Anonymus, a mysterious figure who continues to spice up Hungary's domestic politics, has published another video. In it, he presents documents proving that the summer campaign of Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony was coordinated by the same leftist background man who has been implicated in a bribery scandal, and whose dubious transactions have been leaked in the past few days.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony’s summer pre-primaries campaign was organised by Gabor Patek, who has become one of the principal figures in a recent corruption scandal affecting the leftist-led third district of Budapest, according to the latest Anonymus video published by Mediaworks News Centre. This time, the masked figure in the recording released important documents.

A few days ago, Anonymus published a clip filmed with a hidden camera, which shows the redistribution of corruption money in the left-wing district of Budapest. The video shows Mr Patek, the former chief of staff of the socialist mayor of Budapest’s 19th district, and a hitherto unknown man as they exchange bundles of banknotes in a car. The recording clearly shows the money being put in a paper envelope and it is clear from the conversation between the two men that additional sums are expected.

„He sent 6 million today to… I just have to give the money back to the important person,”

can be heard on the recording.

It is not yet known who this „important person” could be, but it may be significant that Anonymus warned days ago that it is better for everyone involved to come clean, because „we are very much only at the beginning.”

The documents that have just been published prove that Gabor Patek took an active part in organising the summer pre-election campaign of Mayor Gergely Karacsony. According to an e-mail dated August 26, 2021, Mr Patek, acting on behalf of Key Price Ltd., requested an offer and a list of available surface space for the placement of one hundred billboard posters. Mr Patek wrote that although the Dialogue for Hungary Party (co-chaired by the mayor – ed.) should be listed as the buyer, he also drew attention to the fact that the end user would be the 99 Movement, „which is currently not a legal entity”.

As is known, last summer Gergely Karacsony battled to become the opposition’s joint prime ministerial candidate, but in October, he unexpectedly stepped back in favor of the current candidate for the Left, Peter Marki-Zay. The party’s other co-chair – besides Mr Karacsony – is Timea Szabo, the joint electoral candidate of the leftist coalition in the district mentioned above in connection with corrupt dealings. The 99 Movement, mentioned as an end consumer, launched after it was revealed last May that Gergely Karacsony will be the joint prime ministerial candidate of the Socialist (MSZP), Dialogue (PM) and Politics Can Be Different (LMP) parties in the opposition primaries. It is also known, according to the news centre, that Mr Karacsony’s campaign was coordinated by the 99 Movement.

The deal was struck and Anonymus enclosed the invoice as proof. According to a document issued by JCDecaux Hungary Zrt, it only charged 5.2 million forints (13.900 euros) for the 123 advertising surfaces, as Key Price Kft got a discount of 46 million forints (123 thousand euros) out of the total price of HUF 51 million (136 thousand euros).

According to the masked figure the fact that Mr Patek was able to see through such a big discount „isn’t entirely legal.”

„I’m therefore sending a message once again to the politicians concerned: it is unnecessary to hide and deny, everything will be revealed,” Anonymus said at the end of the video.

Further details on Left’s corruption to be revealed

In an earlier video Anonymus underlined that, in the upcoming period, he will be focusing on the activities of Gabor Patek, dr. Laszlo Fischer and Robert Deak in various Budapest districts . It is well known that Mr Patek was the trusted right hand-man of Socialist (MSZP) politician Peter Gajda, and that for some time he also worked as the chief of staff of the 19th district mayor, Mediaworks writes. His name became known to the wider public in 2019, when – on audio recordings leaked from the 19th district – local left-wing municipal representative Csaba Lackner provided detailed information on the district’s suspicious corruption cases, in a state of intoxication.

Mr Patek is presumably connected to both Laszlo Fischer and Robert Deak, as the three are friends on Facebook.

A review of company registration documents has revealed that lawyer Laszlo Fischer and Robert Deak run a joint business, established shortly after the 2019 municipal elections, to engage in advertising agency activities. The firm received several orders from the municipality of Budapest’s 3rd district led by left-wing Mayor Laszlo Kiss. Laszlo Fischer also happens to have a joint venture with the wife of Mayor Laszlo Kiss, which already received several orders from the district municipality.

After Anonymus had published his messages, Mediaworks sent a number of questions to the left-wing local governments of Budapest’s 3rd, 18th and 19th districts to inquire about their relationship with Gabor Patek, Robert Deak and Laszlo Fischer,

but so far none of the municipalities have responded.

MWH’s editorial office is also seeking to track down Gabor Patek, one of the main players in the district’s corruption cases, to find out where the millions shown in the video came from, and who the „important man” waiting to receive the money is.

After the latest video was release, MWH also sent its questions to Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony to inquire about the nature of his relationship with Gabor Patek.