The top manager of the capital's public utilities company lives in a villa of over 2,000 square metres which boasts a heated swimming pool and is worth at least HUF 2 billion (appr. €5,4 million), while he drives around in a luxury car worth around HUF 100 million (appr. €272,000).

The Hungarian daily Metropol has found further proof of the astounding wealth of Imre Martha, the „favourite company director” of Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony and the pet underling of former Socialist PM Ferenc Gyurcsany. Even leftist media outlets have embarked on speculation regarding the wealth of Mr Martha, who’s often referred to as „Mr Gyurcsany’s little man”, the daily writes.

In its Wednesday edition, the paper writes that employees of Budapest’s Public Utility Holding, feeling deceived and humiliated, keep sending photos and other information to the editorial office about Mr Martha’s opulent lifestyle. These include, for instance, photos posted by the holding chief himself as he is sitting by a swimming pool in the heat of the summer during working hours, perceived as provocative by employees. According to the e-mails, he would typically spend an hour or two a day at work and then disappear, or go on trips, often for weeks. The senders of the letters claim that the forwarded images were taken on days when Imre Martha was „technically at work” and not on holiday. Nevertheless, Mr Martha made it a point to share some provocative pictures to show how he is spending his „working hours” in home office, by the poolside.

The Here is what the author of one e-mail wrote:

„The honourable Mr CEO, because that is how we must address him, along with some other managers, only come to the office every once in a while, and even then for just an hour or so. Then he goes home to swim around in his heated pool.”

According to documents obtained by Metropol, Mr Martha lives in a brand new villa, on exactly 2,240 square metres, which – taking into account the current real estate prices in Budapest’s 12th district – is worth around 2 billion forints (5.44 million euros). The fact that a company owned by Mr Martha’s closest relatives is registered as the owner of the villa could only be a “tactical ploy,” the paper writes, noting that neighbours say Mr Martha is the only person living in the huge residence.

Source: FKF Facebook / Metropol

Photos also prove that Mr Martha, who uses his official Skoda car during the day, hops over into his Bently – one of the world’s most expensive cars worth around 100 million forints (271,000 euros) – when he gets back home.

Source: FKF Facebook / Metropol

As Metropol writes, for the employees, only one question remains open: how can Budapest’s public utility companies under the management of Imre Martha provide such a huge income to the CEO, how can he afford a HUF 2-billion villa, a HUF 100-million car, a 15-million-forint watch and hotel bills amounting 1.5 million forints (4,000 euros) a day, while the capital’s public maintenance and district heating companies, along with the public funeral home, are facing a series of layoffs? “How can he afford all this, while rubbish bins and ticket machines are being dismantled in Budapest for reasons of economy?” – they ask.