{"id":12730,"date":"2026-01-13T13:34:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T12:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/?p=12730"},"modified":"2026-01-15T11:31:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T10:31:49","slug":"igy-er-ossze-meszaros-lorinc-es-varkonyi-andrea-felcsuti-pezsgofurdosapartman-projektje-az-allami-forrasokkal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/igy-er-ossze-meszaros-lorinc-es-varkonyi-andrea-felcsuti-pezsgofurdosapartman-projektje-az-allami-forrasokkal\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the luxury apartment project of L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, Viktor Orb\u00e1n’s wealthy friend"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the very edge of Felcs\u00fat, beyond the cemetery, the road reaches farmland. L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and his family members now own all the plots along this stretch of Sz\u00e1ri Street. Here, Hungary\u2019s richest man and his wife, Andrea V\u00e1rkonyi, are building an apartment complex designed to accommodate 20 guests with an underground garage, a hot tub, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a gym.<\/p>\n

The project has a net cost of 2.95 billion forints (approximately 7,66 million euros), and one of M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019s flagship companies, Talentis Group Zrt., is providing financial coverage for the construction. Documents obtained by Direkt36 show that Talentis is securing the funding for the project. The company has expanded rapidly in recent years through subsidiaries that have won large state contracts.<\/p>\n

At the end of last summer, M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and V\u00e1rkonyi transferred two plots of land in Felcs\u00fat to their jointly owned company, EKHO Belvedere Kft. One of these plots is the site of the \u201cFelcs\u00fat \u2013 Apartment Building\u201d project. According to the contract obtained by Direkt36, construction must be completed by the end of 2026. The development will consist of seven apartments, featuring an underground garage, a wellness area, a gym, a swimming pool, and an elevator with a capacity of 13 people.<\/p>\n

Behind the construction is a company in which not only M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros but also the Hungarian state has a stake.<\/p>\n

One of the investment-related documents states that Talentis Group intends to replace part of the coverage with a bank guarantee. A bank guarantee means that the bank commits to paying the beneficiary up to a specified amount if the client fails to meet its obligations. Another document reveals that the guarantee is being provided by MBH Bank, which has pledged to cover up to 450 million forints in costs if necessary. MBH Bank is partly owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, but the Hungarian state also holds a stake in the financial institution.<\/p>\n

MBH Bank, citing banking secrecy, neither confirmed nor denied the information obtained by Direkt36 regarding the bank guarantee.<\/p>\n

Zal\u00e1n Nov\u00e1k, CEO of Els\u0151 Fedezetkezel\u0151 Zrt., also declined to answer stating that the information we requested qualify as \u201cpayment secrets and disclosing such information could constitute a criminal offence. He added that bank guarantees are a common form of collateral, used in nearly half of such cases.<\/p>\n

EKHO Belvedere Kft., the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros Group, and the Talentis Group did not respond to Direkt36\u2019s inquiries.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to provide financial coverage in place of the developer\u201d<\/h2>\n

The document obtained by Direkt36 originates from a so-called collateral management procedure. According to the law, in construction projects in Hungary with a value of more than 2.1 billion forints (approximately 5.5 million euros), the investor is required to involve a collateral manager in the project.<\/p>\n

On the one hand, the investor must prove that they have sufficient funds to carry out the project and must transfer this money to the collateral management company according to a specific schedule, from which the contractor carrying out the construction work is paid. This practice was introduced at the end of 2009 with the aim of avoiding the previously serious problem of contractors not receiving their money for certain construction projects.<\/p>\n

One of the largest companies in the Hungarian collateral management market is Els\u0151 Fedezetkezel\u0151 Zrt., a company established in early 2010. This company also managed one of the investments of Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n, the prime minister’s father, as we reported in a previous article. At that time, the same company referenced in the current documents appeared in Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n’s investment. Talentis Group Beruh\u00e1z\u00e1s-szervez\u0151 Zrt. helped Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n by providing financial coverage for a 2023-2024 project, meaning they covered the costs. As we showed in our previous article, there were several signs that this was related to the construction of the Hatvanpuszta estate.<\/p>\n

The M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros couple’s project called “Felcs\u00fat – Apartment Building” is also managed by Els\u0151 Fedezetkezel\u0151 Zrt. One document dated early 2025 states that Talentis Group Zrt., owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, appears as a so-called “Fulfiment Partner” in the investment.<\/p>\n

“We, the undersigned Fulfilment Partner, declare that we have an interest in the performance of the Builder and, based on the agreement concluded with the Builder, we wish to provide the financial cover on behalf of the Builder,” the statement reads.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Talentis had to justify why they were paying the financial coverage instead of Ekho Belvedere Kft. The company chose the “other” option and wrote that it had become a performance assistant “with regard to ongoing business negotiations.”<\/p>\n

