Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for the "full elimination of the Soros network" and stated that sanctions must be imposed against anyone who accepts foreign funds with the aim of influencing Hungarian politics.

In a regular interview with state media on February 7, the prime minister claimed that civil organisations and NGOs have received money from "the Soros foundations, the US government and Brussels" to strengthen opposition parties and topple the government.

Orban's call to crack down on independent NGOs and media coincided with the release of a 56-minute documentary by Direkt 36, focusing on the enrichment of the Orban family, particularly his son-in-law, Istvan Tiborcz, who has amassed hundreds of billions of forints in wealth since marrying the prime minister’s daughter, Rahel, in 2013.

In a pre-emptive move to discredit Direkt36 before the release, Fidesz faction leader Mate Kocsis came up with a rather far-fetched accusation that Kyiv was financing efforts to undermine the reputation of Viktor Orban and had allocated funds to independent Hungarian media outlets.

Kocsis issued his statement after a meeting of Parliament's national security committee on Thursday, February 6, where Hungarian security services presented alleged evidence of Ukrainian involvement. Analysts doubt the veracity of the report and pointed out that as a member of the committee, Kocsis had no right to disclose any information at all. 

The documentary's narrative traces how the 38-year-old Tiborcz, a relatively unknown figure before joining the family, became one of Hungary's richest individuals through a series of lucrative business ventures, many of which were allegedly facilitated by state contracts, EU funds and favourable legislation.

The documentary delves into the earlier alliance between Viktor Orban and his former Fidesz treasurer, Lajos Simicska, a key figure in building Fidesz's economic power from the start.

However, their relationship soured after Orban's second supermajority in 2014, when the prime minister first presented Fidesz leaders and businessmen with his vision of shifting Hungary’s alignment towards the East. In the same year, Hungary’s strongman declared the country an "illiberal state" The country's isolation following this authoritarian shift is traced from here.

Simicska, the most powerful oligarch at the time, vehemently opposed the new direction, stating that he did not sign up for Hungary to become a dictatorship again.

The split between Orban and Simicska marked its 10th anniversary last week, when the former Fidesz cashier called the prime minister a “cunt.” 

The rise of Istvan Tiborcz, former gas-fitter Lorinc Meszaros, and other oligarchs began after the fallout with Simicska, as Orban recognised that he needed to rely on a loyal network of businessmen to control key sectors of the economy and funnel state resources into friendly hands, instead of depending on just one source.

The documentary, which has garnered over 1.7mn views as of Sunday night, highlights investigations by OLAF into public lighting tenders won by Tiborcz’s company. OLAF uncovered systematic irregularities and called for Hungary to reimburse EU funds. The cabinet avoided reimbursing the EU funds leaving Hungarian taxpayers to foot the HUF14bn bill.

While there was little new information in the documentary for news-savvy Hungarian viewers who had followed independent media coverage of the enrichment of Orban's cronies over the years, the sheer scale of power concentration was stunning.

In the latest news regarding Tiborcz’s business interests, the state acquired office buildings worth HUF600bn (€1.5bn), some 50% above market price.

"What's shocking to me is that by the state buying up the entire property stock and paying in a lump sum, it freed the owners from the sole business risk remaining, renting the office space out," commented a Direkt36 journalist on the controversial deal kept in secret until independent media leaked the story.

Instead of recouping the investment over 20-30 years, Tiborcz and his partners secured an immediate, risk-free profit at the taxpayers' expense, with no need to worry about market conditions or occupancy rates.

An intriguing part of the documentary features a descendant of the Szechenyi family, Hungary’s most renowned aristocrat, attempting to gain admission to an exclusive members-only club owned by Tiborcz. With hidden cameras, viewers were given a rare glimpse into a world where privacy, luxury and political connections intertwine.

The club, known for its emphasis on discretion, caters to high-profile figures, including footballers, and hosts private events such as themed parties and casino nights. According to the young host guiding the journalist, illegal gambling also takes place in the club. Tiborcz's company denied the report and swiftly issued a statement claiming that members only use "play money" during gambling. Direkt36 decided not to pay the annual HUF8mn membership fee.

Opposition leader Peter Magyar, citing compilations by independent media, published a long list of properties belonging to Tiborcz. The list includes dozens of hotels, several high-end office buildings, and cultural heritage sites, including castles.

Magyar, a former Fidesz cadre who surged onto the political scene last year, claims that Orban’s son-in-law received HUF29bn in loans from Hungary’s second-largest commercial lender, MFB, partially owned by Lorinc Meszaros, as well as a similar amount in direct state grants. Furthermore, Tiborcz has benefited from HUF133bn in government investments and another HUF151bn in favourable loans.

The government did not comment on the documentary, instead officials repeated Orban's calls to fight against the "Soros network".

The prime minister's political director Balazs Orban, namesake of the PM, said the Patriots for Europe grouping was ready to "repel the Soros network at the European level", and the Hungarian government would "push them out of Hungary".