police

December 15, 2009, 06:49 CET

Much like the government, former civil servants had no viable business plan

A court has declared Admiral Tours Hungary Utazásszervező Kft insolvent, and began the liquidation process, hvg.hu reports. Admiral Tours – the joint venture of former interior minister Sándor Pintér, the head of his cabinet László Valenta as well as... [read complete entry]

November 23, 2009, 09:02 CET

Bajnai defends police crackdown on far-right groups

Hungary's government makes every effort to secure order and expects the same from the police, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said on Saturday. "What happened in Sajobabony last weekend truly demonstrated that incitement to hatred and provocation represent an increasing threat... [read complete entry]

November 23, 2009, 08:32 CET

Police face off against Magyar Gárda at memorial march for interwar leader

A march organised by the far-right Jobbik party marking the 90th anniversary of the procession of Regent Miklós Horthy into Budapest took place in the 11th District on Sunday. Police prevented units of the outlawed Magyar Gárda from following the... [read complete entry]

October 13, 2009, 12:15 CET

Fidesz to create security czar; tycoon ex-police chief tipped for job

Main opposition party Fidesz, if it were to win next year's general elections, would give control over the police and national security to one minister, writes index.hu. The post of minister without portfolio would cease to exist, and both organizations... [read complete entry]

September 14, 2009, 11:40 CET

Police break up Magyar Gárda event near Budapest

Proceedings have been launched against the banned paramilitary Hungarian Guard who held a family event over the weekend in Kerepes, just north of Budapest, Monday's Nepszava daily reported. Some 500 people attended the event held on private grounds and police... [read complete entry]

September 07, 2009, 10:36 CET

Government beefs up police force with 1,000 new officers

From the autumn 1,000 more police officers will patrol public areas, police secondary schools will be allowed to admit 150% more pupils, and implementation of a Village Guard programme will begin, as part of the cabinet's new public safety programme,... [read complete entry]

August 19, 2009, 09:43 CET

Former spokesman for prosecutor's office arrested on bribery charge

A former spokesman of the Budapest Prosecutor's Office, Gergely Varga, has been taken into custody for bribery, index.hu writes, based on an MTI report. The Central Investigating Prosecutor's Office said Varga had been taken into custody on Monday. On July... [read complete entry]

August 14, 2009, 10:59 CET

Ministry drafting new rules for police action against demonstrators

A supplement to the police decree on dispersing crowds, now being drafted at the Justice and Law Enforcement Ministry, proposes that demonstrators who resist police instructions should primarily be stopped and that police may only strike or kick demonstrators as... [read complete entry]

August 12, 2009, 09:28 CET

Sólyom condemns planned neo-Nazi demonstration

President László Sólyom is shocked by reports that fascist groups from Hungary and elsewhere plan to honour the anniversary of the death of convicted Nazi war criminal Rudolf Hess, his office told MTI on Tuesday. Sólyom said it is his... [read complete entry]

July 27, 2009, 10:35 CET

Gov't to allocate extra funding for fight against domestic "terrorism"

The government has decided to allocate further funds for efforts to fight terrorism, Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics said on Friday. "More attention, money and energy" is needed to prepare the country against such incidents as recent Molotov... [read complete entry]

July 20, 2009, 03:22 CET

National security head Laborc resigns in wake of spying scandal

Sandor Laborc on Monday resigned as head of the National Security Office (NBH), the Prime Minister's Office told MTI in a statement. PM Gordon Bajnai has accepted the resignation and Laborc will step down from his post on September 1,... [read complete entry]

July 17, 2009, 10:06 CET

Police reportedly call in Gárda captain for interrogation

The Budapest police (BRFK) has summoned Magyar Gárda head captain Róbert Kiss to its headquarters next week for interrogation, daily Népszabadság reports. The paper claims that Kiss is to be questioned on potential charges of incitement and abuse of the... [read complete entry]

July 17, 2009, 09:27 CET

Police work outsourced in Debrecen to private security firm

Security company Pannon Guard will take part in crime prevention and patrol services in Debrecen in co-operation with the police, chairman and CEO Sándor Sutka announced yesterday. "Our response forces will provide 24-hour armed patrol service," said Sutka, a former... [read complete entry]