Talentis also states that it acknowledges that the amount paid by them can only be reclaimed from the Collateral Manager by the Developer, i.e. the company owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and Andrea V\u00e1rkonyi.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Construction of the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros project, named “Felcs\u00fat \u2013 Apartment Building,” in the fall of 2025. Photo: Zita Szopk\u00f3\/Direkt36<\/p><\/div>\n

Talentis Group is solely owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, and the company is one of the flagships of the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros empire. Last year, it achieved a pre-tax profit of 44.3 billion forints (114, 6 million euros) and paid 1.1 billion forints (2,85 million euros) in dividends to the billionaire from Felcs\u00fat. According to G7 estimates, the total assets of the company, founded in 2010, amount to more than 145 billion forints (375 million euros), with direct holdings in nearly 30 companies. These include, for example, V-H\u00edd \u00c9p\u00edt\u0151 Zrt., which was commissioned to build the Budapest-Belgrade railway line and also the Southern Circular Railway, and generated a profit of nearly 40 billion forints (103,5 million euros) last year.<\/p>\n

The group also includes M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros \u00e9s M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros Zrt., about which G7 also wrote that after 2010, a significant portion of its net sales revenue came directly or through consortium partners from government projects. The company that owns Z\u00c1\u00c9V \u00c9p\u00edt\u0151ipari Zrt. has also recently merged with Talentis. In recent years, Z\u00c1\u00c9V has been responsible for major state investments such as the 250 billion forints athletics stadium (647 million euros), the Museum of Ethnography, and the construction of the Pusk\u00e1s Arena.<\/p>\n

Sauna and wellness on the outskirts of Felcs\u00fat<\/h2>\n

According to the documents, the project of M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and V\u00e1rkonyi on the outskirts of Felcs\u00fat aims to address shortcomings in tourism.<\/p>\n

The contract states that the continuous development of the village and the steady increase in the number of visitors to the settlement have created a need for a building that can accommodate guests on a temporary basis.<\/p>\n

“The goal was to create a building slightly further away from the center, which would house apartment-style accommodations that reflect the beauty of the surrounding environment and landscape.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to the contract, construction of the apartment building in Felcs\u00fat began in October 2024 and is scheduled for completion at the end of November 2026.<\/p>\n

The accommodation building is located on a plot of more than 1.7 hectares. Seven apartments suitable for accommodating a total of 20 people will be built on the site, on two floors. There are also plans for a 23-space underground car park, a library room, a gym, and a wellness area with an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a hot tub, and a sauna. A 13-person elevator will also contribute to the comfort of guests.<\/p>\n

According to the document, the design will cost 263 million forints (approximately 680 thousand euros), and the construction fee will be 2.687 billion forints net (7 million euros). According to the contract, this amount does not include interior design, external roads, utilities outside the building, and landscaping.\u00a0 Fej\u00e9r B.\u00c1.L. Zrt. is responsible for the work, meaning that the couple has entrusted the construction of the apartment building to a company owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and his children.<\/p>\n

Fej\u00e9r-B.\u00c1.L. Zrt. did not respond to Direkt36\u2019s questions.<\/p>\n

Despite the fact that Talentis Group is covering the costs instead of the developer, EKHO Belvedere Kft. also has its own funds. In June, G7 reported that L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and Andrea V\u00e1rkonyi had transferred 1.6 billion forints (4,1 million euros) to their joint company, EKHO Belvedere Kft., within a few weeks, and had also contributed two properties in Felcs\u00fat to the company. At the beginning of November, the couple paid another billion forints (2,5 million euros) to the company.<\/p>\n

EKHO Belvedere Kft. was founded in 2021 by EKHO Private Equity Fund, and a few weeks later, L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros and his wife became its owners. The company’s main activity is the sale and purchase of real estate. In 2022, RTL reported that this company had become the owner of the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros-V\u00e1rkonyi couple’s luxury property on Sz\u00e9chenyi Hill, Budapest, where an 800-kilogram safe had previously been lifted in by crane.<\/p>\n

At the end of October, Direkt36 visited the construction site in Felcs\u00fat, where work had progressed significantly since the summer. The roof structures of several buildings had already been completed. We counted at least four large, recently built properties constructed in the same style in the area.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Construction of the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros project, named “Felcs\u00fat \u2013 Apartment Building,” in the fall of 2025. Photo: Zita Szopk\u00f3\/Direkt36<\/p><\/div>\n

Sz\u00e1ri Street is relatively far from the center of Felcs\u00fat, located in the southeastern part of the town. The construction site is located away from residential areas, with industrial and agricultural areas surrounding the plots owned by the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros family. It can only be accessed via a dirt road from one direction and is bordered by the S\u00f3si stream on the other side. The construction site is closed off to curious onlookers by a fence and tarpaulin. Signs in several places warn that entry is prohibited and photography is not allowed. One of the entrances was guarded by a security guard when Direkt36 visited the site.<\/p>\n

