Laszlo Szijj, a businessman close to Prime Minister Viktor Orban has gained ownership of Kozgep, the flagship construction company of former Fidesz cashier Lajos Simicska, local media reported on November 9. 

The oligarch, who was the mastermind behind the ruling Fidesz’ finances from the early years, broke ranks with Orban in 2015. 

Simicska had become one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in Hungary through his companies in various sectors that received generous government contracts for many years. 

However, in the last three years, he has fought a bitter war against Orban and his ruling Fidesz party. His media empire became the voice of opposition. After the Fidesz supermajority victory in the April general election, Simicska threw in the towel and sold all of his businesses interests to his long-time business partner Zsolt Nyerges. Companies in the Simicska empire included firms in the construction sector, media, farming, outdoor advertising, and asset management. 

Simicska first closed down his media portfolio right after the election, including a renowned a daily newspaper, a radio station and a weekly, as state ads dried up after 2015 and private advertisers held back for fear of losing state contracts. The last outlet to continue operating was news channel HirTv, which turned pro-government in August, further narrowing Hungary's media diversity.

The flagship company of the Simicska portfolio was Kozgep. Between 2010 and 2012 the company won HUF300bn (€933mn) in state tenders. Its profits peaked in 2014 at HUF13bn on HUF112bn revenue. After the oligarch broke ties with Orban his companies were squeezed out of state tenders, sometimes unlawfully. The company's revenues plunged to HUF19bn in 2016 and to HUF4.8bn last year. 

Kozgep held an extraordinary general meeting on October 31, where CEO and owner Nyerges announced his resignation from the board and sold his stakes to Duna Aszfalt, the company led by Szijj. 

Szijj is amongst the new class of oligarchs, who came to dominate public tenders after 2015, and he is a close friend of Lorinc Meszaros, the former gas fitter who rose to Hungary's business elite thanks to his close friendship with Orban. Duna Aszfalt has become one of the largest construction firms in Hungary over the last three years. The company's profits soared to HUF19bn in 2017.