Hungary’s Interior Ministry has announced an official investigation into the controversial relocation of Slovak Roma families to the village of Szalonna and nearby settlements in north-eastern Hungary, saying it will examine who organised and financed the moves and whether any legal violations occurred.

The announcement follows reports of families relocating from the Lubina settlement in Košice, Slovakia, after authorities began clearing the informal housing area.

In a statement to Hungarian news outlet Telex, the Interior Ministry said it was taking both the concerns of local residents and the safety and human dignity of the relocated families seriously. The investigation will seek to establish:

• who organised and financed the relocations;
• how the property purchases were arranged;
• what loan agreements were signed;
• whether any coercion, deception, abuse of vulnerable persons, financial misconduct or other legal violations occurred.

The ministry stressed that, in its view, the issue is not an ethnic or nationality matter, but rather one of legality and transparency. Authorities will examine whether the relocations and property transactions were carried out lawfully, transparently and with the families’ free consent.

The Interior Ministry said the situation cannot be resolved through isolated local measures alone and instead requires close cooperation between the Hungarian and Slovak governments and their respective authorities.

However, the ministry did not confirm whether it has already contacted the municipality of Košice or Slovak government officials, nor whether any bilateral discussions have begun. It also said it would refrain from treating unverified figures, political accusations or speculation as fact until the investigation is completed.

The issue gained national attention after reports emerged that several Slovak-speaking Roma families living in deep poverty had purchased homes in Szalonna after leaving the Lubina settlement near Košice, which is being demolished.

According to Slovak municipal officials, residents of the settlement were offered alternative housing options, although the authorities have not disclosed where those alternatives are located.

The relocation has triggered concern among local leaders in north-eastern Hungary, some of whom fear that larger numbers of families could arrive in the coming months. Slovak officials, meanwhile, have denied that any government-organised or municipally funded mass relocation programme exists, insisting that the moves are voluntary and privately arranged.

The mayor of Košice’s Terasa district has previously stated that the homes were purchased by the families themselves, in some cases with loans provided through a civic association established to support disadvantaged households seeking a fresh start.

If you missed it:

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• Large Slovak Roma families living in extreme poverty relocated to Northern Hungary with political approval? – video, updated