Statement: the reasons for the closure of Transparency International Hungary (TIMTE) were lack of funds, lack of social interest and accreditation uncertainty. 

Source: Dr. Zolna Berki, the last president of the association and later its liquidator; minutes of the general meeting of 1 March 2005, page 1

Date: 09 August 2025

Status: Investigation Closed – Allegation False or Misleading

1. the Soros Foundation has transferred USD 14,000 to the association this year, of which USD 4-4,000 were not used for operations, but were transferred to the Romanian and Bulgarian organisations. So there was still HUF 3.2 million in the account;
2. the association was professionally impeccable, published three volumes of studies on corruption, and the claim of social disinterest is false;
3. the “uncertainty of accreditation” is not explained, it is referred to on the second page of the minutesw: “If the organisation is not accredited, the association may no longer use its name.” In fact, Miklós  Marschall, European Director and then Deputy Director General of Transparency International’s International Secreteriat (1999-2017), subsequently devised a system which ultimately led to the dissolution of the Hungarian member organisation, which was operating in the national interest. The court documents include a previous statement by Peter Eigen, the head of TI, that he had authorised the use of the name, so the accreditation uncertainty could have been managed with sufficient autonomy.