Policemen asked Gyula Budai, director of the farmers’ lobby group Magosz, to show his identity papers as he held a press briefing outside the headquarters of state asset manager MNV on Pozsonyi út Wednesday.
The policemen said they had been notified by unidentified sources that a demonstration not announced to the authorities in advance was under way. After police jotted down the information Budai filed a complaint of unlawful data-handling.
Budai earlier claimed that former Agriculture Ministry undersecretary Fülöp Benedek wanted to transfer 16.5 hectares of land in 2000 to Austrian Hubert Kovarovsky, who has since died, by means of a “pocket contract.” Budai urged Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány to take action.
Fidesz spokesman Péter Szíjjártó described the incident as gross interference by police in the press briefing. He asked whether “it is becoming general practice again that the cabinet wants to stifle opinions it finds displeasing.”
MNV officials confirmed to Magyar Nemzet that they had called the police because staff could not park their cars on the street.
Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics said in a statement that the police had acted lawfully and professionally.
