ÁFA avoidance allegation
The editorial said the magazine had heard that a “politician from a ruling party” hired a restaurant for a “quasi-private function”. When presented with the bill to which VAT (or ÁFA as it is known locally) had been added, the editorial alleged, the politician had his assistant explain to the owner that, as this was a private affair and the money was not coming from party coffers, he would prefer to settle the account off the books, in cash. The tax-free sum was then, allegedly, handed over personally in an envelope bearing the logo of a government department.
Do as I say, not as I do
This, the magazine concluded pessimistically, means that on Saturday night, even a politician is “an average Hungarian” who only calls for his compatriots to pay taxes correctly from his department during working hours. Elsewhere, and at other times, he is free to wangle, pay advisers and restaurants under the table and embroil himself in land speculation, concluded the piece.
Government invited to rebuke
MDF deputy leader Zoltán Hock wrote an open letter to Gyurcsány on 21 May. In it, he noted that the government had yet to react to the allegations, and requested that the PM look into the case. The letter ended with bullet pointed questions asking whether the allegations are true, and if not, has the magazine been asked to print a correction? If the story is true, Hock wanted to know which minister is involved and whether he is to remain in his post.
Alleged culprit known
When asked if he knew the identity of the alleged miscreant at a press conference in front of the Finance Ministry on 19 May, Hock implied that he knew the name of the member of the government in question, but did not want to make public the name. MTI news agency reported that in response to the further question as to whether there was any connection between who the politician is and the choice of the finance ministry as a venue for the press conference, Hock answered in the negative.
The government had not officially denied the accusations at the time of going to press.
