{"id":13514,"date":"2026-10-12T12:09:38","date_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:09:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/?p=13514"},"modified":"2026-10-12T12:09:38","modified_gmt":"2026-10-12T10:09:38","slug":"orban-apjanak-uzleti-csodajahoz-meszaros-lorinc-cege-is-szallitotta-a-milliardos-allami-megbizasokat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.direkt36.hu\/en\/orban-apjanak-uzleti-csodajahoz-meszaros-lorinc-cege-is-szallitotta-a-milliardos-allami-megbizasokat\/","title":{"rendered":"How a company of Hungary\u2019s richest man helped Viktor Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father profit from large government contracts"},"content":{"rendered":"

In May 2025, the deputy chief financial officer of L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019s construction company, V-H\u00edd Zrt., urgently informed his colleagues that they had received a letter from the mining company owned by Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n, the father of the former prime minister. The letter requested payment of an invoice totaling 766,5 million forints, equivalent to 2,1 million euros at today\u2019s exchange rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease transfer the funds. Thanks,\u201d the management approved. The amount was transferred that very same day.<\/p>\n

Dolomit Kft. received the money for the sale and storage of 86,000 tons of crushed stone \u2013 used for railway constructions \u2013 purchased for the expansion of the M1 highway in Hungary.<\/p>\n

Three months later, Viktor Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father\u2019s company sent invoices to V-H\u00edd again. The total amount of these invoices exceeded 3,5 million euros. With the exception of one invoice amounting around 98\u00a0000 euro, all the invoices listed the prices of materials delivered for the highway expansion.<\/p>\n

These documents are part of the files obtained by Direkt36 that detail the internal operations of V-H\u00edd, a company that won several high-value government contracts under the Orb\u00e1n-government. Based on these documents, we previously reported on how the company supported Megafon, an organization that ran social media campaigns supporting Fidesz, and on the enormous amount of money the company spent on luxury trips abroad.<\/p>\n

444 had previously reported<\/a> that trucks hauled stone from the mine owned by former Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father for the expansion of the M1 highway. Now documents obtained by Direkt36 have revealed numerous new details about these supplier contracts. Based on documents detailing V-H\u00edd\u2019s internal operations, Dolomit Kft. generated at least 6,3 million euros in revenue solely from its participation in the M1 highway expansion.<\/p>\n

The documents in our possession reveal that Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father received many contracts\u2014including some previously unknown\u2014from V-H\u00edd.<\/p>\n

These included bridge construction projects in Budapest, the development of\u00a0 train stations, the construction of the National Athletics Center and numerous regional railway lines. We also found out new details about Orb\u00e1n\u2019s company\u2019s involvement in the construction of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line (about which 444 had previously uncovered information<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Documents obtained by Direkt36 reveal that Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s mining companies have sold or delivered at least 400,000 tons of stone nationwide for V-H\u00edd\u2019s projects over the past seven years. The value of the documented contracts and payments totals nearly 10,4 million euros.<\/p>\n

According to previous analyses, Dolomit K\u0151b\u00e1ny\u00e1szati Kft., based in G\u00e1nt, Hungary has been generating exceptionally high profits compared to its competitors for years. According to a 2022 article in G7<\/a>, Dolomit Kft.\u2019s profits in some years were two to three times higher than those of other companies operating in the same sector. Last year, the company\u2019s revenue exceeded 16,1 million euros, and nearly half of that\u20146,8 million euros\u2014was paid out as dividends.<\/p>\n

This summer, Budapest Police Department launched an investigation<\/a> on suspicion of embezzlement regarding contracts between the companies of Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n and L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros, which former independent Member of Parliament \u00c1kos Hadh\u00e1zy had publicized<\/a>, citing overpricing.<\/p>\n

Dolomit Kft. is not Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s only mining company: the much smaller G\u00e1nt K\u0151 Kft. is also operating profitably. Previously, the transportation company Neh\u00e9z K\u0151 Kft. was also owned by the former prime minister\u2019s father, but he sold the company five years ago. Before the sale, this company also had contracts with V-H\u00edd for state-funded projects, such as the Ercsi-Pusztaszabolcs and Debrecen-F\u00fczesabony railway lines, and it also transported stone for the construction of the National Athletics Center stadium.<\/p>\n

