Will Orban go to prison? Magyar: Independent courts will decide

The leader of the opposition Tisha, Peter Magyar, in an interview published on Saturday in the Nepszava daily, assured that under his rule, independent courts will issue verdicts. When asked about expectations regarding the conviction of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, he replied that it would not be the role of the prime minister of the new government to hold him accountable.

The Nepszava daily asked Magyar about the expectations of “a significant part of his voters” regarding Prime Minister Orban being sentenced to prison. “It is not the job of Peter Magyar, the Prime Minister or any other party leader to hold the leader of another party accountable,” said Chairman Tisza.

The government's task is to create a framework for an independent judiciary and a professionally functioning investigative body. If they function, they will decide who committed what crime and issue sentences, Magyar emphasized.

The oppositionist admitted that his party already had candidates for the heads of each ministry and an outline of the government structure. He revealed that his cabinet would consist of, among others: from the ministries of health, education, rural development, environment and finance. EU matters, he added, would most likely fall directly to the prime minister's office.

Tisza's chairman also commented on international issues, emphasizing that despite President Donald Trump's administration openly supporting Orbán, TISZA would like to maintain a “constructive partnership with the USA.”

He also assured that he did not rule out negotiations on the supply of energy raw materials with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Magyar criticized Orban's government for failing to diversify oil and gas supplies, emphasizing that this process is necessary, although it will not be finalized overnight. “We will negotiate (with Russia) if necessary, but that does not mean we will become friends,” Magyar emphasized.

Parliamentary elections in Hungary will be held on Sunday.

In the final weeks before the vote, most independent polls showed support for Tisha at between 49 and 58 percent. among decisive voters, with support for Prime Minister Orban's Fidesz ranging between 35 and 38 percent. Opinion polls also showed growing support for the opposition while the popularity of the ruling party was declining.

Polls from centers linked to the government show Fidesz's advantage, amounting to several percentage points.

Jakub Bawołek from Budapest (PAP)

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