Hungarian businessman István Tiborcz, the son-in-law of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has rejected claims that his financial success stems from political favoritism. In an interview with the Financial Times, Tiborcz stated, “I’m a businessman, not a politician. The only reason I’m interesting is because I married the prime minister’s daughter.”
Tiborcz’s growing fortune and proximity to power have drawn comparisons to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Hungarian political analyst Péter Krekó remarked, “What Trump does with family in business and politics, Orban is doing too.”
In the 2010s, Tiborcz faced public backlash over a government procurement scandal involving his firm Elios. Since then, he has shifted away from publicly funded projects, founding the private investment company BDPST. Despite this, critics argue that his ventures continue to benefit from favorable treatment due to his political ties.
As Hungary experiences soaring inflation, deepening inequality, and the lowest consumption rates in the EU, Tiborcz has become a symbol of elite privilege. Opposition figure Péter Magyar recently quipped that in Budapest, “all luxury hotels belong to one person — and even children know his name.”
Orban insists he stays out of family business affairs, but his close circle — including Tiborcz and influential businessman Lőrinc Mészáros — continues to accumulate wealth. Meanwhile, Tiborcz’s family plans to relocate to the United States as his wife Ráhel Orban begins academic studies there.
Tiborcz says BDPST is expanding rapidly across Poland, Romania, Serbia, and the U.S., with ambitions to become one of Europe’s leading investment groups.
