Hungary’s green party Politics Can Be Different (LMP) will do everything in its power to aqcuire information about Hungarian aspects of an ongoing investigation in Sweden into possible irregularities during the acquisition of Gripen fighter planes, a party MP told MTI on Tuesday.
LMP will seek help from the Green Party of Sweden and from Swedish journalists to supply data on the outcome of the investigation, said Benedek Javor.
Hungarian daily Nepszabadsag recently reported that according to unofficial sources Swedish authorities would not hand over the details of the investigation to Hungary despite an existing legal assistance agreement between the two countries.
Javor said LMP has not yet received an official response by the Swedish authorities.
An offset agreement between Hungary and Sweden which involved the acquisition of Gripen fighter planes was signed during the previous Orban government in 2001.
Corruption allegations were raised in connection with the agreement in June 2007 after a Swedish television channel said that an Austrian businessman had received an 8 million dollar kick-back for mediation in the transaction. An investigation in the following year suggested the possibility of links to Hungary. The Hungarian Chief Prosecutor’s Office investigated the affair in May 2008 but found no evidence suggesting that the purchase involved corruption or had hurt public interests in any other way.
Well, the Brits and the US made an agreement with BAE and dropped the charges:
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http://www.sfo.gov.uk/press-room/latest-press-releases/press-releases-2010/sfo-withdraws-proceedings-against-count-alfons-mensdorff-pouilly.aspx
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“Consequently the charge brought on 29 January 2010 against Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly in relation to certain European countries is to be withdrawn”
As I understand much of these dealings were via BAE and they employed this Austrian Count Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly
LMP should maybe ask the UK for the details, which they will most not likely give, then SFO made a deal with BAE…