafia." Three former ministers are currently in prison, including György Matolcsy, who headed Hungary's central bank for 12 years and was once considered by Orbán to be his "right-hand man."
international/foreign
webinfo@adnkronos.com (Web Info)