AP Exclusive: Hungary’s Magyar vows accountability for Orbán era while holding firm on migration

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — For Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar, defeating Viktor Orbán in a landslide election was only the beginning. Less than six months into his term, his new government is pursuing former officials he accuses of corruption and abuses of power.In his first interview with a global news organization since taking office, Magyar, 45, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that efforts to recover assets that were allegedly misused under his predecessor were underway, but that the push for accountability must follow the rule of law that Orbán's government often flouted.“The Hungarian people obviously want to see results in holding those responsible accountable, punishing them and recovering stolen property,” Magyar said from his central Budapest office.During Orbán's rule, he said, Hungarians "experienced that this wonderful country, which was a high achiever when we joined the European Union in 2004, became one of the poorest and most corrupt member states in Europe.”Magyar’s center-right, pro-European Tisza party defeated Orbán’s far-right Fidesz in April, ending 16 years of rule admired by the global nationalist right for its antagonistic approach to the EU and strong stance against immigration and the “liberal mainstream.”Orbán’s self-described “illiberal democracy” dismantled checks and balances and enriched allied business figures, largely through awarding them lucrative EU-financed state contracts. Concerns over corruption and democratic backsliding prompted the bloc to begin withholding billions in funding to Hungary in 2021.New government pursues asset recoveryBefore the election, Magyar promised to bring those responsible for past abuses to justice and to recover public assets misused under Orbán.

Recent polls show a large majority of voters expect him to fulfill that pledge.Magyar's government established the National Asset Recovery and Protection Office, which holds investigative and prosecutorial powers to pursue cases of misused public funds. Magyar called the office a “superauthority” that can enlist police, prosecutors and the national tax authority “so that it doesn’t take years to uncover a complicated corruption case.”Magyar has also applied to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which investigates crimes involving EU funds, reversing Orbán’s longstanding refusal to participate.While several former officials have…