Budapest Mayor Karácsony and Prosecutor Resign Amid Hungarian Corruption Probes

Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony said a press inquiry suggested a key figure in the park‑maintenance scandal, Zsolt Z., may have paid someone to gain influence over the city administration. He noted that the city‑owned utility Budapesti Közművek took over green‑area upkeep, hiring 140 workers and spending 350 million forints, and that the municipality wants to distance itself from the companies previously involved in the scheme. Karácsony stressed he does not know whether the allegations are true but warned of potential misuse of public funds.

Separately, the head of Hungary’s Central Prosecutor’s Office, Fürcht Pál, submitted his resignation on 8 June, citing a professional dispute over the handling of the “Ukrainian money convoy” case and related investigative priorities. The resignation follows a conflict between the prosecutor’s office and the senior prosecutorial department about the sequencing of interrogations and evidence gathering. The senior prosecutor, Dr. Nagy Gábor Bálint, was appointed to oversee the investigation, which also covers other high‑profile matters such as the Matolcsy family affair and municipal corruption networks. Both events underscore heightened scrutiny of corruption within Hungarian public institutions.