Page 48 - bneMagazine March 2023 oil discount

48 I Central Europe bne March 2023
In a bid to improve transparency, the tax office moved the auctioning off of foreclosed homes to the internet. The auctions were often terminated early after the website was brought down by floods of requests (DDoS attacks). In that case, the last offer would stand valid, according to one of the many leaked investigative documents
Schadl, as head of the MBVK with a bailiff office on his own, also made hefty gains from his own office, which was allegedly complemented by the kickbacks from people he got appointed to positions. His property portfolio swelled to nearly two dozen in a few years after taking office.
Schadl bought at least nineteen apartments, business premises, plots
of land, or cellars, according to the prosecution. In one conversation with a friend, he is heard bragging about a new luxury seaside home in La Manga, Costa Calida, Spain, for which he had paid nearly half a million euros.
Around half of his residential property, seized by authorities, was previously owned by the Fidesz-led local district government in the Fifth District, many acquired when Antal Rogan was mayor of the affluent downtown district.
Fidesz cronies often received tips on foreclosed properties before they went for auction or in many cases it was the local government that sold off its stock at ludicrous prices in tenders only available to a closed circle of people.
Former MP Peter Juhasz unveiled shady dealings during Rogan’s term, after which he became a target of an unprecedented smear campaign by the government and its media. Juhasz eventually won more than 100 libel cases against a dozen pro-government outlets. Broadcaster TV2 in one
case refused to release the full text
of apology after losing a string of defamation cases, saying it would take more than the entire length of its 45-minute-long news programme.
Authorities have seized assets of the former state secretary, which did not
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go down well with Volner’s wife. In
a wiretapped conversation Volner's wife is heard complaining: "They're rotten bastards, they're rotten rats,
they are simply trying to make you say something about someone." Volner then replies: "Maybe I will."
While in detention Schadl wanted to contact "his associates to move forward" his case. He told his wife that if he did not receive help, he could turn in some 60-70 MPs.
Comments like these suggest that the operation of the scheme was more broad-based and organised at a higher level, according to local media.
Schadl’s wife is also being investigated in a separate case. Helga Baranyai, who had her own bailiff office is accused
of forging documents involving the auction of property for just HUF38mn while the estimated market value was around HUF450mn
Schadl has also allegedly used his influence in academia (being an associate professor at a university himself) to help politicians pass university exams. The list included a relative of Volner and a young politician Adam Nagy, the chief of staff of Rogan, who now heads the cabinet office and oversees Hungary’s intelligence services and communication at the same time.
The president of MBVK allegedly colluded with high-ranking judicial officials in a bid to remove a bailiff from his post. In one wiretapped conversation he is heard cursing and speaking in foul language against the judge who ruled against him.
Schadl even contacted the president of the National Office for Judiciary (OBH) Gyorgy Senyei, who arranged a meeting with Peter Tatar-Kis, president of the Metropolitan Court. In the wiretap, Tatar-Kis told Schadl that he can’t
fire the judge, but can "make him feel uncomfortable at work".
Senyei later confirmed to media that he spoke with Schadl on several occasions, but these had not "involved anything
unlawful in purpose or content". He has ordered an investigation into
the meeting between Tatar-Kis and Schadl, but the report was classified as confidential.
The missing threads
At one time Schadl asked Volner to get legislation passed by the justice ministry and had initiated a meeting with Justice Minister Judit Varga. There is no evidence compiled during the investigation that Schald actually met with Varga.
Independent MP Akos Hadhazy, who on his Facebook site uncovers corruption and the misuse of EU funds on a weekly basis, believes that one meeting took place, but says the investigation was closed prematurely in cases in which there was the possible involvement of high-ranking officials.
Schadl settled conflicts by initiating disciplinary proceedings against renegades, who were planning to mobilise their contacts against him, Hadhazy alleges, adding that he wanted to get ahead of this by asking Volner to arrange an appointment with the minister.
According to documents obtained by Hadhazy, Varga promised to "bounce the troublemakers". If that was the case, Varga collaborated with Schadl, he says. The former MP of the green party LMP says that the prosecution is also
to blame for not sending a subpoena for deposition to Varga to testify as a witness if not as a suspect.
The justice ministry does not comment on pending court proceedings, Volner’s successor, Robert Repassy, said in reply to inquiries by other opposition MPs.
According to independent media,
there may have been closer ties than previously suspected between the jailed president of MVBK and Nagy.
According to the diary of Schadl’s driver, who is also one of the suspects in the case, he had to pick up a Mini Cabrio from a car dealership and drive it to Nagy. There is a note in the diary dated October 2021: "HUF1.2mn in the glove compartment."