Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's salary highlights significant disparity
12:07 PM EDT, July 21, 2024
Viktor Orban, Hungary's Prime Minister, receives a monthly salary of 6,300,000 forints (approximately $17,000). According to experts, this is a significant amount on a European scale.
Peter Bucsky from the Hungarian economic portal G7, quoted by RTL television, stated that Orban's earnings are high on a European scale.
Although Orban's salary is not the highest among European leaders, Hungary has the largest disparity between the Prime Minister's income and its citizens' average standard of living.
How much does Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban earn?
In mid-2023, Orban’s salary increased by over 620,000 forints (now $1,600), reaching 4,180,000 forints ($11,000). Additionally, the Prime Minister receives a parliamentary allowance. Despite his high earnings, the Prime Minister’s savings are relatively modest, as noted by Hungarian media. This year, Orban declared savings of 10,000,000 forints ($27,000), a decrease of 4,000,000 forints compared to the previous year.
In last year’s asset declaration, the Hungarian Prime Minister reported two properties: one in Budapest and one in Felcsut in northern Hungary, where he grew up. Additionally, he reported a liability of 14,000,000 forints ($38,000) to a credit institution on a joint account with his spouse.
At that time, the media reported that Orban "does not own a car, boat, plane, or any other movable property, nor is he a shareholder in any company, nor does he have money in a private equity fund."
In Hungary, the Prime Minister’s salary is tied to the salary of the Speaker of Parliament, which automatically increases with the rise in the average gross wage in the country.