The United States has banned several Hungarian officials from entering the country, alleging that they are engaged in or benefitting from corruption. The fact that persons holding public office or exercising significant influence on public affairs are considered undesirable in the United States due to corruption is an important issue that matters to the public. The Hungarian Civil Liberties Union believes the names of those tied to the scandal and placed on the list should be known publicly.

The names of several potentially concerned persons have been circulated in the press since the eruption of the scandal over the U.S. travel ban. The HCLU has followed the case by sending public interest data requests, asking some of the potentially concerned persons whether they have been banned from entering the U.S.

1. Ildikó Vida - President, Hungarian Tax Authority

We sent our request to Ildikó Vida, president of the Hungarian Tax Authority (Nemzeti Adó- és Vámhivatal, NAV), on November 3. She responded only after the publication of the self-incriminating interview she gave to mno.hu:

"It was briefly stated that my entering into the United States was considered undesirable. A presidential declaration was cited, containing a passage saying a person's right to enter the country may be suspended when he or she is concerned by, or benefitting from, corruption."

We also asked if she was aware of any other concerned staff members at NAV and who they were. Ms. Vida said that she assumes that "since managers at NAV are listed as private persons in the file maintained by the United States, this has nothing to do with their fulfilling of public duties, thus does not qualify as public interest data, or public data on account of public interest."

HCLU has adopted an opposing position to this. According to the act on freedom of information, private data related to the performance of public duties belonging to a person fulfilling public services represent public data on account of public interest. Managers at NAV are not simply private persons, as they fulfill public services. They do still possess a private sphere, although it is much more restricted than an ordinary citizen. Being concerned by, or benefitting from, corruption certainly does not belong within the private sphere when it involves a NAV manager; it is absolutely connected with his or her public duties. As a consequence, when this person is banned from entering the United States, this represents public data on account of public interest that should be made accessible.

2. János Lázár - Minister of the Prime Minister's Office

János Lázár responded to our public interest data request on November 14, saying he had not been officially informed whether he was connected with the prohibitions to enter the U.S.

3. Árpád Habony: To be continued...