Kathmandu— Hungary’s Prosecutor General’s Office has determined that while legally authorized, the recent seizure of servers belonging to the Fidesz party—led by former Prime Minister Viktor Orban—was carried out unlawfully. The investigation stemmed from a probe into the potential misuse of 17 billion forint (€47 million) in funding allocated to the National Cultural Fund during Orban’s time in office, but investigators allegedly engaged in a broad data collection effort rather than focusing on specific evidence. This ruling comes as current leader Peter Magyar continues efforts to dismantle structures established by the previous administration following his party's election win in April.

Server Seizure Sparks Controversy

Last month, investigators unexpectedly arrived at a facility housing Fidesz’s servers and confiscated all communications systems and databases. Fidesz characterized the actions of Magyar’s cabinet as an “unprecedented” overreach, comparing it to practices not seen since the end of Communism in 1989. The seizure was initially linked to the investigation into alleged financial improprieties within the National Cultural Fund during Orban's sixteen-year tenure.

Prosecutor General Cites Illegal Practices

The Prosecutor General’s Office stated on Wednesday that the server seizure, while authorized by a warrant, “amounted to a fishing expedition.” Investigators did not seek specific evidence identified in advance but instead seized all data in hopes of uncovering potentially incriminating information. According to the office's statement, this approach violates both EU and Hungarian law. The General Prosecutor’s Office has directed the Bács-Kiskun County chief prosecutor to repeat the seizure, focusing solely on data directly relevant to the ongoing investigation.

Fidesz Demands Return of Servers

Despite the ruling, Fidesz remains dissatisfied, continuing to assert that the investigators' actions were “illegal.” Boka Janos, a senior MP with the party, called for an immediate end to what he described as a politically motivated revenge campaign and demanded the return of their servers. Veteran Hungarian journalist Mark Bollobas characterized the outcome as “sort of a legal victory” for Fidesz but cautioned that any data obtained during the initial seizure likely has already been copied and shared.

New Government Pursues ‘Regime Change’

Peter Magyar’s Tisza party, which came to power promising “regime change,” is actively dismantling the legal, media, and financial structures established by Fidesz. The new government recently amended the constitution to impose a 12-year term limit on members of parliament, effectively preventing Orban from seeking re-election. Fidesz has repeatedly accused Magyar’s administration of exhibiting “authoritarian” tendencies.

The Bács-Kiskun County chief prosecutor is expected to reissue the server seizure order with stricter parameters, though Fidesz continues to demand the immediate return of its data and an end to what it calls a politically motivated campaign.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.