Orbán Ministers’ Severance Pay to Be Donated to an Orphanage in Ukraine

Severance for Former Ministers Redirected to a Children’s Home

According to Главком: Compensation payments meant for ministers in Viktor Orbán’s government will instead go to a Ukrainian orphanage. The total severance for former ministers amounted to 350 million forints (€970,000), and including deputy ministers, the figure reached nearly 1 billion forints (€2.8 million). Current Prime Minister Péter Magyar accused the previous administration of corruption and of driving the national debt to almost 75% of GDP amid 26% inflation.

Magyar, Hungary’s sitting prime minister, stated that the severance funds will be donated to a children’s home in Ukraine, located in a village with a predominantly Hungarian minority. He also noted that, upon leaving office, Hungarian ministers and their deputies are entitled to payments proportional to their time in service. The total compensation for former ministers and deputies came close to 1 billion forints.

Corruption and the State of Emergency

Magyar accused the former prime minister and Fidesz party members of corruption and cronyism, claiming that oligarchs made tens of billions of forints from government contracts.

“I call on the ministers who ruined our country and drove it into debt not to even think about taking this money. Given the state in which they left the country, the least they can do is not accept tens of millions of forints in severance pay,”

he said.

Additionally, Péter Magyar revoked the state of emergency that Orbán’s government had imposed due to the threat of war. Hungary’s state of emergency was first introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Orbán administration extended it, citing Russia’s war against Ukraine as justification.

These developments unfold against a backdrop of political disputes in Hungary over public finance management and corruption scandals. Redirecting the compensation to children in Ukraine may represent the current government’s effort to demonstrate social responsibility and support the Hungarian minority abroad. Lifting the state of emergency could also signal a shift in the government’s domestic policy approach, reflecting improved regional security conditions.

In light of these recent changes, it's worth noting how Peter Magyar's choices in leadership reflect a broader shift in Hungary's political landscape. By opting for a more modest lifestyle, including forgoing the official residence, Magyar signals a departure from the previous administration's practices, emphasizing transparency and accountability during a time of financial scrutiny.