The zebras were owned by a hunting association within Lőrinc Mészáros’s business empire.
Zebras, the Orbán family’s luxury estate, and Lőrinc Mészáros
Lőrinc Mészáros became the wealthiest Hungarian within just a few years after winning a large share of public procurement contracts across a wide range of sectors, from agriculture to road construction. Mészáros is a close friend of Viktor Orbán and owned only a small company before Orbán came to power in 2010. They both live in the same small village in Fejér County, Felcsút.
Mészáros is one of Hungary’s largest landowners and kept zebras on one of his properties near Hatvanpuszta, a luxury estate owned by the father of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The Hungarian press has repeatedly reported that it is unlikely that the multi-billion-forint investments in the Hatvanpuszta estate were financed solely by Orbán’s father. Hungarian media outlets and opposition politicians have suggested that the developments were carried out to satisfy Viktor Orbán’s personal preferences, including the creation of a so-called “contemplative path”.
Check out a video about how the luxury estate was constructed:
The Hungarian Chamber of Architects found that the chief architect of the Hatvanpuszta project, Dániel Taraczky, violated both legal and ethical standards when he ordered the complete demolition of the original stables, which were under heritage protection. Hatvanpuszta was once an estate of Archduke Joseph of the Habsburg family, which is why the original stables were protected.
Taraczky was banned from practising as an architect for one year by the Chamber, and former independent MP Ákos Hadházy stated that he would file a police report over the deliberate destruction of a heritage site, as well as alleged fraud and forgery of official documents.
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What about the zebras?
Just a few metres from the Orbán family’s Hatvanpuszta estate lies a plot of land owned by Lőrinc Mészáros. A hunting association within his business empire, Vál-Völgye Vadásztársaság, kept zebras on this land. The Hungarian press has frequently reported on these exotic animals.
The latest news is that, according to the Fejér County Government Office, three of the zebras died on 4 May. Official records indicate that seven remain on Mészáros’s property.
The government office’s statement did not specify which animals had died. The original ten zebras were named as follows: Zsebi, Pilla, Szuszi, Pizsi, Pulcsi, Bolka, Bendegúz, Tihamér, Lolka and Pacsi.
Other exotic animals on the plot of land of Mészáros include bison and antelopes.
Here is a video of the zebras and the bison:
Ákos Hadházy has reported the case to the police, who are now investigating the circumstances of the animals’ deaths.
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