Hungary’s Parliament has approved legislation establishing the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office (NVVH), with Prime Minister Péter Magyar describing the new institution as a potential cornerstone of the country’s anti-corruption efforts.
The bill was adopted on Tuesday by 143 votes in favour and 47 against.
In a video message published on social media, Magyar said Parliament had made a historic decision and taken a major step towards fulfilling one of his government’s key commitments.
He criticized the opposition Fidesz parliamentary group for voting against the legislation, saying the governing majority had ensured the bill’s passage.
‘It is time for genuine anti-corruption action to begin and for what could become Europe’s strongest anti-corruption institution to be established,’ Magyar said, adding that the government would provide all necessary support for its work.
The prime minister stressed that the office would operate entirely independently of the government and urged that it begin functioning effectively as soon as possible, while carrying out investigations with the highest standards of professionalism and thoroughness.
Under the new law, Parliament must elect the office’s president and four deputy presidents within 30 days. Magyar said these positions should be filled by highly qualified professionals independent of party politics and committed to acting in accordance with the law.
Once the leadership has been appointed and sworn in, the government plans to begin recruiting investigators, financial analysts, tax specialists, prosecutors and other legal experts. Their task will be to investigate the alleged unlawful transfer of public assets and identify individuals who may have illegally acquired state funds.
According to Magyar, the office will have the authority to initiate investigations, conduct inquiries independently, launch legal proceedings and represent the prosecution in court, while operating strictly within Hungary’s constitutional and legal framework.
‘The office’s purpose was not political retribution but the recovery of misappropriated public funds and the investigation of serious corruption cases’
He also rejected comparisons drawn by Fidesz between the new institution and the former communist-era State Protection Authority (ÁVH), describing the analogy as offensive to the memory of those persecuted by the organization.
Magyar said the new office had been established in accordance with the Fundamental Law and other applicable legislation, based on the mandate given by Hungarian voters.
He added that the office’s purpose was not political retribution but the recovery of misappropriated public funds and the investigation of serious corruption cases. Beyond addressing past wrongdoing, he said, the institution would also help safeguard a cleaner and more transparent public life in the future.
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