Paks moneymaker

Businessman linked to the Orbán family has expanded his footprint in city of Hungary’s nuclear plant

Roland Sebestyén has business relations with the family of Anikó Lévai, the wife of PM Viktor Orbán. Companies linked to him received contracts in the value of 6.2 million euros in Paks.

Nuclear tender that caused tension between Hungary and Russia will restart

All bidders for the almost 300 million euros public tender were disqualified.

Russians wanting a massive Paks 2 nuclear contract eventually got pushed out

The tender for one of the most important parts of the Paks nuclear power plant was published. It concerns the control system responsible for its safe operation. According to Direkt36 this caused a big conflict between the Hungarian and Russian parties.

How Orbán’s chief of staff and people close to him have used luxury cars in secret

Long-term car rental is a very expensive solution but it has the advantage of keeping the client using the car in secret. Antal Rogán and his wife, as well as the former deputy mayor of a Budapest district and former wife of Árpád Habony all used this option for several years. The car renting company has won several high-value state contracts in the past years.

Paks 2 is facing a risky modification that could favor the Russians

The preliminary ground works could start already before the approval of the overall project plans. This contains serious risks but it would benefit the Russians who have been urging the start of the investment for a long time.

Paks 2: This is what it looks like when influential people are positioning themselves around the project

An association with relations across the political spectrum appeared around Paks 2 last year. It wanted to act as an intermediary during the nuclear power plant expansion, and even though influential people also showed up within the association, it failed to deliver on its plans in the end.

A Hungarian company came under Russian influence. Now it could receive another contract in Hungary’s nuclear project

The car rental company that is likely to be contracted by Rosatom is under the influence of a Russian bank. One of the company’s owners previously held high in a gas trading company with ties to Russia.

The business partner of Lorinc Meszaros is bidding for two valueable Paks 2 tenders

This is the first time that government-close business circles have appeared as bidders in Paks2-related tenders.

A well-connected lawyer wins contract in Hungary’s gigantic nuclear project

Tamas Perenyei was a state secretary during the first Orban-government and he maintains friendly relations with OTP-leader Sandor Csanyi. Last year, he bought a company which now signed a contract with Rosatom.

How Russians forced out Hungarians from a major company of Hungary’s new nuclear project

Its managing director, Attila Szitár-Csanádi, is known as one of Rosatom’s most trusted people in Hungary. He has played an important role in a controversial decision of the University of Debrecen, which announced last year that it would give an honorary citizenship to president Putin.