Citing an example, Budapest’s chief prosecutor Tibor Ibolya said in a statement that the Budapest 9th district prosecutor had instructed several accused individuals to repay damages caused to the city’s treasury, informing them that once this is done no charges will be raised against them.

“Special attention must be paid in criminal proceedings to the recovery of damages caused to society,” he said. The public prosecutor’s office has used the legal institution, enabling the recovery of monies in many cases, he added. Ibolya noted that this also reduced the burden on courts.

MTI Photo of Budapest chief prosecutor Tibor Ibolya, Public Prosecutor Péter Polt, and 18th-19th District Chief Prosecutor Zoltán Láncz: Attila Kovács