Integrity Authority chief files counterclaim against removal proceedings

The Fővárosi Törvényszék is expected to schedule a trial to decide whether Biró Ferenc will be removed from his role as president of the Integritás Hatóság, after the prosecutor’s office filed charges alleging he caused a 140-million-forint financial loss through dishonest handling. Biró submitted a counter-claim, stating that the removal action undermines Hungary’s recovery strategy and endangers the inflow of EU money.

The objection targets a petition by Állami számvevőszék chairman Windisch László, who initiated an administrative lawsuit to terminate Biró’s appointment, a step permitted when a public official faces criminal proceedings. The Integrity Authority, established in 2022 under pressure from the European Commission, is tasked with preventing and detecting misuse of EU funds. Biró denies the accusations, characterising the case as a politically motivated attack by the former ruling coalition, and insists his agency must continue its work uninterrupted, especially as the country prepares to receive EU resources.