**US Sanctions Hungarian Government Official**
The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on a senior Hungarian government official, Antal Rogan. This is the first time a high-ranking official from Hungary has been sanctioned by the US under the Magnitsky Act.
Antal Rogan is a minister who works for Prime Minister Viktor Orban‘s Cabinet Office. He oversees several important government agencies, including those that deal with communications and tourism. The US Treasury Department accused Rogan of being involved in schemes to control key parts of Hungary’s economy and taking money for himself and his friends from the Fidesz party.
**Criticism of Orban’s Government**
The sanctions come as criticism of Orban’s government grows both at home and abroad. Hungarian opposition leader Peter Magyar has called for early elections, saying that Orban’s popularity is declining and there are many allegations of corruption against him.
Magyar accused Orban of making Hungary the poorest and most corrupt country in the EU. The US Treasury Department also criticized Rogan, saying he had played a key role in helping a system in Hungary that only benefited himself and his party.
**The Magnitsky Act**
The Magnitsky Act is a law that allows the US to impose visa bans and freeze assets of individuals linked to corruption or human rights violations. So far, 687 people have been sanctioned under this act.