Oligarch close to Orbán returns 150 million crowns to Hungary

Hungarian billionaire Lőrinc Mészáros, a close associate of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has been forced to return 2.3 billion forints (roughly 150 million Czech crowns) to the state. The repayment came after Hungary's new government, led by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, reviewed a deal involving the sale of companies that operate the country's electronic toll system.

Mészáros, a former mayor of Felcsút — the village where Orbán grew up — has become a dollar billionaire in recent years, according to Forbes. In early 2026, Orbán's government had bought out three key players in the electronic road-toll system for a total of 64.5 billion forints (4.3 billion crowns). Those companies belonged to an investment fund linked to Mészáros.

What investigators found

An inquiry by the new Hungarian authorities revealed that, before the sale, Mészáros had paid himself an advance on dividends worth 2.3 billion forints. "We didn't simply accept that — we demanded that the former owner return the dividend advance," Transport Minister Dávid Vitézy said on Facebook. According to him, the money was returned to the state on 5 August 2026.

The minister added that he would now scrutinize the operations of other transport companies by reviewing their past deals. "If we suspect any violation of the law, we will take the necessary legal steps and, where possible, recover the money belonging to Hungarian taxpayers," Vitézy stressed.

A new agency to fight embezzlement

In late July, the Hungarian parliament approved the creation of a National Office for the Recovery and Protection of State Property. Prime Minister Magyar called the new body a key step toward a genuine change of regime in the country. The new government hopes it will help trace where public funds have disappeared and ensure their return. "What was stolen from the people, the state will take back," Magyar said.

The office is expected to begin operating within two months. It will function as an independent budgetary body, with its chairman reporting annually to parliament. The new agency will have investigative powers and the ability to call on the police, the prosecutor's office, the tax and customs authorities, and other government bodies for assistance.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz