Public Prosecutor’s Office: OLAF recommendations investigated in Hungary

Hungarian authorities brought charges in 65 percent of the cases initiated by OLAF between 2017 and 2021, well over the EU average of 35 percent, the office said on Thursday.

OLAF published 2 judicial recommendations on Hungary in 2021 and 2020 each, down from 10 in 2016, the prosecutor’s office said.

Although it has no legal obligation to do so, the Hungarian public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation on each judicial recommendation, the office said.

The Hungarian public prosecutor’s office and OLAF signed a cooperation agreement in February, cementing an already strong working relationship, the statement said.

OLAF publishes judicial, disciplinary and financial recommendations as part of its role to review administrative irregularities in member states’ handling of EU monies.

OLAF does not define criminal activity and does not collect evidence, the office said.