Hottó, István
The Legal Doctrine of Forgery and Fraud in Roman Criminal Law...
Roman law; forgery; fraud; falsum; counterfeiting; legal history
This study examines the legal doctrine and historical development of forgery and fraud in Roman criminal law, with special emphasis on counterfeiting. It explores how falsum, initially a broad concept of deceit, gained clearer legal contours through the Lex Cornelia de falsis and later imperial legislation. Using doctrinal, historical, and comparative methods, the paper analyses offences such as testamentary falsification, forgery of official documents, and monetary counterfeiting. Particular attention is given to the transformation of counterfeiting from a property-related offence in the Republic into a crime of laesa maiestas under the Empire, reflecting the growing centralization of monetary sovereignty and imperial authority. The study argues that Roman criminal law treated falsification not only as a punishable act but also as a threat to public trust in legal and economic institutions. By examining classical sources, including the Digesta, the Collatio Legum Mosaicarum et Romanarum, and the writings of Ulpian and Paulus, the paper shows how Roman jurisprudence anticipated later European doctrines on state symbols, financial instruments, and deceit.
HOTTÓ, ISTVÁN
Environmental Governance and Legal Integration in the European Union under Digital Transformation
EU environmental law, sustainable development, governance, legal harmonisation, digital transformation
This paper examines how the European Union’s environmental governance and legal harmonisation are being reshaped by digital transformation. Using legal analysis, it explores how core environmental principles – such as the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, and the integration principle – are being operationalised through data-driven regulation, real-time environmental monitoring and cross-border digital cooperation. It analyses how these digital mechanisms can make regulation more targeted and adaptive, enhance compliance and transparency, and require new legal instruments for cross-border coordination. The findings suggest that digital tools have the potential to strengthen both environmental protection and legal harmonisation, while also posing challenges of data standardisation, interoperability, and institutional capacity. The paper concludes that EU environmental law can remain effective only if its legal frameworks are adapted to integrate these emerging digital instruments in a coherent and principle-based manner.
HOTTÓ, ISTVÁN
Public Funds and the Legal Framework of Fiscal Oversight in Hungary
Public funds, fiscal oversight, State Audit Office, internal control, legal framework, accountability
The study explores the legal and institutional mechanisms governing the control of public funds in Hungary. It outlines the constitutional foundations and statutory definitions of public tasks and budgetary institutions, emphasizing their role in ensuring lawful and transparent financial management. The analysis focuses on the multi-level system of fiscal oversight, including the external (State Audit Office), governmental (Government Control Office, Hungarian State Treasury), and internal control mechanisms operating within budgetary bodies. Through a doctrinal and normative approach, the paper highlights how these mechanisms collectively guarantee the effective and accountable use of national resources. The findings demonstrate that Hungary’s fiscal control system provides a coherent legal framework that reinforces transparency, effectiveness, and public trust in the management of state finances.
HOTTÓ, ISTVÁN
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