Former Socialist MP László Boldvai (L) and former Fidesz MP Zsolt Horváth (R)
“Offshore knights”
In radical liberal news portal 444.hu, András Pethő, the Hungarian journalist involved in the several hundred strong international team that processed the Panama files, describes how a Socialist politician was involved in the scandal. In the “Panama Leak” documents, he found the name of a Hungarian teacher, known only to her close acquaintances, who turned out to be the wife of a former prominent MSZP politician. The Panamanian company was used to transfer amounts adding up to somewhat less than 1 million USD from 2012 to 2013. Pethő tried to ask Mr and Mrs Boldvai for an explanation but got no reply. Until yesterday Boldvai used to serve as the party’s treasurer is still a regional council member in Nógrád County and chaired the local MSZP organisation.
Meanwhile in left-wing daily Népszabadság, Gábor G. Varga remarks that the Hungarian government side gave up excoriating “offshore-knights” years ago, although this had been one of Fidesz’s main themes in the electoral campaign before its landslide victory in 2010. He does not mention Zsolt Horváth, the former Fidesz MP, implicated in the scandal by name, but remarks that the Minister of National Development has “a network of international companies”. (As a lawyer before his appointment, he set up offshore enterprises for his clients). Without specifying which leading politicians he has in mind, Varga concludes that “the Big Boys of politics are well versed in the offshore business, which shows that by now they are among the big players”.
According to press reports, Zsolt Horváth, who withdrew from politics two years ago after spending 16 years in Parliament, was appointed director of an offshore company registered on the Seychelles Islands in October 2013 and he also obtained ownership in another offshore company.
Party reactions
Socialist leader József Tóbiás said László Boldvai had suspended his Socialist party membership with immediate effect, stating that press reports about his company were true and he did not wish to be a burden on the party.
The ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats said the opposition Socialists have been “caught once again” in the international offshore scandal. “This is not the first time: ever since the case of Gábor Simon, we have been aware that they were involved in such activities”, Christian Democrat lawmaker István Hollik said. The offshore scandal has revealed that former Socialist treasurer Laszló Boldvai had a company registered in Samoa in his wife’s name with the purpose of hiding funds, he added. This also shows that the opposition is “full of corruption cases” and “the Socialists cannot give account of this up to this day”, he said.
Radical nationalist Jobbik also named former ruling Fidesz lawmaker Zsolt Horváth, listed in the Panama documents, and said he had “syphoned off development funding”. Jobbik lawmaker György Szilágyi said his party demanded an investigation and filed charges with the public prosecutor in connection with Hungarian suspects in light of the recent “Panama Papers” revelations. Szilágyi insisted that the ruling Fidesz party and the opposition Socialists had “equally robbed the country” over the past 26 years, lavishing gifts to their “pals” using taxpayer money.
All politicians should make a public declaration if they are involved in any offshore businesses, the left-wing opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has urged. Referring to press reports on Horváth and Boldvai, DK spokesman Zsolt Gréczy said the asset declarations of spouses or partners of parliamentarians should be made public to reveal any possible wrongdoing. He also noted that all DK’s leaders and deputies have signed declarations stating that neither they nor their partners have any such businesses.
The Dialogue for Hungary (PM) party demanded that all parties should expel members implicated in the offshore scandal or involved in any economic crimes. Bence Tordai proposed that revenues from offshore businesses should be levied with a 30% withholding tax, while private individuals should pay a tax on such revenues even if dividends are not paid out.
Source: www.hungarytoday.com