According to the mayor famous for the canopy walkway, a forest is still a forest even if the trees are cut down

Mihály Filemon, the former mayor of Nyírmártonfalva, defended himself in court against charges related to a controversial canopy walkway project. He claimed he acted within the law and fulfilled all application requirements, arguing that an area remains a forest even if trees are cut down. The prosecution alleges he attempted to commit budget fraud and used false documents, with a proposed sentence of 1.5 years in prison. The project, funded by over 60 million HUF in state and EU money, faced scrutiny for irregularities, including inflated costs and manipulated tenders. Investigations by the European Public Prosecutor's Office and OLAF are ongoing, revealing significant issues with the project's execution and funding.