Hungarian Ministry faces scrutiny over leaked bison seizure order

Leaked correspondence suggests that the Hungarian Ministry of Rural and Settlement Development has requested the seizure of a herd of 25 legally kept bison from the Vál-Völgye Hunting Association. The documents indicate that the Ministry's State Secretary, Dr. András Bencsik, instructed the government office to confiscate the animals.

Critics argue the move is unlawful because the bison are currently held with all necessary permits and no official procedure has established any irregularity in their care. Furthermore, the request allegedly bypasses legal protocols, as the Ministry of Rural and Settlement Development lacks the authority to order such seizures; that power resides with the Ministry for Environmental Protection or the Ministry of Interior.

Concerns have been raised that if the animals are confiscated without a designated new location being secured first, it would effectively result in their culling. While the government office sought legal guidance from the Ministry for Environmental Protection regarding whether the situation could be resolved without confiscation, the leaked letter reportedly discussed the killing of the animals shortly after the initial request.