**Title: Hungary’s Prosecutor General Declares Seizure of Fidesz Servers Unlawful**
The Hungarian Prosecutor General's Office has ruled that the recent seizure of servers belonging to the Fidesz party, led by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was unlawful. This decision comes amid ongoing tensions between the newly elected government, headed by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, and the remnants of Orban’s long-standing administration.
In a controversial operation last month, investigators conducted an unannounced raid at a facility housing Fidesz's servers, confiscating all communications systems and databases. This action was part of an investigation into alleged misuse of approximately 17 billion forints (around €47 million) from the National Cultural Fund during Orban's time in office. The Fidesz party condemned the raid, characterizing it as an unprecedented overreach reminiscent of authoritarian practices not seen since the fall of Communism in Hungary in 1989.
On Wednesday, the Prosecutor General's Office issued a statement clarifying that while the order for the seizure was valid, the execution of the operation was flawed. The statement described the investigators' actions as a "fishing expedition," indicating that they had seized a broad array of data rather than targeting specific evidence relevant to the investigation. This approach, according to the Prosecutor General, violates both European Union and Hungarian law.
In response to the ruling, the Prosecutor General has instructed the chief prosecutor in Bács-Kiskun County to repeat the seizure, this time focusing solely on data pertinent to the ongoing investigation. However, Fidesz has expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome, reiterating their stance that the investigators' actions were illegal. Senior Fidesz MP Boka Janos called for an immediate cessation of what he termed a politically motivated campaign disguised as an official procedure, demanding the return of the party's servers.
Mark Bollobas, a veteran Hungarian journalist and former editor-in-chief of DunaTV, described the ruling as a "sort of a legal victory" for Fidesz but cautioned that it does not alter the reality of the situation. He suggested that the government and the prosecutor's office may have exploited the police search to access data that should not have been available to them. Bollobas expressed skepticism about the integrity of the data, implying that it may have already been copied and disseminated.
The political landscape in Hungary has shifted significantly since the election of Magyar and his Tisza party, which campaigned on a platform of "regime change." The new government has initiated a series of reforms aimed at dismantling the legal, media, and financial frameworks established during Orban's 16 years in power. Among these changes is a constitutional amendment instituting a 12-year term limit for Members of Parliament, effectively barring Orban from seeking re-election.
Fidesz has consistently criticized Magyar's administration, labeling its actions as authoritarian and a threat to democratic norms. The ongoing conflict between the two parties highlights the deep divisions within Hungarian politics and raises questions about the future of governance and rule of law in the country.
As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how the new government will proceed with its investigations and whether Fidesz will continue to challenge the legitimacy of the actions taken against it. The implications of this ruling could resonate throughout Hungary's political landscape, influencing both the current administration's approach and the opposition's strategies moving forward.