Anna Unger Becomes Head of Hungary's Top Anti-Corruption Body NVVH
The new authority will investigate public procurement, subsidies and EU funds as Hungary seeks to recover money lost to corruption, officials said.
- On Friday, the National Assembly elected Anna Unger president of Hungary's newly established National Asset Protection and Asset Recovery Office with 145 votes, while appointing Katalin Tasn as deputy president in charge of investigations.
- The NVVH was established to address corruption concerns regarding Brussels' funds, though setting it up is not a formal legal precondition for their release; the authority will investigate and recover unlawfully removed public assets.
- Empowered to conduct investigations, the office can step into the shoes of the Prosecutor General to bring charges, utilizing administrative, criminal, and civil instruments to examine public procurement and state-owned enterprises.
- Critics questioned the selection process, noting that the Tisza group introduced a separate nominee; many also expressed concerns that Unger lacks prosecutorial background typical for running such a law-enforcement body.
- Success depends on investigations leading to final judgments and recovered assets, as the authority aims to demonstrate that Hungary can offer guarantees for lawful fund usage without needing to "turn on the Brussels money tap.
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Anna Unger becomes head of Hungary's top anti-corruption body NVVH
The National Asset Recovery and Protection Office is given sweeping investigative and prosecutorial powers. Choosing its head sparked heated debate among experts and politicians and even a surprise withdrawal.
With 137 votes in favor, 7 against and 1 abstention
The head of the office investigating embezzled public funds, who will be appointed for a six-year term, will take office on September 1. The deputy head of the office, who will be prosecutor Katalin Tasnády, was also elected at Friday's parliamentary session. It was also revealed on Friday where the new institution will be headquartered.
Anna Unger was elected head of the National Asset Recovery Office on Friday. The situation is complicated, however, by the fact that many people already attacked the other aspirant, Miklós Ligeti, the legal director of Transparency International Hungary, as a candidate. In addition, in the National Assembly, Péter Magyar has proposed new laws and a comprehensive review for the fall, so that accountability can be carried out quickly, without havi…
"Punishment awaits the guilty" - this is how the Tisza Party representatives reacted to the election of Anna Unger - The great accountability is coming, according to the Tisza Party representatives, what was only a dream in Hungary until now is now a reality.
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