July 16, 2009, 10:02 CET

Justice Minister promises crackdown on Magyar Gárda

Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics promised yesterday to crack down on the Magyar Gárda so long as it is banned by the courts. "It is unparalleled that some people are openly turning against court rulings, especially in support... [read complete entry]

July 14, 2009, 10:13 CET

Police investigate "new" Magyar Gárda; former minister mulls banning Jobbik

Budapest Police are looking into who may have violated the law by refounding the outlawed Magyar Gárda after it was dissolved by a court on July 2, police chief József Bencze told Kossuth Rádió. The police have asked prosecutors to... [read complete entry]

July 13, 2009, 11:13 CET

Bajnai honors policemen for handling of "illegal" right-wing protests

Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai on Friday honoured eight policemen for controlling the situation at a July 4 demonstration in support of the banned radical nationalist Hungarian Guard, the government spokesman's office told MTI in a statement. The prime minister decided... [read complete entry]

July 07, 2009, 09:34 CET

Commission vets complaints over police conduct at weekend demonstration

Hungary's Independent Police Complaints Authority has received five complaints by Monday noon regarding police action at a weekend demonstration of the paramilitary Hungarian Guard, the authority's chairman told MTI. Jeno Kaltenbach said the complaints targeted the police's alleged use of... [read complete entry]

July 06, 2009, 09:34 CET

Police break up Magyar Gárda protest; Jobbik leader detained

Police clashed in downtown Erzsébet tér on Saturday afternoon with a few hundred demonstrators who gathered to protest at Thursday’s court ruling dissolving the Magyar Gárda paramilitary group. One of the 216 detained was Gábor Vona, head of the Gárda... [read complete entry]

July 02, 2009, 10:48 CET

Government proposes own network of volunteer "guards"

The ruling Socialists are proposing to set up a network of guards serving in the countryside, national daily Nepszabadsag said on Wednesday. The plan, which the party leaders will put forward to the Socialists' Saturday congress for discussion, is aimed... [read complete entry]

June 19, 2009, 09:24 CET

National Security Office part of crackdown on anti-government agitator

The National Security Office (NBH) had from the start closely co-operated with the National Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday's arrest of György Budaházy, the Prime Minister's Office's National Security Bureau told MTI on Thursday. Budaházy and several others are suspected... [read complete entry]

June 12, 2009, 09:42 CET

Complaints board says police action against demonstrators improper

Hungary's Independent Police Complaints Authority has concluded that the police had breached rules of conduct when apprehending two men at a commemoration of the March 15 national holiday, according to a report sent to MTI on Thursday. The authority has... [read complete entry]

June 04, 2009, 10:10 CET

Police union banned from cooperating with Jobbik, party defiant

An investigation by Hungary's Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has concluded that the cooperation agreement concluded between the police trade union TRMSZ and the radical nationalist Jobbik party should be cancelled as the union's president and general secretary had not been... [read complete entry]

June 03, 2009, 09:13 CET

Orbán says collapse of state cause of Magyar Gárda's rise

The existence of the Magyar Gárda is due to the collapse of the state, while social bitterness is behind the growing support for the radical Jobbik party, Fidesz chairman Viktor Orbán said in an interview with the conservative German newspaper... [read complete entry]

June 02, 2009, 07:29 CET

Jobbik leader slams debt, trade, central bank, high crime

The leader of Hungary's radical nationalist Jobbik party on Saturday called for crisis management, improving public safety and Hungarians' national consciousness at a European Parliamentary elections campaign rally. Gabor Vona said Hungary should initiate talks on reducing its public debt... [read complete entry]

May 29, 2009, 11:29 CET

National police chief says right-wing police union illegal

The operation of the radical trade union within the police force breaches the law, and the national police chief, Jozsef Bencze initiated legal proceedings at the prosecutor's office whether it operates legally, the national police said on Thursday. Police have... [read complete entry]

May 25, 2009, 10:10 CET

Ombudsman denounces police conduct at March 15 demonstrations

Police officers humiliated people detained in Budapest on March 15, civil rights ombudsman Máté Szabó informed MTI on Sunday after his staff conducted an inquiry into the arrests of protestors on Kossuth tér. Measures taken against demonstrators on Kossuth tér... [read complete entry]

