Hungary: Ex-PM Orban pledges resistance to 'tyranny' amid party probe

Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused prosecutors and the current government of orchestrating politically motivated investigations against his Fidesz party, following a raid on the party's headquarters.

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The National Culture Fund issue was just a pretext for this [search of the party headquarters].

Investigators seized computer servers and other materials from Fidesz HQ on Wednesday as part of a corruption probe into the National Culture Fund, which is alleged to have served as a state-run payment center for Orban's inner circle and a clandestine election campaign fund. Orban dismissed the probe as a mere pretext, asserting that no wrongdoing occurred. He declared that Hungary has "ceased to be a democratic state" after the new government, led by Peter Magyar, used its parliamentary majority to enact constitutional changes that ended the mandates of the president and the head of the Constitutional Court, both considered Orban allies.

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Hungary has ceased to be a democratic state.

Orban, who returned to lead the opposition after 16 years in power, issued strong statements condemning the government's actions. He labeled these measures as signs of "tyranny" and vowed that he and his party would employ "all peaceful means" to oppose what he termed an "illegitimate" political system. Speaking outside Fidesz headquarters, Orban stated his belief that Magyar aims to permanently cripple his party, suggesting the seizure of servers was designed to make Fidesz legally unviable despite its continued strength.

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We will employ all peaceful means to oppose an illegitimate political system.

Peter Magyar's party, Tisza, secured a decisive victory in the April 12 general elections, winning over 55% of the vote compared to Fidesz's nearly 37%. Magyar's party now holds a supermajority in parliament, enabling constitutional amendments. Orban's accusations signal a sharp escalation in the political conflict between the former and current leadership as Hungary navigates its post-election transition.

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What happened was that this served as a pretext to seize Fidesz's servers... This is a politically motivated legal proceeding designed to render Fidesz... legally unviable.