Molnár, an actor and activist who has expressed support for Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party, has been closely examining the NKA’s funding practices in recent months. He has repeatedly raised questions about grants awarded to public figures and organisations linked to Fidesz.

According to documents presented Sunday morning by Molnár, Bayer’s former company took years to settle an earlier state grant before the outspoken pro-Orbán commentator received another HUF 3 million to write a collection of essays. The activist has also questioned why Bayer was allowed to apply for funding that had not been publicly advertised.

Molnár published the video on Facebook on Sunday morning , September 20, following several posts in which he had promised to reveal details of Bayer’s funding from Hungary’s National Cultural Fund (NKA).

According to Hungarian news outlet Index , the documents presented in the video raise questions about the handling of two separate grants, including repeated extensions of an accounting deadline, the repayment of an earlier award and a subsequent application that Molnár claims was not publicly advertised.

The second grant had already come to light on Saturday, when Molnár shared a September 2020 funding notification showing that Bayer had been awarded HUF 3 million for a planned collection of essays.

An earlier grant remained unsettled for years

The first case dates back to 2014, when Bayer’s former company, 1100 Év Kft., was awarded HUF 3 million by the NKA to publish a volume connected to a 20-part series about Poland. Of the HUF 2.7 million disbursed, the Hungarian State Treasury reportedly deducted more than HUF 2 million to cover outstanding public debts.

The company was originally required to account for the funding by March 2015. However, the planned publication was not completed, and the NKA terminated the contract in July that year following three reminders.

According to the documents presented by Molnár, Bayer subsequently requested an amendment, which was approved by then-minister Zoltán Balog despite the contract’s termination. A further extension was later granted, although an earlier notification had indicated that no additional amendments would be possible.

Molnár questioned why Bayer had been allowed to submit another request despite the previous restriction.

“I ask you: why? The first letter clearly stated that no further extensions were possible, so why were you allowed to submit a second request?”

Despite the extended deadlines, the matter remained unresolved until July 2020, when the principal was repaid, but Molnár also claims that no contractual interest was charged on the outstanding amount.

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Another HUF 3 million for a collection of essays

Barely a month after the repayment, Bayer applied for a new HUF 3 million creative grant, this time as a private individual. According to a September 2020 funding notification made public by Molnár, the NKA’s College of Interdisciplinary Arts approved the application to write a collection of essays.

The activist questioned how Bayer had learned about the opportunity, alleging that the grant had been awarded through an individual application process without a publicly announced call.

Referring to the new funding, Molnár sarcastically remarked:

“This was yet another individually awarded grant, just for you, just this once.”

Molnár also raised concerns about the work submitted to account for the funding.

He claims that the original proposal concerned Hungarian literary figures, while the material ultimately accepted included political commentary targeting George Soros, climate activist Greta Thunberg, Hungarian news outlet 444 and Ukraine.

Molnár promises further revelations

The actor has called on the current NKA leadership to revisit the grants and seek the payment of any outstanding interest.

He has announced that the video will be the first instalment of a wider series examining cultural funding. Among those he named as potential subjects of future episodes were singer Gabi Tóth, Gigi Radics, Fidesz politician Béla Radics and Patr Event Kft.

Molnár also addressed former culture minister Balázs Hankó, indicating that further allegations would follow. The latest video comes amid broader scrutiny of the NKA’s funding decisions. In recent weeks, Molnár has repeatedly questioned grants awarded to individuals and organisations associated with Fidesz. Former minister Hankó has previously rejected allegations concerning the cultural funding system.

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