May 20, 2009, 09:44 CET

Union chief denounces police link to right-wing group

A recent cooperation deal between TMRSZ, a radical organisation within Hungary's police, and the radical nationalist Jobbik party could compromise the operation of the national police force, the head of the Independent Police Trade Union (FRSZ) said on Tuesday. TMRSZ... [read complete entry]

May 19, 2009, 11:49 CET

Jobbik boycotts Fidesz over EP campaign attacks

Jobbik will not hold any consultations with Fidesz from now on because it is attacking Jobbik rather than the left-wing parties in the European Parliament election campaign, press chief of the far-right party Előd Novák told reporters in Dunavarsány on... [read complete entry]

May 18, 2009, 11:10 CET

Public support for Magyar Gárda grows

Around 10 percent of the Hungarian public sympathises with the radical nationalist Magyar Garda movement, according to a survey by the Progressive Institute published on Sunday. If the movement were a political party it would have the backing of 9... [read complete entry]

May 13, 2009, 09:37 CET

Government backs probe of alleged radical group within police

The government gives its full backing to an investigation of an organisation within the police force to be conducted by parliament's national security committee, Deputy Justice Minister Dezso Avarkeszi said in parliament on Tuesday. Avarkeszi responded to remarks by Jozsef... [read complete entry]

May 05, 2009, 09:51 CET

Parliament rights committee head gives justice minister ceremonial "boot"

Fidesz MP Zoltán Balog, tried to give Justice and Law Enforcement Minister Tibor Draskovics a police boot on behalf of the NGO Szabadság Kör in Parliament yesterday, to recall police brutality since 2006, and alleged violation of human rights at... [read complete entry]

May 05, 2009, 09:34 CET

Gov't offers new anti-crime proposal in response to Fidesz "three strikes" plan

The cabinet plans to tighten the penal code and mete out harsher punishments to repeat offenders in response to Fidesz's "three strikes" proposal, Népszabadság reports.... [read complete entry]

May 05, 2009, 08:44 CET

Parliament approves investigation into neo-Nazi demonstration

Parliament's constitutional committee on Monday supported by an overwhelming majority a proposal to set up an ad hoc committee to evaluate police activities at neo-Nazi demonstrations.... [read complete entry]

April 24, 2009, 10:28 CET

Fidesz initiates parliamentary probe into police action against neo-Nazis

The main opposition Fidesz party proposed on Thursday that parliament set up a special committee to investigate why the police had not dispersed a "neo-Nazi demonstration in (Budapest's) Castle District on April 18."... [read complete entry]

March 11, 2009, 09:26 CET

Police, local councils locus of Hungarian corruption, study finds

The largest number of corrupt employees work at local authorities and with the police, and the fewest in courts, according to a survey by the Sociology and Social Policy Institute of Budapest’s Corvinus University.... [read complete entry]

March 05, 2009, 09:13 CET

Secret services minister says gov't expects peaceful March 15 celebrations

Hungary's secret services minister Gyorgy Szilvasy told commercial television ATV on Wednesday that he was expecting this year's celebrations of the national holiday on March 15 to be peaceful.... [read complete entry]

January 19, 2009, 09:37 CET

Rubber bullet victim granted police compensation

Hungarian police have paid 4.5 million forints (EUR 17,000) to a man who was hit by a rubber bullet and lost an eye during an opposition Fidesz party rally in October 2006, news portal Index.hu reported on Friday.... [read complete entry]

December 11, 2008, 09:49 CET

Ombudsman faults police on Oct. 23 commemorations

Police violated six fundamental rights during the October 23 commemorations this year, civil rights ombudsman Máté Szabó said in a report issued on Wednesday.... [read complete entry]

December 10, 2008, 07:58 CET

MDF leader to waive immunity to face allegations of "underworld tactics"

Hungarian Democratic Forum leader Ibólya Dávid has announced that she will waive her parliamentary immunity in order to clear her name of allegations made by party rival Kornél Almássy, writes Index.hu".... [read complete entry]

December 05, 2008, 10:28 CET

Orbán says police must be strengthened, citing recent criminal outrages

Public safety in Hungary has deteriorated to a level where people are afraid to leave their homes and it is necessary to strengthen the police force, main opposition Fidesz party leader Viktor Orban said on Thursday.... [read complete entry]

July 09, 2008, 10:33 CET

Fidesz, SZDSZ lash out at Prime Minister's planned "anti-extremist" rally

Leading conservative, liberal parties say they will likely stay away from event suggested by Gyurcsány, and dismissed calls for a "Hungarian Charter" against extremism. [read complete entry]

