Petér Szijjártó, former Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs
Petér Szijjártó, former Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, is under investigation for alleged bribery related to his appointment at the Chinese company BYD, following claims that his role in facilitating the company's factory in Szeged was rewarded with a high-level position. The case was initiated after a complaint by activist István Tényi and supported by Prime Minister Péter Márki-Zay, who called the appointment a 'too public gratitude' for prior assistance.
Consensus
- Petér Szijjártó is under investigation for alleged bribery in connection with his appointment at the Chinese company BYD.
- The investigation was initiated after a complaint by Hungarian activist István Tényi.
- Szijjártó no longer holds parliamentary immunity because he resigned as a member of parliament on 15 July.
- If found guilty, Szijjártó could face up to three years in prison.
- The case was transferred from the Budapest district prosecutor's office to the Budapest police headquarters for further investigation.
- Szijjártó's role as Foreign Minister was from September 2014 until the 2026 parliamentary elections.
- The BYD factory in Szeged was a key project during his tenure as Foreign Minister.
- The new Hungarian government, formed after the 2026 elections, reversed previous policies and approved a 90 billion euro EU credit for Ukraine.
Points of divergence
- Szijjártó lobbied for Russian interests during his time as Foreign Minister, including blocking a 90 billion euro credit to Ukraine and helping Russia's 'shadow fleet' avoid sanctions. — novaya_eu
- The opposition party 'Tisza' won the 2026 parliamentary election and passed a constitutional amendment preventing Viktor Orbán from leading the country again. — novaya_eu
- Szijjártó submitted a counter-complaint but later withdrew it. — vedomosti
- Prime Minister Péter Márki-Zay stated that working for BYD effectively means serving the interests of the Chinese Communist Party. — vm
- Márki-Zay announced plans to expand legislation on conflicts of interest and questioned the legality of Szijjártó’s appointment. — vm
- The parliamentary committee on national security is examining potential risks related to Szijjártó's new role at BYD. — vedomosti
Coverage (5 sources)
- A case for receiving a bribe may be filed against the former head of Hungary's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Under Orbán, he lobbied for Russia's interests and blocked credit to Ukraine — Новая газета Европа
- Index: Sijarto suspected of bribery — Ведомости
- Index: Criminal case on bribes filed against former Hungarian Foreign Minister Siyar — Вечерняя Москва
- Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Siyar is suspected of bribery — Коммерсантъ
- A complaint was filed against Sijarto on suspicion of bribery — Вести
Key entities
- Peter Siyarro
- Hungary
- MID
- Index
- BYD
- Istvan Tenyi
- Moscow
- Russia
- Ukraine
- Orban
- Budapest
- Main Management
- Szeged
- Budapest Police Department (BRFK)