We contacted V-H\u00edd Zrt. and Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies, but we did not receive a response to our questions from them.<\/p>\n

Hidden Contracts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Information had been published previously \u2013 including investigations by Direkt36 \u2013 stating that the Orb\u00e1n-mines had profited from state investments under the Fidesz governments since 2010. These contracts did not appear in public databases because Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father\u2019s companies typically participated in these projects as suppliers or minor subcontractors.<\/p>\n

Documents obtained regarding the internal operations of V-H\u00edd show a more complete picture of Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies\u2019 participation in state projects.<\/p>\n

Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies were involved in several railway projects in Pest and Fej\u00e9r counties. The documents we obtained reveal that his companies supplied stone for the renovation of the tracks between Ercsi and Pusztaszabolcs and between Kelenf\u00f6ld and Sz\u00e1zhalombatta, as well as for the reconstruction of the Bicske train station.<\/p>\n

According to the documents, stone was also sold near Debrecen \u2014located 300 kilometers from G\u00e1nt on the other side of the country\u2014for two railway development projects related to the expansion of BMW\u2019s factory. The value of these contracts exceeded 2,1 million euros.<\/p>\n

Stones were also ordered for the Budapest\u2013Belgrade railway project from the company owned by the former prime minister\u2019s father. Two years ago, 444 reported<\/a> that construction materials were shipped from the Orb\u00e1n family\u2019s mine for the line\u2019s renovation.<\/p>\n

Now, further details have been revealed about the Orb\u00e1n-mine\u2019s involvement in the massive investment. According to a 2023 bank account statement, V-H\u00edd transferred an amount equivalent to 821\u00a0500 euros to Dolomit for the purchase of crushed stone. Three years earlier, they had requested a proposal from Dolomit for 300,000 tons of stone, totaling 4,1 million euros. However, it was not clear from the documents whether this offer was actually accepted and paid.<\/p>\n

Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s company was also contracted to handle transportation: according to a 2021 contract, L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019s railroad construction company paid 178\u00a0600 euros for the delivery of the stone.<\/p>\n

Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies have continued to receive contracts from V-H\u00edd in recent years. Stone from the G\u00e1nt mine was used for the railway development project linked to the Iv\u00e1ncsa battery factory. In 2025, V-H\u00edd ordered stone from the mining company totaling nearly 164\u00a0000 euros for the construction.<\/p>\n

Help us tell the truth in Hungary! Become a supporter now and you’ll get insight into our work!<\/a><\/p>\n

Stones from the Orb\u00e1n family\u2019s mines also made their way to Budapest. Stone worth nearly 35\u00a0200 euros was shipped from G\u00e1nt for the expansion of the line between Keleti Railway Station and K\u0151b\u00e1nya Fels\u0151. Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies supplied stone worth more than 190\u00a0700 euros for the construction of two bridges in Budapest: the D\u00e9li \u00d6sszek\u00f6t\u0151 railway bridge running alongside the R\u00e1k\u00f3czi Bridge and the Kvassay Bridge connecting Csepel Island with Ferencv\u00e1ros.<\/p>\n

The companies also transported stone to the National Athletics Center, built for the 2023 World Athletics Championships: V-H\u00edd signed a contract with two of Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies worth nearly 81\u00a0300 euros.<\/p>\n

Annual contracts between M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019 and Orb\u00e1n\u2019s companies<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Founded in 2015, V-H\u00edd Zrt. initially focused on railroad track construction. It came under the partial ownership of L\u0151rinc M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019s then-son-in-law, Zsolt Homlok, and Istv\u00e1n S\u00e1rv\u00e1ry (former deputy state secretary for cultural development) a few years after its establishment. With the new owners, the company\u2019s revenues skyrocketed.<\/a> While V-H\u00edd did not even record 5,4 million euros in revenue in 2016, a year later it generated nearly 4,1 million euros in profit on 65 million euros in revenue.<\/p>\n

