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The Office of the Prosecutor General stated that all judicial recommendations from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) are followed up with an investigation.
According to OLAF’s 2023 report, between 2019 and 2023, two cases with judicial recommendations were prosecuted, and one case was closed, resulting in a 67 percent prosecution rate, notably higher than the EU average of 37 percent. Additionally, fifteen cases remain under investigation, awaiting final decisions. Despite not being legally required, the Prosecutor’s office initiates investigations for all cases based on OLAF’s judicial recommendations, following a decision by the Prosecutor General.
If an investigation is already ongoing, OLAF’s recommendation is incorporated and assessed within the existing file.
The report clarified that the term “pending decisions” refers to investigations still in progress, not to the judicial recommendations themselves. Thus, OLAF’s report focuses on the number of closed cases and prosecutions where a judicial authority has made a final decision. In 2023, OLAF issued two judicial recommendations to the Hungarian prosecution. One prompted a new investigation, while the other was evaluated as part of an ongoing investigation.
Furthermore, three cases, previously subject to indictments, resulted in final convictions by the courts in 2023.
The Office of the Prosecutor General and OLAF maintain a close working relationship, marked by regular meetings at senior and expert levels. This collaboration was formalized through a working agreement in February 2022, underscoring the excellent cooperation between the two entities.
Via MTI; Featured Image: Pixabay