Fidesz to Take Legal Action Against Minister Zoltán Tanács Over Care Watch Statements
The Fidesz party announced legal steps on Thursday in response to statements made by Minister of Science and Technology Zoltán Tanács concerning the “Gondosóra” (Care Watch) elderly support program. According to Fidesz Communications Director Bertalan Havasi, the party will take action against what it calls baseless and fear-mongering ministerial claims while maintaining that it is prepared for any official investigation into the matter.
Dispute Over Data Access and Cooperation Agreements
The political clash stems from statements made on Wednesday by Zoltán Tanács, who alleged that an audit of the Gondosóra program uncovered an administrative cooperation agreement and associated data processing contract. According to the ministry’s findings, these documents purportedly permitted Fidesz to access user data belonging to participants in the senior care initiative. Consequently, the ministry filed criminal complaints regarding the Gondosóra initiative, citing suspected irregularities including budgetary fraud and embezzlement.
Fidesz firmly rejected the allegations. In a statement released through the MTI state news agency, Bertalan Havasi countered that the party’s cooperation with the program adhered strictly to current legislation and data protection protocols. Havasi asserted that all relevant details regarding the arrangement had been publicly available from the outset.
Contasting Claims on Data Volume and Voter Reach
Addressing the scope of the information involved, Havasi argued that the party accessed significantly less data through the arrangement than what is legally available to every political party during an election process. Furthermore, he noted that every political organization had the opportunity to establish a similar cooperation agreement with the Gondosóra program, though none chose to do so.
According to Havasi’s explanation, the interaction consisted of Fidesz reaching out to its supporters to recommend the care device and offering assistance to individuals who already owned a unit but had not yet properly set it up. He highlighted the extensive reach and impact of the welfare initiative, noting that over the span of four years, the Gondosóra program has reached more than 1,055,000 users, provided assistance hundreds of thousands of times, and enabled life-saving interventions in numerous emergency situations.
Legal Accountability and Institutional Response
Fidesz has signaled that the dispute will likely move to a judicial forum. Havasi stated that Zoltán Tanács will have the opportunity in a court of law to account for what the party characterizes as an unjustified attack against a successful, internationally recognized, and unique program designed to assist the elderly.
