Orbán's inner circle reportedly flying out wealth in private jets

Felix Wilow 

Updated 14.29 | Published 13.04

          

Viktor Orbán lost the election in Hungary – and now his inner circle is reportedly sending their assets abroad. Photo: Petr David Josek/AP

Viktor Orbán is accused of having made his inner circle rich during his time in power.

Now the assets are being sent abroad in a panic, sources tell The Guardian.

"Don't let them escape," says the newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar.

Jubilation and celebration erupted on the streets of Hungary after Magyars and the Tisza party won the election earlier in April.

Among Viktor Orbán's inner circle, the feelings were different.

During his 16 years in power, he has been accused of corruption and abuse of power. One example highlighted is Orbán’s close friend Lőrinc Mészáros – who went from gas fitter to Hungary’s richest man.

His family is one of many with connections to Orbán who are expected to leave the country after Fidesz’s election loss, writes The Guardian.

“Oligarch families have already left”

The newspaper also writes that private jets have been operating shuttle services in recent weeks.

“I have also been informed that several oligarch families have already left the country,” writes Péter Magyar in a post on social media.

Sources with insight into Orbán’s Fidesz tell The Guardian that at least three people have already started moving their assets abroad. The wealth is being moved to countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Others are said to have set their sights on Australia and Singapore, according to two sources.

“Oligarchs with ties to Orbán are transferring tens of billions to the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Uruguay and other distant countries,” writes Magyar.

“Betrayed, indebted and ruined”

He calls on the prosecutor general, the police chief and the head of the tax authority to “arrest the criminals” and not let them get away or flee to countries that do not have extradition treaties with Hungary.

Magyar has repeatedly stressed that his government will fight to dismantle the nepotism and systematic corruption that he claims has occurred during Orbán’s time in power. Something that has in turn made Hungary “one of the poorest countries in Europe.”

“Our country has no time to lose. Hungary is in trouble in every respect. It has been plundered, robbed, betrayed, indebted and ruined,” he said after the election.