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The PM’s daughter buys another 60 hectares of vineyards in the Tokaj wine region
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Two days ago, we reported that Ráhel Orbán, the daughter of the Hungarian Prime Minister, is buying 34 hectares of vineyards, pastures, and orchards in the outskirts of Sárazsadány in Tokaj-Hegyalja, a historical wine region located in northeastern Hungary. According to the contract, the purchase price of properties is HUF 273 million. Now, it emerged that on the same day, she had signed a very similar contract with another seller for another 60 hectares of land in Bodrogkeresztúr, Bodrogkisfalud, Mád, and Tokaj, which will change hands for a total of HUF 327 million, if no local farmers exercise their pre-emption rights.
Once upon a time, Hungarian PM’s wife Anikó Lévai bought vineyards in the Tokaj wine region, and now his daughter Ráhel has decided to purchase vineyards in the same area. Atlatszo found out that she is now buying some of the same lands that her mother once acquired and then passed on after the first scandal surrounding the Orbán family’s wealth accumulation broke out nearly 20 years ago. We reported about this two days ago:
PM Viktor Orbán’s daughter buys 34 hectares of vineyards, previously owned by her mother – English
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s family and the vineyards of Sárazsadány have a long history together. Once upon a time Orbán’s wife Anikó Lévai bought vineyards in the Tokaj wine region, and now his daughter Ráhel has decided to purchase vineyards in the same area.
Since then, we received news of another land sale contract, which reveals that on the same day, at the same Budapest lawyer’s office, Ráhel Orbán signed a contract with another seller for another 60 hectares of land in Bodrogkeresztúr, Bodrogkisfalud, Mád and Tokaj, which will change hands for a total of HUF 327 million.
The seller this time is Dr. Péter Molnár, President of the Tokaj Vinemakers Council, Head of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of Tokaj-Hegyalja, Associate Professor, co-owner of Tokaj Nobilis Bt. and, last but not least, Managing Director of Patricius Borház Zrt., a winehouse.
The new sales contract is very similar to the one we reported about two days ago. With the two contracts, the daughter of the PM will thus have access to a total of 94 hectares of land, for a total of HUF 600 million in the Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, if both sales go through and there is no first buyer for either of the parcels.
The state, as well as neighbouring farmers, local farmers and farmers within 20 kilometres have a right to buy first on these lands. Thus, in principle, it is even possible that land could be taken away from the Prime Minister’s daughter by other farmers. According to the current legislation, only a farmer can buy land: Ráhel Orbán is also a registered farmer, registered by the Fejér County Government Office in 2021.
The average price per hectare of the land involved in the sale will be HUF 5.4 million, including vineyards, meadows and pastures, and some farm buildings.
Vineyards rented by Patricius Winehouse change hands
According to the website of Patricius Borház, the tenant of the vineyards subject to the sale, they have 68.5 hectares of vineyards located in the borders of four municipalities: Tokaj, Bodrogkeresztúr, Bodrogkisfalud, and Sárazsadány. The contracts also show that most of the land is leased to Patricius Borház Zrt. until 2040, with an annual rent of HUF 30,000 for each parcel, some of which is located in Natura 2000 protected areas.
In addition to Patricius, private individuals lease certain areas for HUF 40 000 per hectare per year, but their contracts expire in 2023 and 2026. With this deal and the one described in our previous story, Ráhel Orbán will take over most of the leased land of Patricius Borház Zrt.
In 2021, Patricius Borház Zrt. was formed from Patricius Borház Kft., and in early 2023, it was merged with Arany Dűlők Kft., Szárhegy Kft. and Patricius Hotel Kft., all of which were previously owned by Abraham Goldmann Bizalmi Vagyonkezelő Zrt., which is a trust asset management company. In March 2023 the company was acquired by BDSPT Zrt., which is owned by István Tiborcz, businessman, husband of Ráhel Orbán.
Atlatszo infographic
The real estate is subject to mortgages, Abraham Goldmann Bizalmi Vagyonkezelő Zrt. for HUF 540 million and Takarékbank Zrt. for HUF 314 million. The contract also shows that the cancellation of the mortgage has already been deposited by Abraham Goldmann Zrt. and that the seller will settle the debt with Takarékbank Zrt. by 31 March 2025.
Dr. Péter Molnár, who has owned the land for a little over a year, will receive 327 million HUF, but most of this amount will have to be used to settle the mortgage of the Takarekbank.
From the contract and two randomly selected title deeds, we can also see that both the Takarékbank and Abraham Goldmann encumbered the properties in January 2022, the day on which Dr. Catherine Elisabeth Kékessy sold them to Dr. Péter Molnár. Catherine Kékessy – daughter of Dezső Kékessy, who died this year – was previously co-owner of Patricius Borház Kft. like her father, and before that, in 2001, Dezső Kékessy also owned the land.
According to an expert we interviewed, it is not typical for a mortgaged property to be sold with the loan only to be settled years later, and it is likely that very specific conditions were applied in this case. A simple lending transaction may be behind the mortgage, but it may also serve as a form of asset protection on the part of the trust asset management company.
Translated by Zita Szopkó. The original Hungarian version of this story was written by Zsuzsa Zimre and Tamás Bodoky and can be found here.