Hungary: Allegations of corruption and misuse of cultural funds

Former Foreign Minister Géza Jeszenszky has raised concerns regarding corruption and the misuse of public funds within Hungary. In a recent podcast, Jeszenszky addressed the arrests of Miklós Seszták and Balázs Hankó, noting that ministerial responsibility remains a critical issue even if specific decisions were not made by the ministers themselves.

He specifically criticized the National Cultural Fund for distributing 100 million HUF prior to elections to individuals without significant ties to the cultural sector, suggesting these funds were used for political purposes. Jeszenszky emphasized that judicial rulings are necessary to provide a true deterrent against the accumulation of wealth within the political system.

In a separate analysis of the cultural sector, Miklós Both, Director General of the House of Traditions, highlighted systemic issues in how the state manages culture. He noted a cycle of distrust where professionals hide capacity shortages and structural weaknesses to avoid losing funding, leading to a distorted view of the sector's actual health by decision-makers.