The bank headed by György Matolcsy has spent tens of billions of public money on the renovation of the Postal Palace without knowing much about the background of the project. According to an internal report, the work was beautiful, but “it did not meet the criteria of austerity”.
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The cost of the MNB’s new prestige investment, given to a friend of Matolcsy’s son, has been very high
“Please, don’t report about this at all! Thanks!” – How the Hungarian state news agency censors politically unpleasant news
Documents obtained by Direkt36 show how the government dictates the news at Hungarian state news agency MTI. Self-censorship also plays a crucial role in shaping the content of MTI.
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Leaked documents show how Orbán’s circle dictates the news at Hungary’s state news agency
According to internal letters obtained by Direkt36, one of Viktor Orbán’s closest colleagues once dictated a piece of news to the Hungarian Telegraph Office. There is also a separate instruction that not only the ministry’s announcements must be published practically verbatim, but also the statements of Lőrinc Mészáros’s group of companies.
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Entrepreneur enriched by state tenders starts a new business on the Orbáns’ family land
Gábor Szentgyörgyi, a wrestling acquaintance of Viktor Orbán’s brother, has so far been a big winner in state tenders with his IT group, but now he is starting a plastic business on the Orbán-family’s estates.
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Prominent business allies of Viktor Orbán’s government had secret offshore businesses, Pandora Papers reveal
Nearly 12 million confidential documents were leaked about secret offshore companies, investigated by the world’s largest international collaboration of journalists. Direkt36 was also part of the project and revealed that influential Hungarian pro-government figures including Balázs Kertész and Gellért Jászai also had offshore interests.
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While a tax audit is underway at his foundation, the earnings of Péter Antall rise high
The think tank of the late Hungarian PM has been awarded almost 5 million forints from the government so far, yet it made losses in 2020. Earlier, Direkt36 uncovered its problematic spending and costly travels.
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Around the world in luxury: How the son of a former PM benefits from Orbán’s regime
The think tank ran by Péter Antall has received lucrative support from Viktor Orbán’s government. Direkt36 has obtained internal documents about the organization’s lavish spending.
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Inside the secrets of the Orbán family’s businesses
Viktor Orbán claims that he does not have any savings, but his family members have earned millions of euros in recent years, partly from public money from the Hungarian state and the European Union. We explain how we investigated the businesses of Orbán’s family in an animated video.
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The mine of the Orbán family pays the highest dividend among its competitors
According to the latest data available, Dolomit Kft. paid 1,8 billion forints (4,98 million euros) as dividends in 2019, which is more than the thirteen times more than the sectorial average.
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Orbán’s father offers building materials for a much higher price than the competition
Dolomit Kft. participates in state projects despite selling some of its products 60-70 percent more expensive than its main competitors.
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Orban’s father was involved in controversial road construction
Not only the European Union, but also the Hungarian government criticized the project for being too expensive. This did not stop the mining company of the PM’s father to benefit from it.
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This is how the mining company of Viktor Orban’s father became more profitable than its major competitors
The mining company of Viktor Orbán’s father has been involved in several major public construction projects in recent years and it has become one of the most successful companies in the market. Last year, it outperformed all of its major competitors in one important aspect: Győző Orbán’s company achieved the highest profit margin.
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Companies dominate public lighting in Serbia with controversial Hungarian methods
After winning public lighting tenders in Hungary, Elios, a company previously owned by the son-in-law of Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán, started expanding internationally. In Serbia, companies linked to Elios have been participating in 12 public lighting tenders, with some partners that are connected to Serbia’s political elite.
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How public money keeps flowing to Orban’s family through Hungary’s new tycoon
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban keeps repeating that he doesn’t deal with business issues. The companies of his family members, however, are benefitting from EU-funded constructions that are carried out by the business empire of Lorinc Meszaros, a friend of the PM. We explain their business relationship in a short video.
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