Prosecutors argued, and the supreme court agreed, that it is not a crime to collect data in an illicit way, such as eavesdropping, in an office, although secret collection of data in homes is illegal.

Prosecutors said the range of activities classified as illegal should be expanded with a broader definition of locations where bugging is not permitted.

Index reported in March of last year that a bugging device had been found in the negotiating room of MTVA president Miklós Vaszily.

The equipment was found by chance as a microphone fell out when workers removed the cover of a cable while making repairs.

The microphone cable led to the offices of vice-president for operations Imre Vas and vice-president for administration Csaba Enyedi, where National Bureau of Investigation staff found hidden cameras.

The two deputies were questioned as suspects and then asked to be dismissed from the MTVA.

Source: Hungary Around the Clock

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