Hungary revokes 500 million‑forint grant to singer Maga and arrests multiple politicians in corruption probe

Minister Tarr Zoltán announced the withdrawal of a 500 million‑forint grant awarded to singer Zoltán Maga, stating the funding was not for cultural purposes but intended to sway undecided voters ahead of the 2026 election. He said the application contained data that conflicted with the grant’s objectives and included illegal elements, adding that the previous government used public funds for electoral gain. He wrote, “I asked the grant‑handling lawyers to act immediately to recover such illegal and immoral support for the public good.”

In a separate case, the Budai Central District Court ordered the detention of former MSZP member Gergely Órsi, former district mayor Zsolt Láng, ex‑MP Zsolt Molnár and several other local politicians for up to one month. Prosecutors allege more than 2 billion forints were paid as bribes to influence municipal officials through a park‑maintenance contractor and other contracts. The investigation has questioned 32 individuals, detained eight, and revealed a scheme that spanned multiple Budapest districts from 2011 to 2024.