Prime Minister Peter Magyar questioned by Hungarian prosecutors in a theft case

Hungary’s Prime Minister, Peter Magyar, was questioned on Wednesday evening, October 7, by the Central Investigative Prosecutor’s Office (KNYF) in a case in which he is suspected of stealing a man’s phone and throwing it into the Danube. The questioning took place in Budapest on a previously scheduled date, following the lifting of the government leader’s parliamentary immunity.

Magyar announced on Facebook that he made a brief statement before investigators and did not admit to the act of which he is accused. The prime minister said he would inform the public about any developments in the investigation.

The incident allegedly occurred in the early hours of June 21, 2024, at a club in Budapest. According to prosecutors, the politician allegedly took the phone of a man who was filming him and intentionally threw it into the Danube. The phone was later recovered and returned to its owner, but investigators maintain that the act meets the elements of the criminal offense of theft.

The Hungarian Parliament lifted Magyar’s immunity on September 28, following a request by prosecutors. The prime minister had previously accused the institution of political pressure and rejected the allegations. During the same session, the legislature lifted the immunity of two opposition lawmakers, former ministers in Viktor Orban’s government, who are being investigated for corruption.