A large, vacant office space, monthly costs of approximately 50 million forints, and a railroad company that ultimately had to renovate the building to suit its own needs. The story of the Metropol office building in District XIII began in August 2024 and became the subject of a criminal investigation this October.
Based on information from Telex, Kontroll reported that the Hungarian National Asset Management Agency had originally leased approximately 8,000 square meters of the property to the Ministry of Construction and Transportation, headed by János Lázár. In the end, the ministry did not move in, so the offices remained unused for many months.
## MÁV got the building
The Hungarian National Asset Management Agency later offered the office building to MÁV. According to a Telex report cited by Kontroll, János Lázár, by way of a shareholder resolution in December 2024, required the railway company to enter into the contract, even though MÁV opposed it.
Under the decision, Deputy CEO for Finance Gábor Dányi was authorized to sign. According to the article, the company's usual board of directors and supervisory board procedure was therefore not followed.
In March 2025, MÁV signed a ten-year contract with an option to extend it for an additional five years. After that, they began relocating several departments.
## The conversion cost more than half a billion
Units responsible for operating sensitive railway systems were also slated to move to the new location. These include the central railway traffic control center, which previously operated out of MÁV’s own, specially equipped building.
According to an article citing Telex sources, the Metropol office building did not meet the requirements of these departments in its original condition. The renovation cost more than 500 million forints, and some units have not yet been able to move in.
An internal audit by MÁV and an independent appraiser concluded that the rent was higher than market rates. Following the internal investigation, a complaint was filed; the complaint stated that even taking possession of the property, which was in an unfit condition, had already caused damage to the railroad company.
## An investigation against persons unknown
At the beginning of October, the National Bureau of Investigation opened an investigation on suspicion of breach of trust. The proceedings are against persons unknown, so there is currently no named suspect and no criminal liability has been established.
This matter goes beyond a routine office relocation: it involves a lease paid for with public funds and the relocation of units working on the technical infrastructure of Budapest’s rail system.
Source: Kontroll
