Hungary’s parliament has removed the immunity of two lawmakers who previously served in Viktor Orbán’s government, according to a report dated 28 September 2026. The move enables proceedings to continue over allegations involving public funds and state contracts.
Balázs Hankó was Hungary’s minister of culture and innovation from 2024 to 2026. Prosecutors reportedly suspect him of misusing funds from the National Cultural Fund. They allege that the money was used to cover expenses linked to a parliamentary election campaign and to serve the private interests of applicants.
Miklós Seszták was minister for national development from 2014 to 2018. He is suspected of accepting bribes on an especially large scale during the allocation of state contracts in the transport and construction sectors.
The accompanying account puts the alleged sums at 17.3 billion forints in the case involving Hankó and more than 11 billion forints in alleged improper benefits in the case involving Seszták. These figures and the allegations have been attributed to the prosecutors’ cases and have not been established as facts by a court.
The account’s accompanying political messages describe the immunity decisions as a step by Hungary’s new government towards what they call fair justice and equality before the law. They also present the cases as possible evidence of wider problems with oversight of state resources during Orbán’s period in power, including the alleged use of budget funds for political purposes and alleged large-scale bribery connected with public contracts.
Those messages call for scrutiny not only of the former ministers’ actions but also of decision-making and controls over public finances under the previous government. The available material does not provide further details about the parliamentary vote, the current status of the proceedings or responses from Hankó or Seszták.
