Former mayor on the linden promenade issue: "A forest does not cease to be a forest just because the trees are cut down"

Former mayor Filemon Mihály denied any wrongdoing during a court hearing regarding the construction of a treetop walkway without trees in Nyírmártonfalva. He attributed the investigation to media coverage and claimed that the project met the definition of a treetop walkway despite the absence of trees. The prosecution accused him of attempting budget fraud and using false documents, citing irregularities in the funding application process. Filemon argued that the walkway was part of a larger project that included various amenities and stated that the surrounding forest was replanted within six months. The case has drawn attention from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and was visited by the U.S. ambassador in 2024.