Gyula Budai

Political career

Budai joined Fidesz in 1997. During the 22 months, Budai and his staff investigated 1,442 cases, made 110 public reports and filed criminal charges in 61 cases. By August 2012, 30 cases were held at the investigation stage, while indictments were filed in 7 cases in connection with his accusations (including the suspected land exchange in Sukoró and the sold properties of the Ministry of Defence). During the prosecution investigations, 47 people were suspected of having committed a criminal offense, and from this, the prosecution filed charges against 39 people. The Hungarian government called his work successful, while the opposition Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) evaluated his activity as a politically motivated task, and the "Budai ballons" were refuted by the prosecution one after another, in the absence of a criminal offense. According to a leaked audio recording in August 2012, Budai admitted in a MAGOSZ forum in Csongrád that his ministry has cartiled for the price of the melon. "Me and the ministry were accused of cartelling by the Socialists. Please, yes, we cartilized for the producers. We told the chain stores how much the melon should be sold. So what's the problem? In two years the melon production area fell from 11 thousand hectares to 5 thousand hectares in Hungary. We want to restore the former production area, which is only possible for the producer to receive not only the cost of the product, but also to have at least 15-20 percent of the product. I do not care why the Economic Competition Office says I made cartelism. And then what can they do with me? Nothing. Or the ministry? Or with the government? [...] The European Union was upset about this, but we do not take a step backwards. If the Union does not like it, turn to Strasbourg or wherever it want." Budai also had several conflicts and libel cases with the operators of the Kishantos ecological model farm during his term as state secretary. Budai remained in this capacity until June 2014, when he was replaced by István Nagy in the Third Orbán Government. He held the position until 1 March 2015. Budai lost his parliamentary seat during the 2018 parliamentary election, but was re-elected MP in October 2018 via the party's national list, replacing Zoltán Balog. He has been a member of the Legislative Committee since then. He was re-elected MP in 2018, 2022 and 2026, in all cases from the national list of Fidesz.