In 2015 GRECO, the Council of Europe’s expert body on corruption, drafted a report on the prevention of corruption in Hungary. In this report, the body addressed recommendations to Hungary regarding members of parliament, judges and prosecutors. On 8 September 2022, GRECO published an interim report stating that Hungary had satisfactorily implemented several of GRECO’s recommendations of the 2015 report. However, GRECO also noted a delay in implementing the recommendations concerning the independence of the judiciary.

Overall, GRECO concluded that Hungary has satisfactorily implemented six of GRECO’s eighteen recommendations. Of the 12 remaining recommendations, three have been partially implemented according to the GRECO. However, nine recommendations on the integrity of members of parliament and the independence of the judiciary had not been implemented, the report says. On the other hand, GRECO found that the legislative process in Hungary is adequately regulated and ensures transparency.

In particular, GRECO recommends the adoption of a Code of Ethics for members of parliament with supplementary guidance on the various forms of conflicts of interest. Furthermore, the panel recommended the introduction of rules obliging members of parliament to disclose any case of a suspected conflict of interest. According to GRECO, the Hungarian prosecution system is independent and based on a strict hierarchical structure. Nevertheless, GRECO called for further progress in establishing adequate controls to prevent corruption. According to the report, political impartiality would be better served by limiting the prosecutor’s term of office. The report also proposed lifting the immunity of members of parliament, judges and prosecutors in relation to criminal offences, except in situations involving “in flagrante delicto”.