Viktor Orban’s refurbished Baroque-style headquarters in Budapest’s Castle district are a potent symbol of a prime minister who has turned his country into his political fiefdom. Yet across the city, a different kind of empire is being built.
Orban’s son-in-law, Istvan Tiborcz, has emerged as the country’s most prominent investor in the tourism industry, including half a dozen hotels in Budapest either finished or under reconstruction. His holding company’s assets have ballooned to at least 65 billion forint ($180 million) over the past eight years, according to the latest published records.