Fidesz MEP Tamás Deutsch has written a letter to Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party, informing him that Hungary’s chief prosecutor has asked the president of the European Parliament to lift the immunity of Péter Magyar over a criminal investigation for theft.
Deutsch shared a Hungarian-language version of his letter on his Facebook page late on Wednesday.
In it, he told Weber that according the evidence gathered by the investigation so far, Magyar, now an MEP of opposition Tisza, accosted an individual at a club on the night of June 21 when he noticed that the alleged victim was filming his “offensive behaviour” with his mobile phone. Magyar took the phone, refused to hand it back and denied having it, then dropped it in the Danube before multiple witnesses, including the phone’s owner, Deutsch said. The prosecutor’s office has said Magyar’s conduct had been in line with the legal definition of theft, he added.
Magyar, in reaction to the prosecution’s motion, announced that he was not relinquishing his immunity, Deutsch said, noting that it was therefore up to the European Parliament to decide whether or not to suspend it.
Deutsch said Magyar was “apparently doing everything possible” to depict the case against him as “political persecution” in order to avoid being held accountable. But, he added, MEPs’ immunity was not for placing themselves above the law and abusing their position.
Deutsch asked Weber to publicly declare that the EPP would not give Magyar “a helping hand in the abuse of his immunity” and that the grouping would not be his “accomplices” in avoiding prosecution.
UPDATE: Deutsch sent another letter
On Thursday, Deutsch posted another Hungarian-language letter on Facebook addressed to Ilhan Kyuchyuk, the chairman of the EP’s Legal Affairs Committee. The Fidesz MEP called on Kyuchyuk to resist pressure from Magyar and prevent that the committee procedure on Magyar’s immunity be dragged out “due to lobbying of [Magyar and] his allies among leftist-liberal and EPP politicians”. Noting that the committee is responsible for preparing proposals for the EP plenary debates on lifting immunity, Deutsch said Magyar had been trying to drag out the procedure until “the disco scandal subsides” to avoid accountability by abusing his political position. Deutsch called on the committee to ensure that the EP can decide over the issue as soon as possible.
Official: Improving access to culture among priorities of Hungarian presidency
Improving access to culture and emphasizing its key role in society are among the top priorities of the Hungarian presidency of the European Union, an official of the ministry of culture and innovation said on Wednesday.
Deputy state secretary in charge of cultural diplomacy Gabor Csaba said the EU presidency offered an exceptional opportunity to present Hungary’s “cultural excellence” and the rich Hungarian cultural heritage. During the six months, the Hungarian presidency organises around a hundred events only in Brussels, he added.
He also said that Hungary was determined that by the end of the presidency the Council should approve some conclusions that focus on improving and promoting access to culture. This also means that no matter where they live, whether in a big city or in the countryside, young people should have equal chances for accessing quality culture, he said. The Hungarian presidency also pays special emphasis on people living with disabilities in terms of improving their access to culture, he added.
“It is very important to level the playing field in this competitive situation,” he said.
It is in everybody’s interest that such differences should disappear or decrease as much as possible, he added.
Read also:
- Péter Magyar willing to waive immunity ‘if Hungary joins the European Public Prosecutor’s Office’ – read more HERE
- Magyar: Budapest mayor’s last interview ‘full of lies, contradictions’