The Burghers' house bought by Manevi SK based in Dunajská Streda. (source: Katarína Gécziová)
A historical building in Bardejov, north-eastern Slovakia, has been bought by a Hungarian firm as groups linked to people close to Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party continue to purchase properties across the country.
The building on the corner of Poštová Street and Radničné Námestie square, one of several dozen Burghers' houses in the old centre of the town, has been bought by Manevi SK which is based in Dunajská Streda, western Slovakia. Manevi SK is the daughter company of Hungarian firm Manevi, which is controlled by the Hungarian Foundation for Preservation of Immovable Heritage in Central Europe which is linked to people close to Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party.
According to the investigative centre of Ján Kuciak, Manevi plays an important role when buying foreign real estate on behalf of Hungary, and its Slovak daughter firm has already purchased a well-known building close to St Elisabeth Cathedral in Košice, a castle and mansion in the village of Veľký Kamenec, south-eastern Slovakia, two Burghers' houses in Levoča and Kežmarok, north Slovakia, and others.
Manevi SK is represented by Tibor Rigó from Dunajská Streda. He previously told the Korzár daily that the purchased properties would be used for tourism, with the exception of the building in Košice which would be used commercially.
Former foreign minister Ivan Korčok previously criticised Hungary for buying property and keeping silent about it, pointing out that the purpose of the purchases was unclear.
