Gazeta Lodz - Hungary web users lap up footage of PM Orban's family estate

The videos have tapped into a widespread frustration about corruption in Hungary, where Orban's inner circle has grown spectacularly wealthy from public tenders even as the European Union has frozen billions in funding over alleged graft among other things.

The nationalist leader denies claims that he is the real owner of the sprawling Hatvanpuszta manor and has played down the idea of it being a luxury estate, describing it as an agricultural facility still under construction.

Independent lawmaker Akos Hadhazy, an anti-corruption activist, published a video about the lavish manor on social media, which he made last week, when he walked into the premises uninvited.

The footage has been seen over 700,000 times on Facebook.

He said the video -- showing a well-kept garden, a swimming pool, and a huge dining room -- proves that it is not a humble farm but a "luxury castle complex".

Commenters under Hadhazy's videos congratulated him on his bravery but lamented the wider public's lack of knowledge about corruption.

Commenter Zsolt Andre said the videos showed "Orban and his cronies are building themselves a palace" from taxpayers' money.

Another commenter, Andras Kaukucsi, suggested the estate could be better used as an orphanage or a hospital.

But Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has accused Hadhazy of breaking the law by trespassing.

Many media reports over the years have suggested Orban uses Hatvanpuszta, close to his hometown of Felcsut west of Budapest, as a private retreat.

But his 84-year-old father, Gyozo, recently told pro-government tabloid Bors that he bought Hatvanpuszta in 2011 to re-create a historic model farm established there in the 19th century by a Habsburg duke.

Since Orban's return to power in 2010, Hungary has fallen from 50th to 82nd place in Transparency International's corruption perception index, ranking last among EU members in 2024.

The EU has frozen around 19 billion euros ($22 billion) in funds earmarked for central European country over alleged graft in public procurement, among other issues.

Orban's government denies corruption allegations and claims Brussels is withholding the funds to pressure it over its transformation into an "illiberal democracy".

J.Szymanski--GL