Lorant Budai, the mayor of the east Hungarian town of Jaszbereny, is also backed by the failed prime ministerial candidate of the Dollar Left at the interim election.

Previously, the mayor of Jaszbereny had shared quotes from Adolf Hitler on social media.

„I think I have nothing to do with it in 2019. I’m awaiting further questions,”

responded Lorant Budai during the campaign period four years ago, when reporters from Hungary’s Hir TV confronted him with the fact that he had shared Nazi thoughts on Facebook and called Szalasi, the erstwhile far-right prime minister of the Kingdom of Hungary the „Leader of the Nation.” The Hungarian Origo portal recalled that despite his scandalous statements, Mr Budai was elected mayor of the town. He received open support in his campaign from Klara Dobrev, the wife of Hungary’s disgraced former Prime Minister, Ferencs Gyurcsany, as well as from Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony and other representatives of the political left. Nevertheless, in 2022 it was the leftist deputy mayor of Jaszbereny who dissolved the body of representatives, and this is why a the town must hold a by-election this Sunday.

Recently, Mr Budai was approached by journalists again, who tried to question him about his earlier, scandalous remarks. Mediaworks wanted to know if Mr Budai thought it was timely to talk about those Nazi statements now, in 2023.

“Have a nice day,”

Mr Budai fended off the question before entering a building. Peter Marki-Zay, the Left’s failed prime ministerial candidate, recently revealed in a TV programme that the campaign of Lorant Budai is being supported with US funds. Mr Budai, however, denied to Mediaworks that his campaign was financed by dollars from foreign sources, but he did admit that half a million forints had already arrived from Mr Marki-Zay’s circles.