June 20, 2008, 10:15 CET

ORTT demands monitoring of MTV show

Host István Verebes under investigation following viewer complaints of political bias. [read complete entry]

June 12, 2008, 08:00 CET

Farmers' leader challenged by police during "press briefing"

Fidesz fears return of police state as authorities call halt to anti-corruption protest outside the state asset manager's headquarters. [read complete entry]

May 28, 2008, 10:40 CET

MTV siege trial begins

A total of 39 defendants accused of taking part in the ransacking of the Hungarian Television headquarters 2006 went on trial at Pest Central District Court on Tuesday. [read complete entry]

May 05, 2008, 10:24 CET

Gergényi trial to begin on June 30

Former Budapest police chief in the dock for wrongful dismissal of eight officers. [read complete entry]

March 17, 2008, 09:18 CET

Foreign observers say Hungarian police violated rights

Rights group claim private security guards illegally asked people for identity cards and searched them during Saturday demonstrations [read complete entry]

March 14, 2008, 11:57 CET

Budapest Police prepare for possible violence on March 15th

Budapest police are preparing for tomorrow's March 15th celebrations by being on high alert lest some groups try to disrupt the events. [read complete entry]

February 19, 2008, 10:23 CET

Former Budapest police chief questioned over wrongful dismissal of officers

The Budapest Military Prosecutor's Office has questioned controversial former Budapest Police Chief Péter Gergényi over alleged abuse of his position relating to several cases of unlawful dismissal. [read complete entry]

February 12, 2008, 09:41 CET

Parliament passes bill on multi-player health insurance, again

The government's controversial health bill has been passed for a second time despite protests and opposition indignation, and this time President László Sólyom can't send it back for review. [read complete entry]

February 12, 2008, 09:29 CET

Fidesz MP comes out fighting over Gyurcsány's "excessive police protection"

PM Ferenc Gyurcsány visited a SZDSZ meeting held in Debrecen accompanied by police protection which provoked complaints from Fidesz MP László Pósán, reports gondola.hu.... [read complete entry]

February 04, 2008, 09:06 CET

Court grants compensation to protester beaten by policemen

A man who was brutally beaten by policemen during the riots in Budapest in October 2006, has been granted Ft 500,000 (roughly €2,000) in compensation, reports right-wing daily Magyar Nemzet. The court has also obliged the police department to admit... [read complete entry]

January 23, 2008, 10:47 CET

Justice Minister demands investigation into riot police controversy

The spokesman for the Budapest Prosecutor's Office, Gergely Varga, has been suspended from his post after a tape recording revealed that he claimed to know which police officers were responsible for police brutality committed in Budapest in September 2006, and... [read complete entry]

January 18, 2008, 11:39 CET

Recording released of prosecutor claiming to know identities of real riot police thugs

News portal Index.hu has a prosecutor on tape admitting that the men in the dock were not those responsible for police brutality in the fall 2006 disturbances. [read complete entry]

January 16, 2008, 11:10 CET

Police officers provided false testimony to protect colleagues, court says

Prosecutor Márta Daróci said that while the testimonies of the officers contradict official reports and each other, those of the victims are consistent and credible, allowing the crime described in the indictment to be verified. [read complete entry]

November 30, 2007, 09:17 CET

Recent police raids, drug tests at nightclubs unlawful

"Police violate the law when they stop young people and ask for identity cards and carry out drug tests at night spots," civil rights ombudsman Máté Szabó declared on Thursday, having examined the legality of a nightclub raid.... [read complete entry]

November 22, 2007, 02:18 CET

Budapest districts demand local government police forces

Several Budapest districts are campaigning for local government police forces to be set up, because they feel that national police are unable to meet citizens' expectations, reports Magyar Nemzet. Újbuda (District XI) Mayor Gyula Molnár put forward a proposal to... [read complete entry]

November 21, 2007, 11:28 CET

Journalists protest weekend police action in Budapest

Nearly 100 journalists, photographers, cameramen and their supporters staged a demonstration at the Batthyány Eternal Flame in Budapest's Fifth District on Tuesday evening to protest the arrest and detention of two journalists when police dissolved a peaceful demonstration on... [read complete entry]