(FILES) Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto talks during a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister (not pictured) in Budapest, Hungary, on February 11, 2026. Former Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto, a close ally of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, announced on July 15, 2026 that he is giving up his seat in parliament to work for Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, prompting accusations of a conflict of interest. In recent years, the world's largest electric car manufacturer has received more than 400 million euros in financial support from the Orban government, according to the media. Foreign minister from 2014 until Orban's defeat in the April 2026 parliamentary elections, 47-year-old Peter Szijjarto was closely involved in the Hungarian government's efforts to forge closer ties with China and with BYD in particular. (Photo by Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP via Getty Images)