With a change of government in Hungary virtually confirmed, foreign media reported that close associates of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has ruled for 16 years, and business figures are leaving the country one after another.
On the 28th (local time), the Financial Times (FT) of the United Kingdom reported that Orban's associates are relocating their bases to New York in the United States, while tycoons are moving to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), joining a flight to prepare for the "post-Orban" era.
Peter Magyar, leader of Tisza, who scored a landslide victory in this election and is seen as certain to become the next prime minister, recently said, "Several emerging oligarch families have already left Hungary or are preparing to leave." Aiming in particular at Orban's son-in-law and key aides, Magyar noted, "They have begun full-fledged preparations for exile, such as withdrawing their children from school and securing private security personnel."
Magyar was once a core insider of the Orban system before switching to the anti-Orban camp. As such, he is seen as being well-versed in the flow of funds within the administration. He is said to have already secured indications that figures around power brokers, including Minister Antal Rogan, transferred large sums overseas.
At the center of the corruption allegations is the family of Gyorgy Matolcsy, Orban's former economic adviser and former Central Bank governor. Leader Magyar alleged that the governor's son, Adam Matolcsy, siphoned off more than 1 billion euros (about 1.7 trillion won) in Central Bank funds over the past 10 years. Adam already moved to Dubai before the election and obtained residency.
FT reported that Orban's son-in-law, Istvan Tiborcz, has also already moved to New York with his family. Lorinc Meszaros, Hungary's richest man and a longtime friend of Orban, is also said to be planning to move to Dubai. Some local media reported that Meszaros is moving corporations' funds into his personal accounts, but this has not been officially confirmed.
In this election, Tisza, led by Leader Magyar, won 141 of the 199 seats, far exceeding the two-thirds threshold needed to amend the constitution. With strong legislative power in hand, Magyar plans to declare a war on corruption as soon as he takes office. He said, "Anyone who siphoned off state assets must be held accountable," vowing to review major public procurement contracts and strengthen anti-corruption agencies.
He also intends to push for extradition talks with countries including the UAE to bring back those who fled. This is also a sophisticated strategy to draw back several billion euros in support from the European Union (EU), which has frozen funding to Hungary over corruption issues. A local political figure said, "The fact that capital once shielded by power is moving first is the clearest sign that the Orban system's days are over."