RTL Hungary has announced a new media partnership — this time with a company owned by the sister and brother-in-law of Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Viktor Orbán’s government. The deal is another example of how Hungary’s second largest commercial TV channel is becoming increasingly intertwined with pro-government circles, Media1 reports.

CEETV publishes the text below:

RTL Hungary has launched a media support collaboration with Molnár Martin, a promising new talent in Hungarian motorsport, and his management team, MOTAM – Motorsport Talent Management.

“The goal of the partnership is to introduce the 16-year-old Formula 4 driver, who competes in the British F4 Championship, to the Hungarian public and to accompany him on his journey towards Formula 1,” RTL announced on Saturday morning.

The statement includes a quote from Tamás Őry, CEO of MOTAM Kft., who said:

“Martin’s talent and dedication are unquestionable, but in today’s world, building a successful sports career also requires strategic media presence and branding. Our cooperation with RTL Hungary is exemplary in Hungarian sports and opens new horizons for Martin’s career.”

What RTL’s press release did not mention is that Tamás Őry is the brother-in-law of Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Őry’s wife, Sarolta Szijjártó — the minister’s sister — also owns a significant stake in the parent company of MOTAM Kft., the agency managing Molnár Martin’s career.

Tamás Őry and Sarolta Szijjártó have previously appeared in the media. According to a report by 24.hu, citing Helsingin Sanomat, they acquired the KymiRing racetrack in Finland through a company named TRP Hungary Kft. Ownership records from the company registry service Opten show that Tamás Őry owns 45% of TRP, Sarolta Szijjártó 20%, and Balázs Molnár 35%.

As Media1 previously reported, the couple’s company, then named Truck Race Promotion Kft. (now TRP Hungary), also received 181 million forints in funding from Hungary’s state-owned lottery company, Szerencsejáték Zrt.

In recent years, an increasing number of ties have emerged between RTL Hungary and business or media actors close to Hungary’s ruling Fidesz party and its System of National Cooperation (NER).

Last year, RTL signed a strategic agreement with telecom giant 4iG / ONE, a company closely linked to the Orbán government, establishing a strong dependency on this pro-government business group.

Shortly afterward, Indamedia — which controls both Index.hu and Port.hu, and is considered a Fidesz-friendly media group — became a key partner to RTL. The companies even launched joint programming together.

Some of RTL’s current presenters also previously worked for HírTV, a government-aligned news channel. Notably, Orsolya Heer, who used to be a presenter at HírTV, is now one of the main anchors of RTL’s evening news.

One of the most controversial developments surfaced when documents and audio recordings were leaked to the press. These suggest that RTL Hungary’s current CEO may have been appointed as part of a covert political pact with the Orbán government.

According to the evidence, RTL agreed in 2015 to replace its previous CEO — known for strong criticism of the government — in exchange for a reduction of the advertising tax, which had disproportionately affected RTL. The new CEO, Gabriella Vidus, was allegedly seen as more acceptable by János Lázár, then minister heading the Prime Minister’s Office.

This issue is currently the subject of an ongoing court case in Luxembourg, where RTL Group’s CLT UFA is headquartered. The ousted CEO claims the dismissal was politically motivated, which would constitute a violation under Luxembourg labor law.

Despite its strained relations with the government in the past, RTL Hungary has continued to benefit from state advertising revenue. While the company declined to provide exact figures in response to Media1‘s inquiries — prompting a formal complaint to Hungary’s Data Protection and Freedom of Information Authority — insider sources say RTL earned over 2 billion HUF + VAT in net state ad revenue in 2024 alone.

Given that RTL posted a 3.3 billion HUF loss last year, this public money is a significant financial lifeline. Without state funding, the company’s total losses for 2024 could have exceeded 5 billion HUF.

We contacted RTL Group, the parent company of RTL Hungary, and its owner, Bertelsmann, with the following questions:

Were they aware that the company entering into the media partnership with RTL Hungary is partly owned by close relatives of Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, a key figure in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government?

Do they consider this business relationship compatible with RTL Group’s and Bertelsmann’s corporate governance and editorial independence standards?

Have any steps been taken at the group level to assess or address potential reputational or ethical risks related to this partnership?

We will publish any response we receive.