Hungary’s post‑election scandals: cultural funding, museum firings and Balásy company probe

After Fidesz’s defeat, former culture minister Balázs Hankó approved more than a billion forints in non‑repayable support for a series of cultural organisations linked to former MP Lezsák Sándor, including the National Cultural Institute Non‑Profit Ltd., the Magyar‑Turán Foundation and the Iosephinum Development Foundation. The allocations were made within days of the election and have been cited in investigations of the National Cultural Fund (NKA).

The Ministry of Social Relations and Culture subsequently dismissed the heads of three national collections – the Natural History Museum (Zsolt Bernert), the National Széchényi Library (Dávid Róza) and the Museum of Applied Arts (Zoltán Cselovszki) – following an institutional review aimed at improving workplace safety and professional autonomy. An internal audit of the Hungarian National Museum’s Public Collection Centre was also ordered.

Prime Minister Péter Magyar announced “Operation Clean Sweep”, warning that former officials, including Hankó, would face consequences. Prosecutors have ordered detention for a seventh suspect in the NKA case and are reviewing possible misconduct involving the allocation of state funds.

Separately, the government has launched a legal and financial audit of media‑event entrepreneur Balásy Gyula’s companies. Auditors EY and Deloitte are assessing whether the state can take over the firms, reversing an earlier statement that no takeover would occur. The possible acquisition involves assets estimated at 55–60 billion forints.

These developments illustrate a broad post‑election scrutiny of former officials, cultural financing and private‑sector links to the previous administration.