Fidesz: Left-leaning artists received millions in state funding

Hungary's ruling Fidesz party has released details on state cultural funding, asserting that artists with left-leaning or government-critical views have received substantial public money since 2019. The party made these claims in response to criticism directed at Balázs Hankó, emphasizing that those now criticizing Hankó had themselves benefited from significant public funds in the past.

According to Fidesz, prominent figures such as musicians Majka and Péter Geszti, along with singer-songwriter János Bródy, have received considerable financial support. Majka, known for his government-critical songs, reportedly received nearly ten million forints from the National Cultural Fund (NKA) for various projects, including a tour with the 100 Tagú Cigányzenekar and music video productions.

Péter Geszti also received creative grants totaling 3.8 million forints from the NKA, and his company secured 700,000 forints for an event. János Bródy, a long-time critic of the Fidesz-KDNP government, was reportedly awarded state funding eight times, totaling 16.5 million forints for his concerts and music production.

The article also mentions Péterfy Bori, a musician who has publicly criticized the government, and notes that the National Cultural Fund supported her art with at least 5.3 million forints, including funding for her band's concerts and a performance in London. Fidesz used these examples to argue that public funds have been distributed broadly, even to artists who have expressed opposition to the current administration.