The company eventually came under M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros\u2019s ownership in 2018, after which it grew into one of the country\u2019s largest construction firms. The company, which consistently won government contracts, generated<\/a> more than 515 million euros in revenue by 2024.<\/p>\n

Documents leaked to Direkt36 also reveal that V-H\u00edd planned its purchases from Dolomit in advance almost every year. Since at least 2021, the two companies have signed framework agreements for the sale of materials year after year, which means that the construction company planned to purchase materials from the mine at a predetermined price for those specific years. These contracts also reveal how much the mine charges for the materials needed for construction projects.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Previously, Direkt36 revealed<\/a> that the company owned by Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n occasionally sold its products at prices 60\u201370 percent higher than its competitors, and it was already clear at that time that the goods were also being supplied for state-funded projects\u2014meaning they were being paid for with public funds.<\/p>\n

\u00c1kos Hadh\u00e1zy, a former independent member of the Parliament, published a framework agreement for the sale of materials between V-H\u00edd and Dolomit Kft. this past June, valid from March 2025 through March 2026. \u201cAccording to the experts I consulted, while some items are not outrageously expensive, there are also products that Orb\u00e1n can supply at double the price,\u201d wrote Hadh\u00e1zy, who also published<\/a> additional price lists showing that the same products are sold cheaper at other mines.<\/p>\n

After Hadh\u00e1zy made the contract public, Transparency International Hungary filed a complaint, and Budapest Police Department launched an investigation<\/a> on suspicion of embezzlement.<\/p>\n

According to J\u00f3zsef P\u00e9ter Martin, executive director of Transparency International Hungary, it should be considered a conflict of interest for the prime minister\u2019s father\u2019s company to profit in any way\u2014even as a supplier\u2014from government construction projects. However, this is not prohibited by law in Hungary.<\/p>\n

\u201cHungarian regulations are very weak in this area, but it appears that the government have now begun to address issues of conflict of interest,\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

said Martin, citing as an example a proposal by Interior Minister G\u00e1bor P\u00f3sfai that would ban high-ranking politicians from leading big sports clubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if Orb\u00e1n\u2019s father\u2019s involvement in a state construction project doesn\u2019t violate any laws, the public perception of it is still very negative because it immediately raises suspicions of corruption,\u201d said Martin.<\/p>\n

The construction company\u2019s contracts didn\u2019t disappear even after the change in government, as it had dominated the railway construction market completely. \u00c1tl\u00e1tsz\u00f3 reported<\/a> that V-H\u00edd Vagyonkezel\u0151 Kft., owned by V-H\u00edd Zrt., was the sole bidder and thus winner without competition of a public procurement contract worth 821\u00a0000 euros for rail welding work.<\/p>\n

D\u00e1vid Vit\u00e9zy, Minister of Transportation and Investment, considered it problematic that only this one company submitted a bid. \u201cIn recent years, genuine competition has practically ceased to exist in this market,\u201d the minister wrote<\/a>, adding that he had requested a report on the matter from the M\u00c1V and GySEV railway companies. The CEO of GySEV confirmed Vit\u00e9zy\u2019s statement. \u201cV-H\u00edd Zrt. is effectively the sole operator with available capacity on the Hungarian market,\u201d he wrote in the report.<\/p>\n

Illustration: P\u00e9ter Somogyi (szarvas) \/ Telex<\/em><\/p>\n

Pierre Romera Zhang, member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists<\/a>, assisted with the technical processing of the documents cited in this article via the Datashare<\/a> platform.<\/em><\/p>\n

We used the Opten service to access Hungarian company data.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gy\u0151z\u0151 Orb\u00e1n\u2019s mining company has been generating extraordinary profits for years. According to internal documents obtained by Direkt36, previously unknown government contracts have also contributed to this. Here is Part III of the M\u00e9sz\u00e1ros-Files.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":13518,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-telex.php","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[954],"tags":[956,85,222,955,258,949],"ppma_author":[935,771],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t