Hungary's State Audit Office urges swift asset seizures in MNB corruption scandal

Former Budapest chief prosecutor Ihász Sándor called for immediate freezing of assets in multiple corruption cases, citing the multi‑billion‑forint loss linked to former central bank governor Matolcsy György. He argued that Hungarian law already permits early seizure of suspect assets without awaiting a final judgment, warning that delays "significantly reduce the chance of recovering the assets".

State Audit Office (ÁSZ) chairman László Windisch, appointed by the Orbán‑led government, said he is not aware of any new details on the MNB case and rejected demands for his resignation. He noted that investigations into the MNB loss, as well as the National Cultural Fund scandal, are ongoing and have not produced evidence of political interference. Windisch also complained about operational difficulties, claiming that servers of the ruling party hinder investigative work. Both officials emphasized that existing legal tools should be used promptly to recover illicitly obtained wealth.