Only part of the plots are jointly owned by the couple; they acquired them last year and this year, and they cover a total area of more than five hectares.\u00a0 The other two plots, located at the end of Sz\u00e1ri Street, at the intersection with Pozsonyi Street, are owned by L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, and construction was also underway there when we visited.\u00a0 In other words, the total construction area exceeds 7.5 hectares.<\/p>\n

The apartment building currently under construction is not the only accommodation connected to the prime minister’s old friend in this village of less than 2,000 inhabitants. Felcs\u00fat is also home to Hotel Pancho, which originally started as a youth sports accommodation, but then became a four-star adult-friendly (i.e., offering child-free relaxation, not accepting small children) accommodation. The hotel is operated by Pusk\u00e1s Ferenc Sport Hotel Nonprofit, which is owned by the Felcs\u00fat Youth Development Foundation. The prime minister exercises the founding rights of the foundation, and its president is L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros. The hotel has been welcoming visitors since August 2022 in the center of Felcs\u00fat, right next to the Pancho Arena, according to G7 calculations.<\/p>\n

The hotel has been welcoming visitors since August 2022 right next to the Pancho Arena, in the center of Felcs\u00fat and according to the calculations of G7 it cost Hungarian taxpayers 11 billion forints (nearly 28.5 million euros). The accommodation has 35 rooms and a wellness area, and there is also a fountain and a lake behind the hotel.<\/p>\n

The neighbouring village of Alcs\u00fatdoboz, is home to the three-star Pusk\u00e1s Ferenc Sport Hotel, located right next to the Alcs\u00fat Arboretum. Through a non-profit limited liability company, this hotel is also owned by the Felcs\u00fati Ut\u00e1np\u00f3tl\u00e1s Nevel\u00e9s\u00e9\u00e9rt Alap\u00edtv\u00e1ny (Felcs\u00fat Youth Development Foundation). According to the hotel’s website, they operate a restaurant, and the venue can also be rented for private events such as weddings.<\/p>\n

Illustration: M\u00e1t\u00e9 Fill\u00e9r \/ Telex<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

According to documents obtained by Direkt36, accommodation facilities featuring an underground garage, a hot tub, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a gym are being built on the outskirts of the village. The project is also supported by the partly state-owned MBH Bank.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":12731,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[878,862,857,877,222,859],"ppma_author":[771],"aioseo_notices":[],"fimg_url":["https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/meszaros_direkt36_clk.jpg",2251,1500,false],"authors":[{"term_id":771,"user_id":36,"is_guest":0,"slug":"szopko-zita","display_name":"Zita Szopk\u00f3","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Szopko-Zita-n-scaled.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Szopko-Zita-n-scaled.jpeg"},"author_category":"","user_url":"","last_name":"Szopk\u00f3","first_name":"Zita","job_title":"","description":"[:hu]Az ELTE kommunik\u00e1ci\u00f3- \u00e9s m\u00e9diatudom\u00e1ny mesterszak\u00e1n diplom\u00e1zott, majd t\u00f6bb mint h\u00e1rom \u00e9vig az \u00c1tl\u00e1tsz\u00f3n\u00e1l dolgozott \u00fajs\u00e1g\u00edr\u00f3k\u00e9nt, a lap oktat\u00e1ssal foglalkoz\u00f3 rovat\u00e1nak szerkeszt\u0151jek\u00e9nt. 2019-ben r\u00e9szt vett a Transparency International Magyarorsz\u00e1g oknyomoz\u00f3 \u00fajs\u00e1g\u00edr\u00f3i mentorprogramj\u00e1n. 2024 szeptember\u00e9ben csatlakozott a Direkt36 csapat\u00e1hoz. F\u0151k\u00e9nt szoci\u00e1lis t\u00e9m\u00e1kr\u00f3l, oktat\u00e1sr\u00f3l \u00e9s eg\u00e9szs\u00e9g\u00fcgyr\u0151l \u00edr.[:en]Zita graduated from E\u00f6tv\u00f6s Lor\u00e1nd University in Communication and Media Studies. She worked as a journalist and editor of the education-themed column at \u00c1tl\u00e1tsz\u00f3 for over three years. In 2019, she participated in Transparency International Hungary\u2019s investigative journalism mentorship programme. Since September 2024, she is a full-time journalist at Direkt36. She covers social issues, education and healthcare.[:]"}],"tag_names":[{"name":"EKHO Belvedere Kft.","slug":"ekho-belvedere-kft"},{"name":"Els\u0151 Fedezetkezel\u0151 zrt.","slug":"elso-fedezetkezelo-zrt"},{"name":"\u00e9p\u00edtkez\u00e9s","slug":"epitkezes"},{"name":"Felcs\u00fat","slug":"felcsut"},{"name":"L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros","slug":"meszaros-lorinc"},{"name":"Talentis Group","slug":"talentis-group"}],"category_names":[{"name":"Direkt36","slug":"direkt36"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12730"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12730"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12745,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12730\/revisions\/12745"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12730"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=12730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}