Zsolnay house in Pécsʼs Zsolnay Cultural Quarter. (Photo: Pixabay/Anna Armbrust)

The southwest criminal directorate of the National Tax and Customs Office (NAV) made the seizure based on suspected tax fraud. The action was later invalidated by Szekszárd District Prosecutor, Éva Kardos, who was quoted as saying in Népszava’s issue today that she ruled it illegal and unwarranted, according to MTI. 

The city council of Pécs, the minority owner of historic porcelain manufacturer Zsolnay, is suing the firm for HUF 300 million, making the claim that the majority owner inflated the value of a real estate holding that was transferred to the company in 2014, lawyer for the city Ivan Szabo told MTI on Monday.

The Pécs city council placed a lien on Zsolnay’s bank account last week, at the same time that the registration of Ledina Kerámia, a firm established by the city council to take over operations, was temporarily suspended by Zsolnay’s request. 

Around 130 employees departed from Zsolnay en masse for work at Ledina Kerámia in early June, amidst concerns over the firm’s potential liquidation.

Zsolnay majority owner, Syrian businessman Bachar Najari, said in a June 14 press conference that the company has “come under attack by a group lobbying to take over business” in EU-supported building renovations.