Former gangster alleges ties between Viktor Orbán and Budapest’s criminal networks in 1990s
Photo: Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary (Getty Images)
Former gangster László Kovács worked in the 1990s for the leader of the most influential organized crime group in Budapest, Igor Korol, which was subordinate to the main boss of the criminal world, Semion Mogilevich.
According to Kovács, he delivered large amounts of cash that Mogilevich regularly sent to the head of the police, Sándor Pintér, to have criminal cases closed.
He also said that in 1997, Mogilevich transferred even larger sums to finance Viktor Orbán's campaign (who, after coming to power, appointed Pintér as Minister of the Interior).
Million for Orbán
The former gangster noted that the bundles of money were usually not very large, but in 1997, the amounts reached half a million, and on one occasion, he was handed a bag with one million dollars.
"All these large sums were intended for 'Vitka' — that’s what Mogilevich called Orbán. Orbán and Pintér were already close at the time, which was no secret to anyone. At the same time, neither of them ever appeared at Mogilevich’s office; at least, I never saw them there," Kovács recalls.
Orbán’s rise to power
He said that parliamentary elections were scheduled for 1998, and Mogilevich expected Orbán’s rise to give him full freedom of action. Initially, that was the case — after his victory, Orbán immediately appointed Pintér as Minister of the Interior, but later things changed.
"When Orbán was running as an opposition candidate, all those bombings and murders that outraged society helped boost his ratings, but once he came to power, his former friends and sponsors became an obstacle to him, and with the help of the same Pintér, he quickly got rid of them, putting them all behind bars," Kovács said.
He added that even Mogilevich himself had to leave Hungary for Russia. When asked whether the Russian authorities could use compromising material that Mogilevich had on Orbán, Kovács replied that he did not know for sure, but such a scenario was entirely possible.
Elections in Hungary
The election campaign in Hungary is taking place amid serious scandals and allegations of foreign interference. In particular, Politico reported that Viktor Orbán is already preparing a plan in case of his defeat.
In Brussels, several scenarios are already being discussed in response to a possible new victory for Orbán in the elections. According to media reports, the EU is considering at least five options that could prevent decision-making from being blocked within the bloc.
