Socialist politician Hiszékeny acquitted of bribery charges

Budapest, January 30 (MTI) – Budapest’s court of appeals has upheld an earlier court ruling and acquitted Socialist MP Dezső Hiszékeny of charges of bribery.

Hiszékeny was suspected of having demanded a bribe of 5 million forints (EUR 16,000) back in 2013 — when he was deputy mayor of Budapest’s 13th district — from a businessman in return for granting lease of municipally owned shop space.

The Socialist politician denied the charges all along and maintained that the suit had been politically motivated.

The municipal court of Budapest acquitted Hiszékeny last April, saying that the alleged bribery could not be verified. The prosecutor, however, appealed.

The opposition Socialist Party called on public prosecutor Péter Polt to resign in the wake of the verdict. In a statement, the party said the politically motivated campaign of the prosecutor’s office against one of its politicians had failed. The Socialists accused “professionally unfit and politically biased” Polt of serving the interests of the ruling Fidesz party.