She passed the office, but not a wardrobe. The Hungarian president detained clothes worth a fortune

Former President of Hungary Catalin Novak, who gave way in 2024 after disclosing information about the pardon of the person convicted of covering pedophilia, stopped the wardrobe, for which Hungarian taxpayers paid 32.5 million forints (approx. PLN 350,000) – Telex portal said on Thursday.

President Novak held his office for two years. “It happened that one month for her clothes was spent up to 4 million forints (over PLN 42,000),” Telex wrote, citing documents made available by the President's Office.

“The president took with him all the clothes she bought for public money,” he added. Among the clothes she bought, there were those that Made of natural silkand many individual pieces of clothing were bought for the equivalent of over 5,000 zloty.

The portal recalled, among others Novak trip to a meeting with Pope Francis, during which she wore a black veil purchased for over 2.2 thousand. zloty. On the list made available by the office, there were 345 clothes or services related to the president's clothing. The portal also identified several entrepreneurs and fashion designers among suppliers with close connections with the government.

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For comparison, the current president Tamas Sulsok spent 2 million forints on clothes during the year of office (PLN 21,000). The most expensive element of clothing was a jacket for 292 thousand. forints (just over PLN 3,000).

President Novak resigned in February 2024. The reason for the decision was the disclosed scandal around the pardon of the person convicted of covering pedophilia.

Novak was the youngest President of Hungary after the fall of communism and the first woman in this position. Earlier she occupied, among others The position of the Secretary of State for Family and Youth, and then a minister without a portfolio for the family in the government of Viktor Orban.

As a former president, she is entitled to a lifetime salary of 4.5 million forints (PLN 50,000).

From Budapest Jakub Bawołek (PAP)

JBW/ MMS/