Budapest – Hungary’s Foreign Ministry has formally lodged a report with prosecutors alleging fraud and other crimes tied to its 2020 acquisition of ventilators during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Foreign Minister Anita Orban announced the filing on Tuesday, saying the ministry purchased roughly 17,000 units at a total cost of 300 billion forints (about $964 million).

Allegations of over‑pricing and excess inventory

According to Orban, the ministry bought thousands of surplus ventilators that could not be realistically used, paying prices far above factory rates. She noted that the number of machines far exceeded the capacity of doctors, intensive‑care nurses and hospital beds available to operate them.

Most of the ventilators bought in 2020 remain stored in warehouses, and import‑ and tax‑authority data indicate they were sourced from Hungarian vendors at prices significantly higher than standard market rates.

Investigation details

The criminal report is based on a data set of about 88 gigabytes, encompassing roughly 130,000 recovered files. Orban said an internal audit could only provide a partial picture because some documentation had to be retrieved electronically.

Officials from the former right‑wing ruling party Fidesz have not responded to requests for comment.

Context and next steps

The filing comes as part of a broader scrutiny of pandemic‑era procurement across Europe, where several governments are re‑examining large‑scale contracts signed under emergency conditions. Hungarian prosecutors will now assess the evidence and determine whether charges will be pursued.

Hungary’s government has not yet indicated any remedial actions, such as returning funds or reallocating the stored equipment.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.