Private Sector Resulting from the fall of the
Iron Curtain in 1989, and the subsequent transition to a
market economy,
Hungary saw a significant increase in
foreign investment and trade after 1991. Taking advantage of that, Hagyó began working in 1992 for
Wrigley's Hungarian operation, Hungaria. After working his way into an exclusive regional distribution position, Hagyó became involved in many
start-up food distribution companies. According to him, he enjoyed financial growth and professional success "thanks to the [post-Soviet] economic boom." Also during that time, he delivered three speeches in
Parliament, and he submitted a total of 55 independent and non autonomous
motions. Moreover, he helped secure substantial funds from the Hungarian Red Cross in an effort to transport many of the victims to
Hungary while the damaged communities were restored. Due to the social unrest of a
2006 scandal involving former
Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány, many thought that opposing
Fidesz representatives would oust the socialists from their
seats in
Budapest. Despite that, the
Alliance of Free Democrats-
Socialist coalition incumbent
Gábor Demszky was re-elected. In addition to holding his parliamentary position, Hagyó was appointed as
Deputy Mayor of
Budapest on December 14, 2006. In a 2010 interview, MSZSZ Secretary General Laszló Szimandl stated in an interview: At that time, Hagyó was forced to resign from the
socialist party and its associated position. He therefore was unable to remain the president of the
synchronized swimming association. According to
promotional videos, his pride of his
Jászberény heritage - an ethnically mixed community due to historical wars - and his recognition of
Roma soldiers, Hagyó is a supporter of
ethnic diversity. During a March 2008 speech recognizing the efforts of
Jews and
Roma in the
1848 revolution, Hagyó reminded his Hungarian audience that the history of the
Serbs, the
Croatians, and the
Poles are regrettably more known than that of the
Romany soldiers. Many of BKV's upper management were interrogated concerning possible involvement. Former BKV chief executive office Zsolt Balogh gave an interview to the daily newspaper
Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian National) on March 6, 2010 and a separate interview the following day to
HírTV. During the interviews, Balogh publicly accused Hagyó of
extortion and
breach of fiduciary duty. According to the accuser, he entered Hagyó's office "in late September, early October 2007" In the same article, the party's
spokesman,
István Nyakó, stated that the accusations had "not been about the truth." In addition to the
bribery accusations from Balogh, police suspected him of instructing former BKV managing director Attila Antal of concluding an unnecessary
contract with AAM and misappropriating funds related to the suburban railway line
HÉV passenger information supply system. == Pretrial Detention ==