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HATC SAMPLE EDITION:
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1st June, 2026
Former mayor charged in canopy walkway case
Prosecutors have filed charges against former Nyírmártonfalva mayor Mihály Filemon and a business associate in connection with the controversial canopy walkway project built in a forest that was later cleared of trees.
According to the Hajdú-Bihar County Prosecutor’s Office, Filemon applied for more than Ft 64 million in EU and state-funded support under the Rural Development Programme in 2018 to build a forest recreation area featuring a canopy walkway.
Investigators allege the application failed to meet eligibility requirements because the procurement process was not genuinely competitive, with all bids allegedly linked to the same contractor.
Prosecutors say that, after the grant was approved, Filemon concealed important information about the project while maintaining the appearance of compliance.
During this period, the forest area covered by the application was cut down, leaving the walkway standing in an open field without a canopy.
Authorities claim the defendants attempted to secure more than Ft 64 million in funding unlawfully, but the irregularities were detected before any money was paid out.
Filemon was voted out of office in 2024.
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Sources regularly consulted, with abbreviations used in text: Népszabadság (N); Magyar Hírlap (MH); Világgazdaság (VG); Napi Gazdaság (NG); Magyar Nemzet (MN); Népszava (Nsz); Kossuth Rádió news (KR); nightly TV news (TV).
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