Media mogul in Hungary who planned Orban’s campaigns is giving his companies to the government
One of Hungary’s leading media figures, whose businesses have profited from profitable state contracts under the previous administration, has proposed to transfer ownership of his companies and certain investments to the state as the new government assumes control.
Gyula Balasy, the proprietor of multiple leading media companies that have crafted government campaigns for more than ten years, presented a surprising proposal in a video interview on the news platform Kontroll late on Monday.
This marks the first significant shift from a prominent business leader associated with Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s administration, which was removed from power after 16 years in last month’s election.
Peter Magyar, the leader of the center-right opposition Tisza party, is set to take his oath as prime minister on May 9. He has committed to reviewing state contracts, addressing corruption, and “reacquiring stolen state assets” as part of a campaign that led to a significant victory for his party.
“I am presenting the group of companies that I have been developing for 22 years, which currently handle events, communications, and media purchasing for the state and government, … to the Hungarian state,” Balasy informed Kontroll.
“I am not undertaking this because I have anything to conceal or because we have engaged in any unlawful or improper actions, but rather because I believe the activities we have carried out for the state extend beyond mere market communication efforts and thus … belong within the public sector budget.”
KINGMAKER CAMPAIGNS
Balasy’s firms crafted Orban’s anti-Ukraine election campaign, portraying the April vote as a decision between war and peace, alongside various other initiatives, including his anti-immigration campaigns.
Balasy stated that his companies secured state procurement contracts that were “completely transparent.” Balasy also mentioned that the accounts of several of his companies were frozen last Monday. He did not specify which authority froze the accounts.
On Monday, Magyar made a brief comment on Facebook regarding the Balasy interview, stating in reference to Orban’s allies, “This system could collapse much faster than anyone would think.”
Mark Radnai, vice chairman of the Tisza party, stated, “This is the individual we recognize as Fidesz’s billboard creator, who has effectively controlled the entire market of state communication over the past eight years.”
“We must remember that the money earned did not come from the market; it was provided by us, the Hungarians… nothing will be forgotten.”
As per the company’s database Opten, Balasy’s company New Land Media reported net revenue of 85 billion forints ($273 million) in 2024, an increase from 70 billion in 2020, while their after-tax profit rose to approximately 9 billion forints from 3 billion. His other main firm, Lounge Design, experienced a significant increase in net revenue, rising to 26.3 billion forints from 10 billion during the same period, while net profits saw a remarkable fourfold increase to 4.25 billion from 1.4 billion in 2020.
Transparency International has reported that during the period from 2019 to 2021, Balasy’s companies—Lounge Design, New Land Media, and Media Dynamics—secured state contracts totaling 295 billion forints, primarily from the National Communications Office, which played a crucial role in Orbán’s campaigns and the success of previous elections. According to a report dated April 10, 2026, by the Corruption Research Centre CRCB, a Hungarian think tank, the number of contracts awarded to Balasy’s companies has seen a notable increase, rising from zero to 150 per year during the Orban administration, spanning from 2012 to 2025.
