BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s foreign ministry has filed a criminal complaint over the previous government’s purchase of about 17,000 ventilators from China for roughly $965 million during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging possible financial misconduct and other criminal offenses.
Foreign Minister Anita Orbán said Tuesday that a ministry investigation uncovered suspected breach of fiduciary duty resulting in particularly substantial financial losses. The complaint represents a new legal escalation over a procurement program that drew criticism during the pandemic because Hungary purchased far more ventilators than it ultimately needed and paid prices that were higher than those reported in some other European countries.
The complaint does not establish criminal liability. Prosecutors will determine whether the allegations warrant further investigation or legal action.
Investigation examines procurement process
The ministry’s review examined tens of thousands of documents, including some that investigators recovered using digital tools after attempts had been made to delete them, Orbán said.
She did not provide details about the specific offenses under investigation but said the findings raised questions about the responsibility of former senior ministry officials.
A statement published on the Hungarian government’s website cited additional suspected irregularities. Most of the ventilators were purchased through intermediary companies whose revenues increased sharply as a result of the transactions, according to the statement.
Some of the equipment was defective, while a significant portion was never deployed. The government also said Hungary subsequently incurred millions of dollars in storage costs for unused ventilators.
Purchases were made during the pandemic
Hungary purchased the ventilators in March and April 2020 under the government led by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The foreign ministry’s procurement program was overseen by then-Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó.
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Szijjártó had developed close relations with China during his nearly 12 years in government. He also oversaw Hungary’s purchase of 5 million doses of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine.
The ventilator purchases became controversial as the pandemic progressed. Critics questioned whether Hungary had acquired substantially more equipment than necessary and whether the government had paid significantly higher prices than other European countries.
The new criminal complaint now places the procurement program under formal legal scrutiny.
However, the allegations remain subject to investigation, and the filing itself does not prove that former officials or companies involved in the purchases committed crimes.
Szijjártó faces separate scrutiny
The ventilator case comes as Szijjártó faces separate scrutiny over his post-government activities and relationships with Chinese companies.
Last month, he resigned his parliamentary seat to take an executive position with Chinese automaker BYD. The move prompted accusations of a potential conflict of interest because Szijjártó had helped facilitate substantial government subsidies for the company while serving in government.
Hungary’s government subsequently opened an investigation into major BYD investments made in the country during Szijjártó’s tenure.
The two cases concern different matters. Both, however, involve decisions made during a period when Hungary significantly expanded its economic and political ties with China.
Prosecutors to decide next steps
The ventilator complaint now moves the dispute from political criticism into the formal legal process.
Prosecutors will assess the evidence presented by the foreign ministry and determine whether further action is warranted.
The case also highlights the difficulties governments faced when attempting to secure medical equipment during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when global demand for ventilators and other critical supplies surged.
For Hungary, the investigation will now focus on whether procurement decisions, intermediary arrangements and the subsequent handling of unused equipment caused financial losses that could result in criminal liability.
Reporting Credit: The Associated Press
