Parliament’s immunity committee on Tuesday proposed lifting the immunity of former Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany in connection with his alleged involvement in a contested casino project near Sukoro in central Hungary.
Six members of the committee, including opposition LMP and Jobbik members, supported the decision, while two Socialists voted against, the head of the body, Gyorgy Rubovszky said after the session.
Though Gyurcsany himself had earlier requested removing his immunity so that he could face the procedure, the Socialists voted against the proposal for “reasons of conscience”. One of them, Gabor Simon, said that the allegations against the former PM were “groundless and politically motivated”.
There was no direct evidence supporting Gyurcsany’s involvement, Simon said. He referred to earlier testimonies, insisting that although Gyurcsany had met the investors involved in the project, no decision had been made at the meeting.
Peter Szilagyi, the single committee member delegated by the green opposition LMP party, said his party welcomed the decision. It was LMP back in 2009 who brought the case against Gyurcsany, calling for transparency in the Sukoro deal, he said, adding that political leaders had used “appalling rhetoric” over the issue recently.
Gabor Szabo, the committee member of the radical nationalist Jobbik party, said he supported the decision, but was sorry that it had taken so long, as the extra time may have given Gyurcsany and his lawyers an advantage.
The prosecutor’s investigations office has been examining allegations of crimes causing significant damages to the state since 2009, in connection with property exchange deals surrounding the one-billion-dollar project.
Parliament can remove a member’s immunity in a vote with a two-thirds majority.
