The founder of the Budapest office of Euronews has accused the broadcaster’s management of **Euronews censorship** following the removal of a report on associates of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. According to a March 31, 2026, report by Euractiv, which obtained an internal email sent to staff, the move has triggered a major scandal regarding media freedom and political influence.
The Conflict: Euronews Censorship and Deleted Articles
The dispute centers on the deletion of an article from Euronews platforms that focused on companies and oligarchs closely linked to Viktor Orbán. The material raised questions about the transparency of the Hungarian economy and the use of European Union funds.
In his email, the bureau founder described the leadership’s actions as a “clear violation of editorial integrity.” He compared the management’s methods to the practices of Hungarian state media, which remains loyal to the government. The incident has caused significant internal friction regarding adherence to basic journalistic standards.
Funding Sources: The Acquisition of Euronews
The current scandal follows investigative reports from two years ago. A joint investigation by the Hungarian portal Direkt36, the French newspaper Le Monde, and the Portuguese weekly Expresso revealed that entities close to Viktor Orbán secretly financed the buyout of Euronews.
In 2022, the Portuguese investment fund Alpac Capital acquired a controlling stake in the struggling broadcaster for approximately €170 million. Journalists found that at least one-third of this amount came from Hungarian sources:
- The Hungarian investment fund Szechenyi Funds invested €45 million.
- New Land Media, the primary communications partner of the Hungarian government, provided a long-term loan of €12.5 million (owner Gyula Balásy confirmed this to AFP).
Further suspicion was raised by the fact that the head of Alpac Capital, Pedro Vargas David, is the son of a former personal advisor and friend to Viktor Orbán.
Ideological Objectives and Official Reaction
The financial involvement appeared to have political aims. Direkt36 obtained a 64-page internal presentation from Szechenyi Funds, which explicitly stated that the purpose of the investment in Euronews was to “mitigate the influence of left-wing ideology and bias.”
Despite these findings, official Budapest denies involvement. A spokesperson for Orbán told AFP that the government knows nothing about the deal, and the Prime Minister has previously claimed that his party is not building a global media empire.
Euronews management also released a statement denying any investor interference in news content, claiming the Budapest bureau has always operated with full independence.
Internal Trends and Trade Union Concerns
Euronews, which launched in 1993 and reaches millions of viewers, is currently undergoing a period of transformation. Its headquarters were recently moved from Lyon, France, to Brussels, resulting in nearly 180 job losses.
While some journalists told Le Monde they have not yet felt direct pressure regarding European coverage, trade unions have raised alarms. They pointed not only to the Hungarian connection but also to advertising contracts with countries such as Azerbaijan and Saudi Arabia, which could potentially influence the broadcaster’s editorial agenda.
