BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary鈥檚 government announced an investigation Monday into a large foreign investment by Chinese automaker BYD negotiated by a former foreign minister who last week resigned from Parliament to take an executive position at the company.
P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸’s that he would take the job at prompted accusations of a conflict of interest and criticism over his role in facilitating substantial government subsidies to the company while in office.
Prime Minister P茅ter Magyar told lawmakers on Monday that Szijj谩rt贸, a close ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n, had helped BYD while he was in office 鈥渨ith hundreds of billions (of forints) in public money, diplomatic support and state infrastructure.鈥�
鈥淲e will examine all the decisions, negotiations and state commitments made by P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 that were related to the BYD Hungary investment,鈥� Magyar said Monday.
He added the investigation would look into all subsidies, tax breaks, permits, environmental exemptions and publicly-funded investments given to large multinational firms during Orb谩n’s tenure.
“We will investigate who made these decisions, who prepared them, what professional warnings were ignored, and how much burden they left on Hungarian taxpayers, workers, local communities and the environment,鈥� Magyar said.
Neither Szijj谩rt贸 nor BYD have responded to Magyar’s allegations of conflict of interest while Szijj谩rt贸 was in office. The former foreign minister has posed his new job as opportunity to work for one the “greatest success stories鈥� in the automotive industry.
While serving in government, Szijj谩rt贸 was instrumental in securing foreign investments in Hungary from Chinese companies, including his now-employer BYD, which received considerable state subsidies during his tenure.
In 2023, Szijj谩rt贸 announced that BYD would in Hungary 鈥� allowing the conglomerate to skirt European Union import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles imposed to protect the continent鈥檚 domestic auto manufacturing sector.
In 2025, Szijj谩rt贸 also announced BYD would locate its European headquarters and a research and development center in Budapest and receive 20 billion forints ($63.7 million) in government assistance.
The investments were part of the Orb谩n government’s push to make Hungary a global hub of lithium-ion battery manufacturing, largely through attracting Chinese battery manufacturers who opened a series of plants across the country.
The moves led local residents, environmentalists and opposition politicians to the new industry would exacerbate existing environmental problems, hit the country鈥檚 precious water supplies and .
While foreign minister, Szijj谩rt贸 also maintained close relations with Russia despite its on Feb. 24, 2022. Breaking with nearly all of his EU counterparts, he to negotiate agreements on purchasing Russian oil and gas and to meet with Russian , whom he referred to as his 鈥渇riend.鈥�
He was during Hungary鈥檚 2026 election campaign when the Washington Post reported that he made regular phone calls to Lavrov during high-level EU meetings with 鈥渓ive reports on what鈥檚 been discussed.鈥�
Szijj谩rt贸 has dismissed the report while acknowledging that he conferred with Lavrov before and after EU foreign minister meetings about their agenda and decisions.
During a government news conference last week, Magyar said that 鈥渁s far as I know,鈥� an investigation had been launched concerning Szijj谩rt贸鈥檚 connections to the Russian government.
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