Hungarian government transfers more than 1300 properties to Transport Minister Lázár

A recent Hungarian government decree has reassigned the management rights of 1,374 state-owned properties to a foundation chaired by Construction and Transport Minister János Lázár. The decision, published late on Friday in the official gazette, offers no explanation for the transfer.

Hungarian government transferred state-owned properties to minister János Lázár

The portfolio includes a wide range of land types, such as pastures, arable fields, meadows, forests, orchards and even roads. While the exact size of the total area has not been disclosed, investigative reports suggest the package could cover roughly 16,000 hectares.

Much of the land is believed to be linked to so-called prison farms, based on both their locations and earlier findings by investigative outlet Átlátszó. These areas are currently operated by four state-owned agricultural companies connected to Hungary’s prison system, where inmates are employed in large-scale farming activities.

The affected companies reportedly include operations in Állampuszta, Pálhalma, Annamajor and Nagyfa, all of which manage extensive agricultural estates. Several of the listed properties are located near settlements such as Harta, Baracska and Solt, each home to correctional facilities.

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Under the new decree of the Hungarian government, the state first assumes ownership of the properties before transferring their management rights free of charge to the “Foundation for the Land of Future Generations”, headed by Lázár. The organisation already oversees significant agricultural assets, including the National Stud Farm in Mezőhegyes.

And as 444 writes, the foundation’s board also includes István Jakab, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a member of the ruling Fidesz party. Lázár has previously stated that detailed plans for the land would be outlined once the transfer is complete, urging the public not to be concerned. However, the absence of official justification and the scale of the assets involved have prompted renewed scrutiny of state asset allocation, particularly in the run-up to elections.

Featured image: MTI/Illyés Tibor