MADRID Jan. 7 () –
The United States Government has included Hungarian deputy Antal Rogan, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s chief of staff, on its sanctions blacklist, for his alleged involvement in corrupt activities, noting that public sector corruption has worsened since the rise to office. power of the current Government in Hungary.
The United States Department of State attributes to Rogan “a central role” in establishing a corrupt system in Hungary from which both he and his party, Fidesz, can benefit, “at the expense” of the interests of the population as a whole, in a direct criticism of a country with which Washington shares a seat in forums of strategic interest such as NATO.
The North American authorities consider that Rogan has orchestrated an entire plot of interested distributions of public contracts, which is why they have ordered the freezing of any assets that this politician may have under US sovereignty, while limiting any future financial relationship with him.
The Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley T. Smith, has stressed that “the United States will not hesitate to point out individuals who, like Rogan, use their power to illicitly enrich themselves.” Corruption, he has warned, favors only “a few people” to the same extent that it “deprives future generations” of long-term benefits.
In its arguments, Joe Biden’s Government cites a Transparency International report that places Hungary as the apparently most corrupt country in the entire European Union and the measures adopted by the European Commission to limit the delivery of funds to Budapest due to the setbacks in matter of democracy and rule of law.
The perception of the North American Administration, however, will change starting January 20, when Republican Donald Trump returns to the White House. The tycoon has turned Orbán into one of his great allies in Europe. Both leaders have exchanged praise on a recurring basis.
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