Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto Faces Potential Criminal Liability for Public Jet Expenses

Peter Szijjarto, Hungary’s foreign minister, is alleged to have overseen the misuse of public funds by repeatedly renting private jets for official trips. Between 2022 and 2026, he is reported to have taken 53 private‑aircraft flights at a total cost of about 4.8 billion forints. The trips included multiple journeys to the United States as well as visits to Japan, Vietnam and Mexico, and shorter flights to neighbouring capitals such as Belgrade, Bratislava and Banja Luka. Critics argue that the expenses far exceed typical official‑travel allowances and may constitute “misappropriation of public property” under the criminal code, which carries penalties of up to ten years in prison and fines over 500 million forints. Legal experts and opposition figures are calling for a formal investigation and possible criminal prosecution, urging authorities to determine whether the minister’s actions breached statutes on the faithful handling of state assets.