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Ex-Foreign Minister Szijjártó Joins BYD, Sparks PM Criticism

7/15/2026

Summary

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Former foreign minister Péter Szijjártó resigned his parliamentary seat on Wednesday to become BYD’s executive for external relations.
He had negotiated state subsidies that let BYD open its first European factory in Hungary, avoid EU tariffs, and secure 20 billion forints for a Budapest headquarters and R&D centre in 2025.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar criticised Szijjártó on social media, saying Szijjártó represented foreign interests and lobbied for massive subsidies for BYD.

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Story summary

Former foreign minister Péter Szijjártó resigned his parliamentary seat on Wednesday to become BYD’s executive for external relations.
He had negotiated state subsidies that let BYD open its first European factory in Hungary, avoid EU tariffs, and secure 20 billion forints for a Budapest headquarters and R&D centre in 2025.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar criticised Szijjártó on social media, saying Szijjártó represented foreign interests and lobbied for massive subsidies for BYD.