The Debrecen General Court sentenced the accused to 5 years in prison and 5 years to ban him from public affairs for the crime of continuing to accept official bribery. They banned him from pursuing an occupation in the field of nuclear energy and also provided for confiscation of property. They found the culprits of 3 more radiation protection experts in the crime of continuing to commit an official bribe. The expert sentenced the accused to imprisonment in execution.
From April 2016, the accused government official worked in the staff of the National Atomic Energy Agency in the position of nuclear safety and supervision. Its task was to carry out radiation protection official inspections in several counties in Eastern Hungary, which have a decisive role, e.g. in the proper operation of medical and dental X-ray, package inspection, food inspection equipment. These companies and professionals had a fundamental interest in the success of pre-operational and interim radiation protection inspections. A government official aware of this, abusing his official position, agreed to assert his influence with his fellow accused for regular gain. He has a mutually beneficial deal with them: he “recommends” them as an expert in his official administration, referring to the possibility of failure or prolongation of the permit if he does not use the expert he recommends, and the radiation protection experts reimburse different amounts of inspection fees. The amount of this in 2017 and 2018 was hundreds of thousands of forints.
In the grounds of the judgment of the tribunal, it found that the accused government official had otherwise conducted his official procedure in accordance with the rules of the profession. The radiation protection accused also carried out their expert work precisely, quickly and at a reasonable price. They had a friendly relationship with the accused who abused his official position, thus enjoying the financial benefits of his influence at the expense of other experts in the market competition.
The prosecution appealed against the imposition of a custodial sentence and a disqualification from public affairs on all defendants, the disqualification of the accused from carrying out expert activities in the field of nuclear energy, the imposition of a fine and the failure to release one of the experts.
According to the position of the General Prosecutor’s Office of Debrecen, the expert accused also committed corruption offenses using their profession, as they gained financial gain in the course of their activities in their expert capacity. Their actions were carried out continuously over a long period of time.
The government official accused the defendant and his 2 associates, as well as their counsel, for acquittal. In the second instance, the Debrecen Judgment Board decides.
ugyeszseg.hu
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