Cui prodest?

Probably the decade’s most convoluted political scandal has erupted after Tamás Welsz, a businessman associated with the case of disgraced former Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) vice-president Gábor Simon, died on 20 March while being transferred by police from his office in Budapest to his apartment in Érd (see page 12). Welsz was apparently a member of an elite club in Buda that is frequented by celebrities, politicians and businessmen associated with politics. Though the coroner’s report did not find anything suspicious, when something like this happens various conspiracy theories are bound to pop up. Browsing through the internet, one can find explanations ranging from suggestions that the prime minister was somehow behind it to others saying the left had most to lose if Welsz opened his mouth. One of the more interesting theories suggests that it is former prime minister Ferenc Gyurcsány pulling the strings from the background. According to this thought, Gyurcsány was behind the release of the documents that implicated Gábor Simon. While there is no evidence to support this – and the idea that he somehow could have been involved in the death of Welsz seems ridiculous – such a move would not be unimaginable from the former PM. Gyurcsány is very well aware that the left stands no chance at the 2014 election and the only way for him to be a serious player in 2018 is to take apart the Socialist Party bit by bit. Discrediting a high-ranking official could seem like the perfect first step.