Orbán’s 13 Friends

Companies linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s inner circle have won more than €28 billion in government contracts between 2010 and the end of 2025.

A Financial Times investigation has revealed that 13 friends of Viktor Orbán, business partners, control 42 companies that have received 14% of all government procurement funds. Before 2010, their share was only 1%.

The average annual contract volume for this group has risen to €1.8 billion since Orbán came to power. In 2005-2010, this figure was €608 million, and on average €121 million per year, which represents a 15-fold increase.

One of the key beneficiaries, businessman Laszlo Siyyi, has won contracts worth €7.9 billion since 2010. Before that, his company won tenders for only €247 million in five years. In particular, his structure is building a bridge across the Danube worth €747 million.

It is noted that a significant part of the contracts went to companies without competition. In 2024-2025, 69% of tenders for related companies were held with a single participant. For all Hungarian companies, this figure is about 29%.

A key role in the system is played by Lorinz Meszáros, a childhood friend of Orbán, who became the richest man in the country. His companies actively received state construction contracts.

Orbán’s friends themselves deny the connection of their success with political influence, and explain their success as the result of “organic development” and experience.

In 2022, the EU froze about €27 billion for Hungary due to suspicions of corruption.

Source: https://www.ft.com/content/70c20ff6-9778-4f97-902b-d3c859b59339?syn-25a6b1a6=1