Romanian press: Orbán’s son-in-law to purchase high-end office building in Bucharest
Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz is reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to acquire the Equilibrium 1 office building in Bucharest through his Gránit Fund Management. Romanian newspaper Cotidianul reports that Swedish property giant Skanska may sell the building for between EUR 40-50 million, marking Tiborcz’s first major foray into Romania’s real estate market.
Orbán’s son-in-law enters into the Romanian real estate market
The Romanian Cotidianul news portal reports that Equilibrium 1, a Class A office building in Bucharest’s Barbu Văcărescu business district, offers 20,700 square metres of leasable space across 12 floors. Completed in 2019, the building features a modern design and 3,500 square metres of green space, attracting key tenants like Signal Iduna and Secom Healthcare. If Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, completes the acquisition through Gránit Asset Management, it will reinforce his growing influence in the real estate sector and mark a strategic expansion into Central and Eastern Europe. This deal also aligns with Skanska’s model of developing and selling fully leased office projects.
Skanska in Romania
As Cotidianul also notes, Swedish property giant Skanska, with global operations worth over EUR 13.8 billion in 2023, has been a key player in Romania’s office development sector since re-entering the market in 2007. Alongside Equilibrium 1, Skanska completed Equilibrium 2 in December 2022, though the latter has a lower occupancy rate, potentially delaying its sale. Orbán‘s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, has shown interest in acquiring Equilibrium 1 through Gránit Asset Management, aligning with Skanska’s model of selling fully leased office projects. Previous Skanska sales in Bucharest include Green Court and Campus 6, valued at EUR 129 million and EUR 150 million, respectively.
Hungarian investments in Romania
According to the news portal, the acquisition of Equilibrium 1 by Gránit Asset Management, led by Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, highlights a growing trend of Hungarian investments in Romania’s real estate market. Investors from Hungary, such as the Adventum fund and Indotek, have been drawn to Romania’s economic potential, with Adventum purchasing Hermes Business Campus for over EUR 150 million and Indotek acquiring Plaza M mall and two office buildings in Bucharest. This surge in Hungarian interest is driven by surplus capital and the need to diversify, given Hungary’s smaller market size, alongside Romania’s relatively stable and growing real estate sector.
Tiborcz’s other investments
As we have reported HERE, Orbán’s son-in-law, István Tiborcz, is set to profit from another state-backed deal in Hungary, with Magyar Posta scheduled to purchase a logistics centre developed by his company, Waberer’s Group, in Ecser by 2026. This follows a familiar pattern of government support, with state institutions acquiring assets from Tiborcz’s ventures at inflated prices. The Hungarian government has discreetly invested billions in projects tied to Tiborcz, including real estate developments and solar plants, raising concerns about the transparency of Hungary’s economic policies.
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