Corruption scandal shakes Orbán's government: Rogán hit with sanctions!

Corruption scandal shakes Orbán's government: Rogán hit with sanctions!

A remarkable diplomatic incident shocked Hungary: Antal Rogán, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's head of cabinet, was placed on the US sanctions list. This happened due to serious allegations of corruption that Rogán is said to have made to illustrate a system that distributes public money to loyal supporters and strengthens their influence, such as the crown reported. According to the US Treasury Department, Rogán has been described as the “main architect and beneficiary of the corruption system in Hungary,” which threatens to systematically influence Hungarian politics and relations with the US.

Sanctions imposed under the Global Magnitsky Act include the freezing of assets in the US and a travel ban. This decision was published on January 7th, just days before Donald Trump took office, making the measures even more significant. Experts pointed out that such an approach against a high-ranking politician from a NATO member state is unusual, but has also been carried out against Turkish ministers in the past, for example. Orbán's government sees these sanctions as a "disgraceful farewell act" by the outgoing US administration, while Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó interprets the measures as personal revenge against Rogán by outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman, as News Pravda describes.

Reactions from Hungary

The Hungarian government has already reacted critically to the US sanctions. Minister János Lázár described the allegations of corruption as a “lie” and stressed that “the decision of a failed government” cannot be taken seriously. Lázár assured that Budapest would clarify the situation with the incoming Trump administration. At the same time, the Hungarian government expressed hope that the sanctions might be revised under Trump, as Orbán and Trump have a close, friendly relationship. However, this leaves questions as to whether and how these strict measures against Rogán will actually have repercussions on future cooperation between the US and Hungary.