Former Hungarian foreign minister Szijjártó quits politics
Photo: Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (Getty Images)
Hungary's former Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has decided to resign his parliamentary seat as he prepares to join Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, according to a statement on Facebook.
He said he had already formally submitted his resignation from parliament.
Szijjártó explained that he decided to step down after receiving what he described as an "extremely prestigious offer" from one of the world's leading companies.
According to the former Hungarian foreign minister, he will now serve as an executive responsible for external relations and the development of new business areas at Chinese automotive group BYD.
Szijjártó has repeatedly drawn attention for his comments on Ukraine. Critics have often described his rhetoric as anti-Ukrainian and closely aligned with the Kremlin's position.
The former minister has rejected accusations that he acted in Russia's interests, insisting such claims are unfounded.
Ahead of Hungary's elections, Szijjártó faced criticism after reports of a leak of information from his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
After the opposition Tisza Party won the parliamentary election, its leader Péter Magyar alleged that Szijjártó had destroyed Foreign Ministry documents related to sanctions policy toward Russia.
