Viktor Orban Archives

IPI Mission Report: Media Freedom in Hungary Ahead of 2022 Election

View on front of Parliament of Hungary, Budapest, Hungary. Source: Karelj / Wikimedia

International Press Institute released a new report assessing challenges for independent journalism in Hungary. We are publishing its key findings.

VSquare

23.03.2022

Hungary gives up its fierce pro-Kremlin stance at last

Viktor Orban, Vladimir Putin, War in Ukraine

Russian President Putin meets with Hungarian Prime Minister Orban in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attend a news conference in Moscow, Russia February 1, 2022. Source: SPUTNIK / Reuters / Forum

The unprecedented show of solidarity towards Ukraine on a regional and European, Trans-Atlantic level forced the Hungarian government to change diplomatic course in just a matter of days, and eventually abandon 12 years of pro-Eastern foreign policy.

VSquare

03.03.2022

Black Cube-style operation used in smear campaign against NGOs

elections, NGO, Viktor Orban

This is how the fake billionaire looked like in videoconference with one of our sources. Source: Atlatszo.hu

The video interviews published by pro-government Hungarian newspaper aimed at discrediting foreign correspondents and NGOs critical of the government were made under suspicious circumstances.

Gabriella Horn

11.02.2022

Orbán’s nominee for president: anti-gender crusader Katalin Novák

Viktor Orban

Katalin Novák during the World Congress of Families in Budapest, May 2017. Source: Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons, CC 4.0

Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán announced Fidesz will put forward Katalin Novák for president. The step ensures Orbán’s party will have an ally in the office even if they lose the general elections coming up in spring. Former minister for families Novák is the face of the Hungarian government’s anti-gender campaign and interacted with various Russian individuals believed to be close to intelligence operations.

Márton Sarkadi Nagy

12.01.2022

Hungary is buying real estate in Slovakia through an unassuming company

Viktor Orban

Hlavna street in Kosice, Slovakia. Hungary owns several real estates in the city center. Source: Sergey Novikov / Shutterstock

The Hungarian government of Viktor Orban is directly purchasing real estate in neighbouring countries, using an unassuming company and a state foundation to do so.

Peter Kapitán

22.10.2021

NGO wins in the European Court of Justice: OLAF’s Elios report must be made public

corruption, EU, Viktor Orban

Source: Deenur / Shutterstock.com

Viktor Orban’s son-in-law – István Tiborcz – co-owned and managed the company, Elios Innovatív Zrt at the time when it won contracts to install new street lights in towns across Hungary.

Gabriella Horn

18.09.2021

Orban’s Hungary seen through the lens of a Polish photographer

propaganda, Viktor Orban

Photo from Two Tailed Dog project by Michał Adamski

An interview with Michał Adamski, the author of the book The Two Tailed Dog, a photographic story about a country grappling with tensions and the rule of Viktor Orban.

VSquare

27.08.2021

Trying to muzzle Hungary’s top news site was a bad idea

media, media freedom, Viktor Orban

A demonstrator wears a face mask during a protest for media freedom after the editor-in-chief of Index, Hungary's leading independent news website was fired, in Budapest, Hungary, July 24, 2020.Source: Bernadett Szabo / Reuters / Forum

One year after the pro-governmental takeover of the top Hungarian news site, Index.hu, its former staff members are thriving.

VSquare

23.07.2021

Szabolcs Panyi: I was hacked with Pegasus software

investigative journalism, media, Viktor Orban

Szabolcs Panyi, Hungarian journalist from the opposition website Direkt36. Source: András Pethő/Direkt36

Orban put me at the same level as a dangerous criminal – says Panyi, a surveilled Hungarian journalist and a member of the international team revealing Pegasus Project.