Orbán Denies Owning the Controversial Estate Near Felcsút

A video showing the estate of the father of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has garnered 700,000 views on social media after being published by an independent MP known for his anti-corruption efforts, reported AFP.

The footage, which shows a well-maintained garden, a swimming pool, and a large dining hall, proves that this is a "luxury estate" and not a modest farmhouse, as claimed by the owner, said independent MP Ákos Hadházy, who filmed the video last week after inviting himself onto the property.

The video shows that "Orbán and his accomplices are building a palace" with taxpayers' money, wrote one internet user in a comment under the video, which has been viewed 700,000 times on Facebook. Another user suggested the estate could be used as an orphanage or hospital.

Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Hadházy of breaking the law by entering private property without permission.

In recent years, several media outlets reported that Viktor Orbán uses the estate for private purposes. The palace is located near his hometown of Felcsút, 34 km west of Budapest.

However, the ultra-conservative leader denied owning the property, which has been the subject of much debate in recent weeks.

His father, Győző, 84, recently told the pro-government newspaper Bors that he bought the estate in 2011 to recreate a model farm established there by a Habsburg archduke in the 19th century.

The widespread sharing of the video on social media comes amid growing public frustration over corruption in Hungary. Viktor Orbán's circle is suspected of enriching themselves impressively through public tenders, AFP notes.

The EU has frozen €19 billion in funds intended for Hungary due to suspicions of corruption in public procurement.

Since Orbán returned to power in 2010, Hungary has fallen from 50th to 82nd place in Transparency International's corruption index, ranking last in the EU for 2024.

The Hungarian government denies the corruption allegations.