Orbán's ally buys well-known tabloid newspaper, opposition warns of media domination

The Hungarian media group Indamedia, co-owned by pro-government entrepreneur Miklós Vaszily, has purchased a portfolio that includes the well-known tabloid newspaper Blikk.

The agreement, announced by both companies in a statement on Friday, comes just a few months before the parliamentary elections scheduled for April. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is being challenged by the new center-right opposition party Tisza, which is leading in most opinion polls.

Indamedia, which already owns 18 online media outlets including the Index.hu portal, is significantly strengthening its position in the Hungarian media market with this move. Co-owner Gábor Ziegler described Ringier Hungary as a “well-functioning company” with a key position in the market.

Vaszily, a close ally of Orbán and director of TV2, is considered an important instrument in the prime minister's media strategy. The chairman of the Tisza party, Péter Magyar, described the takeover as an attempt by Orbán to gain even more control over the media.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

(reuters, max)