Orban’s party members prepare the ground for a long-term seizure of stolen money and valuables from the Ukrainian Oschadbank

Mate Kocsis, the leader of the faction of Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party, has submitted a bill on the seized funds and valuables of the Ukrainian Oschadbank, which envisages their seizure until the end of the investigation in Hungary.

The text of the bill is posted on the website of the Hungarian parliament.

The proposal concerns an “unusual amount” of cash and gold that were transported through Hungary.

Kocsis proposed that the assets stolen on March 6 be considered confiscated until the end of the procedure initiated by the National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV). The Fidesz member of the committee noted that the authorities are investigating how the purpose and use of the transported assets affect national security. However, he said that the method of transportation and the identities of the carriers could pose a threat to Hungary’s national security.

In justifying the proposal, Kocsis noted that many things about the “scandalous Ukrainian gold convoy” case still remain unclear.

The bill will be discussed in parliament under an exceptional procedure, as announced during the open part of the National Security Committee meeting on Monday. The committee usually holds closed sessions, but to discuss Kocsis’s bill, the committee members moved to another room, where the meeting was open for some time.

Opposition MSZP member Zsolt Molnar questioned why Mate Kocsis had submitted the proposal now, before the elections, and why he had submitted it so quickly. The committee’s chairman from the Jobbik party, Zoltan Szas, also objected to the proposal being submitted so quickly, as there was no time to study it in detail.

According to Szas, there are also concerns about retroactive legislation in connection with the proposal. However, they also agreed that the issue could pose a threat to national security.

Mate Kocsis responded briefly to their concerns, saying that while concerns about retroactive effect may indeed arise, the proposal addresses this specific issue that requires legislative regulation.

He apologized for submitting the proposal at such short notice, explaining that parliament would only meet on the Monday and Tuesday before the elections, so a decision on the proposal had to be made urgently.

The committee voted four in favor of Kocsis’ proposal and two abstained, with Zoltan Szasz of Jobbik and Zsolt Molnar of MSZP abstaining. The committee members also voted in the same way to recommend that the National Assembly discuss the proposal as an exception.

Source: https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/news/2026/03/9/7232802/