Károly Czibere blames government for child protection failures

Károly Czibere, the former state secretary for social affairs in the Orbán government, has stated that the administration bears responsibility for the state of child protection. Speaking to RTL, Czibere argued that the government failed to provide sufficient funding and that regulatory frameworks were inadequate to prevent abuse.

Czibere expressed both political and personal responsibility for the victims of abuse. He characterized the issues as systemic failures, noting a lack of child rights representatives and specialists, as well as insufficient appreciation for professionals in the field. He specifically pointed to the government's control over resource allocation as a primary obstacle.

Regarding the Bicske child home scandal, Czibere maintains that he filed a police report in 2016 after learning of the incidents, which he claims triggered the investigation leading to prosecution. However, the Ministry of Family, Youth, and Sport stated they could find no trace of such a report. Fidesz responded by noting that, as the secretary responsible for the sector at the time, Czibere himself was responsible for proposing the child protection budget.