Opposition party Fidesz has complained that Socialist mayor of District VII György Hunvald, who has been in preliminary arrest since February, is still receiving his salary, writes Népszabadság. András Cser-Palkovics, deputy spokesman for the party said it did not make a difference whether Hunvald’s salary was being transferred to a trust account or a private account.
According to Népszava, Hunvald had asked that transfer of his salary be stopped and the money is deposited to a trust account. Cser-Palkovics reacted to the news by saying that the Socialist Party is doing everything it can so that the mayor, who is under preliminary arrest and not performing his duties, continues receiving his salary.
Okay, somebody please explain this to me. Hunvald is under arrest for corruption charges and at present is under preliminary arrest (what the sam hell does thay mean? Is that like being a little pregnant?), is not performing his duties as Mayor, is still getting paid and now insists that his salary be deposited into a trust account (for whom I might ask..his lawyers fees?). So exactly why would a person want to vote for this party (Socialist) in next years election?
To be fair, this issue is local to one District of Budapest.
The National MSZP has demanded that his salary is stopped (as reported by earlier articles).
The MSZP-led Ministry of Justice has issued a decree (interpretation of existing law/rules) with that effect, but the District majority has chosen not to follow it.
There are some legal issues here, but if the District VII wanted it, they could hide behind the new decree.
If later a Court of Law would deem the decree unlawful and s stoppage of salary equal unlawful, the District could pay back-salaries, interest and damages. Plus that some official (employed, not politician) could be convicted themselves for not following the Law.
For populists like Fidesz et all, this is an easy point to make political gains on, though.
The case is still on-going.
@ Viking;
Good God Man, I am impressed! I have never seen this side of you, all point form and such. Have I ever told you that I like ABBA? Get it…ABBA and you being.. oh forget it!
Still, thanks for the info.
@ Viking
Why would they stop someone’s salary who has not been convicted of a crime yet?
Being charged is not the same as being found guilty.
Are people not presumed innocent until they are found guilty?
Is there a trial date set? He was arrested in February so it should have a trial date by now.
Why would they stop someone’s salary who has not been convicted of a crime yet?
olga at November 23, 2009 8:53 PM
—
Good questions, all of them.
Of populist reasons the Ministry of Law gave out this new decree, trying to limit the policy damage.
If the salary would really be with hold I think there is legal ground to seek compensation later, especially if there will be no conviction, which seems a bit unlikely at the moment. But WTF OJ Simpson walked free…
Personally I think we should all keep us to formal legal stuff and ignore the boulevard press.
The problem is that their readers elect the politicians.
@ Viking
just to make myself clear – the justice system is not about the crooked politician, it’s about how the Justice System works in Hungary in this case.
I just found out about a “guilty as sin” case in Toronto where all the charges were dismissed during a trial. The Prosecutor and the police screwed up the evidence. So I hope the Prosecution does its homework in the Hunvald case
It sure isn’t fair to see a guilty person get away with a crime, but better to have a hundred guilty people go free than have one innocent person jailed for a crime s/he did not commit.