The series of corruption scandals, about which a masked figure referred to in the media only as Anonymus, has released important audio and video recordings in recent months, can reach even high-ranking left-wing politicians. This is confirmed by the fact that, according to information from Mediaworks-Hírcentrum, two cases are no longer being investigated by the police, but by the Central Prosecutor's Office (KNYF) - and this only happens if a person with immunity is also involved. In other words, a member of parliament can also be involved in the case. Thus, the threads of the bribery scandal can lead much higher than Gábor Patek, who is considered a key figure, and one of the important background figures of the socialists in the capital.
The Central Investigative General Prosecutor's Office (KNYF), which also acts in the cases of politicians and other persons protected by immunity, took over from the police the III. the district bribery corruption scandal, as well as the investigation launched due to Gergely Karácsony's primary election campaign last summer, the Mediaworks News Center learned.
Both cases are linked to the name of Gábor Patek, one of the socialists' background figures in the capital.
Until 2020, Patek was the head of the Asset Management and City Management Office at the Kispest municipality, but his role went far beyond that. In essence, Patek was the right-hand man and confidant of Péter Gajda of the MSZP, he also worked as the mayor's chief of staff for a while, but his name became known to the wider public mainly when the Kispest audio materials were leaked in 2019, on which former socialist municipal representative Csaba Lackner reported in detail about the district's suspected corruption transactions. Among other things, Lackner talked about how he had a close working relationship and "worked" with Péter Gajda's "executive" since 2016. Gábor Patek's influence is clearly shown by the fact that he was mentioned in the audio recordings as someone who can handle anything at the municipality.
Before the parliamentary elections, the masked figure who became known in the media as Anonymus linked Gábor Patek to several cases of suspected corruption in his videos: he showed a recording made with a hidden camera, in which Patek and an unknown person sat in a car and paid several million HUF in bribes. The footage clearly shows how the sums were placed in paper bags. According to the masked man, III. it was money redistributed on behalf of the district municipality. In another audio recording published in a video, Gábor Patek and a person unknown to the public talked about tapping real estate developments in Pestszentlőrinc. According to the recording, eight apartments from a forty-six- and an eighty-six-apartment property were "distributed" to Gábor Patek, Sándor Szaniszló, the mayor of DK, the local deputy mayor, and the head of the district asset manager. However, according to Szaniszló, "none of the serious allegations made are true".
Gábor Patek in 2019 Photo: Attila Polyák – Origo
Anonymus later made public documents that can prove that Gábor Patek actively participated in the organization of Gergely Karácsony's primary election campaign. For example, according to an email dated August 26, 2021, Patek, acting on behalf of Key Price Kft., requested an offer and a list of available surfaces for placing one hundred billboards. Patek wrote that the Párbeszéd Magyarorszért Party should be named as the customer, but drew attention to the fact that the end user would be the 99 Movement, "which is not currently a legal entity". The client, i.e. one of the co-chairmen of the Dialogue for Hungary, was Mayor Gergely Karácsony at the time, who was still in the running for the position of prime minister last summer, but unexpectedly withdrew in October in favor of Péter Márki-Zay.
The other co-chairman of the party was Tímea Szabó, who, due to corruption deals, was already mentioned III. participated in the parliamentary elections as a joint candidate of the left in the district.
Tímea Szabó Source: MTI/Mti Photo Editors/Mti Photo Editors/Zoltán Máthé
The 99 Movement, mentioned as the end user, took down the flag and organized the mayor's campaign after it turned out that Gergely Karácsony would be the joint prime ministerial candidate of the MSZP, the PM and the LMP in the primary election. The deal was finally completed, as Anonymus also attached the invoice to that effect. According to the receipt issued by JCDecaux Hungary Zrt., only HUF 5.2 million had to be paid for the 123 advertising spaces, since Key Price Kft. received a discount of almost HUF 46 million from the HUF 51 million price. According to the masked figure, the fact that Patek was able to arrange such a discount is "not entirely legal".
Péter Márki-Zay and Gergely KarácsonyPhoto: Sándor Csudai – Origo
All III. district corruption scandal and Gergely Karácsony's primary election campaign, the National Investigation Agency (NNI) launched an investigation on the suspicion of bribery and other crimes, based on the complaint of Gyula Budai. According to Mediaworks-Hírcentrum, however, both procedures were taken over and merged by the Central Investigative General Prosecutor's Office. In response to our question, the KNYF acknowledged the fact of the investigation, but did not provide more information citing the interests of the procedure.
Source: Mediaworks Hírcentrum, origo.hu
