Hungary is grappling with a fresh political storm centred on the Orbán family’s redevelopment at Hatvanpuszta, a former manor near Alcsútdoboz.
What began as a domestic dispute over the nature of the site has grown into a broader test of transparency and public accountability, watched closely across the European Union.
Independent Hungarian MP Ákos Hadházy has published photographs he says were taken during construction several years ago. He argues the images point to amenities inconsistent with a working farm, including under-pavement heating beneath pathways and brick-lined underground corridors linking buildings. The material, released last week, was highlighted by Hungarian outlet HVG. Access to the interiors remains restricted and the claims cannot be independently verified.
The Prime Minister’s Office rejects allegations of wrongdoing. At a government press briefing on 6 August, Gergely Gulyás, the minister leading the office, described Hatvanpuszta as a majorság—a manor or farm—renovated with private funds belonging to the Prime Minister’s father, Orbán Győző. He also questioned the authenticity of some circulating images and said it was not the press’s business to inquire into agricultural production at the site.
Public curiosity has been stoked by limited visibility into the grounds and a series of “look-in” events at the perimeter organised by Hadházy. Aerial coverage has broadened the picture of the layout: Telex has published last week a drone video mapping principal buildings, courtyards and service areas, inviting viewers to judge whether the complex resembles a farm or a residential compound.
Separate reporting has focused on exotic animals—zebras, antelopes and buffalo—kept on a neighbouring property associated with businessman Lőrinc Mészáros. Images and video have circulated widely. While the animals are on adjacent land rather than within the Hatvanpuszta estate itself, their proximity has added to the sense of spectacle and to the volume of local coverage.
The political stakes are clear. Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, has said that, if his party forms a government, wealth audits reaching back twenty years would cover former ministers, MPs and close relatives. He stated that initial reviews would include the Hatvanpuszta estate and that investigators would be empowered to seek records from permitting and heritage bodies and to hear from investors and workers.
For readers outside Hungary, the row sits within a European context. Hungary is a net beneficiary of the EU budget, receiving more from the Union than it contributes each year. In 2023, independent tallies of operating budget balances placed Hungary’s net inflow at about €4.4 billion. The figure varies by methodology, but the direction of travel—net receipts rather than net payments—has been consistent since accession. This financial backdrop helps explain why questions about the status, financing and use of high-profile private projects resonate beyond Budapest.
