Luxury cars, yachts, private jets: 16 iconic cases of opulence in Orbán’s Hungary over 16 years

Independent Hungarian investigative outlet Átlátszó, partner of EUalive, has compiled a striking retrospective of luxury assets and perks enjoyed by members of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s inner circle and allied business elite – known as the NER (National Cooperation System) – during 16 years of Fidesz governance. The report traces public funds flowing into high-end cars, superyachts, private aircraft, and lavish properties.

Átlátszó’s journalists have tracked these stories through drone footage, public records, tip-offs, and persistent monitoring, exposing how state contracts, EU funds, and public resources have fuelled extravagant lifestyles among the politically connected. Here are the 16 emblematic cases highlighted in their investigation:

István Tiborcz’s G-Class Mercedes

Orbán’s son-in-law István Tiborcz rose through EU-funded public lighting projects via his company Elios, later scrutinized by the EU’s anti-fraud office (OLAF) for irregularities that cost Hungarian taxpayers billions. He shifted into real estate, acquiring ports, castles, and wineries with state backing. In 2019, he was photographed driving a €150,000+ (then ~50 million HUF) German-plated Mercedes-AMG G63.

Viktor Orbán’s matchday private jet

In 2018, Orbán was photographed disembarking a luxury private jet (OE-LEM, valued around 17 billion HUF at the time) after a Videoton football match in Bulgaria. The aircraft was linked via an Austrian operator to oligarch Lőrinc Mészáros, Orbán’s childhood friend who amassed billions through state contracts. The episode damaged Orbán’s “puritan” public image.

Péter Szijjártó on the luxury yacht

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó was photographed in 2020 aboard the Lady MRD superyacht on the Adriatic while his official Facebook portrayed him “working” in an office. He later described the trip as a private invitation from a friend.

Oligarch László Szíjj – the yacht owner

The Lady MRD (and sister vessels Artemy and Seagull MRD) belongs to construction magnate László Szíjj, who secured hundreds of billions in state and EU contracts. These yachts, along with the private jet, functioned as shared NER assets used by Szíjj, Szijjártó, Mészáros, and others.

Lőrinc Mészáros’s fleet of private aircraft

Oligarch Lőrinc Mészáros upgraded through multiple jets (including OE-HUG, OE-HOZ, and a nearly new OE-LOT valued at ~22 billion HUF) and a helicopter. He also acquired military vehicles for his Bicske estate, prompting police investigations after Átlátszó’s drone reporting.

Szijjártó’s frequent private jet travel

Szijjártó has extensively used military Falcons and chartered luxury jets (e.g., Maltese and Dutch aircraft) for official trips costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of forints. He authorized these expenditures himself and later backed legislation to obscure the costs.

Orbán’s private flights

Orbán repeatedly used the Mészáros-linked jet, OTP’s aircraft, military planes, and a jet tied to Schmidt Mária for vacations and football matches. In 2025, he acknowledged that some costs were covered by the state.

Ádám Matolcsy’s Porsche collection

While his father György (former central bank governor) faced scrutiny over public money flows into art and real estate, son Ádám collected Porsche 911 Targas (four vehicles estimated at 60–70 million HUF years ago), funded by his furniture company’s state contracts.

9 & 10. Philip Rákay’s Mercedeses

Pro-government commentator and film producer Philip Rákay (linked to a heavily subsidized Petőfi film) was photographed in a ~47 million HUF Mercedes G 500 in 2021 and later cleaning a top-spec Mercedes-Maybach (estimated 72–100+ million HUF) with luxury features like champagne flutes and neck heating.

Lajos Kósa in a Ferrari

Former Fidesz strongman Lajos Kósa was photographed in a Ferrari F8 Spider (valued 125–170 million HUF) belonging to the owner of the now-bankrupt Bászna Gabona company, amid allegations of large-scale embezzlement.

János Lázár’s hunting castle

Minister János Lázár acquired a 40% stake in a renovated hunting castle near Hódmezővásárhely. State funds upgraded the access road (3.3 billion HUF), while he bought surrounding land and added a tennis court.

Tiborcz’s Balaton lakeside estate

Tiborcz purchased a ~9,500 m² property in Felsőörs featuring a villa, pool, wine cellar, and solar panels. Orbán himself vacationed there.

Integrity authority head Ferenc Biró’s hacienda

Ferenc Biró, head of an anti-corruption body, owns a 2-hectare estate not declared in his assets statement due to legal changes exempting primary residences.

Mihály Varga’s Balaton villa

Then-Finance Minister (now central bank head) Mihály Varga rented, then bought, a luxury pool villa in Gyenesdiás from a tobacco shop owner he had awarded, for around 169 million HUF.

Gyula Balásy’s Buda villa

Government advertising tycoon Gyula Balásy, whose firms earned billions from state campaigns, acquired a large Rózsadomb property that became the headquarters for his companies.

Átlátszó notes that while the elite enjoyed these perks, ordinary citizens received symbolic public projects such as pointless roundabouts, empty “tree canopy walks,” and dug holes funded by hundreds of millions in EU money.

The investigation underscores ongoing debates about transparency, conflicts of interest, and the concentration of wealth among Orbán allies through public procurement and EU funds. Many of the individuals involved have denied wrongdoing, often framing the reporting as politically motivated. As Hungary’s political landscape evolves, these cases remain potent symbols of the era.

Caption: Péter Szijjártó on the luxury yacht (photo: Átlátszó/Dániel Németh)