US Lifts Magnitsky Sanctions on Orban Associate

The United States has officially lifted the Magnitsky sanctions imposed on Antal Rogan, a senior aide to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Agence France-Presse reported. The move reflects the strengthening relationship between the Trump administration and the Hungarian government.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Rogan's name had been removed from the State Department's blacklist, known as the Magnitsky list. Rubio shared the decision during a phone conversation with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, stating that maintaining Rogan’s designation would not align with current US foreign policy interests.

Rogan, who serves as Prime Minister Orban’s chief of staff and oversees Hungary's intelligence and communications services, was sanctioned under President Joe Biden's administration due to his alleged role in corrupt practices. The original sanctions accused Rogan of orchestrating schemes to control strategic sectors of the Hungarian economy and channeling revenues for personal and political gain.