Bayer Zsolt, a Hungarian publicist affiliated with the ruling Fidesz party, has found himself at the center of controversy following comments made by András Rácz, an expert on Russian affairs, regarding Bayer's historical interactions with U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

In a recent article, Bayer addressed Rácz's assertions that he lobbied with U.S. financial backing for Hungary to procure American-made weapons.

Rácz referenced a 2014 piece by Bayer in which he disclosed having received $20,000 from Lockheed Martin in 1995 to film a documentary on a base producing F-16 fighter jets.

Rácz highlighted that Bayer's actions could be seen as jeopardizing Hungary's national sovereignty by advocating for a foreign power's interests.

Notably, the Hungarian Defense Forces ultimately opted to purchase Swedish Gripen aircraft instead of the American F-16s.

In response, Bayer clarified that the sponsorship from Lockheed Martin was purely for a documentary series covering the United States and was not an attempt to lobby on behalf of U.S. interests.

He stated, 'In 1995 (exactly thirty years ago!), I filmed a thirteen-part series about the United States, and one sponsor of the series was Lockheed Martin, which manufactures F-16 fighter jets.

At that time, the procurement of fighter jets was ongoing, and the company understood the value of sponsoring a Hungarian team to produce a film about America.

In return for the $20,000, we were allowed to enter the manufacturing base and film how these fighter jets are made.'

Bayer suggested that domestic media and individuals are often quick to blame and misattribute motives regarding foreign affiliations.

He emphasized that there was no requirement for him or his team to promote American political interests at the expense of Hungarian ones.

'What we needed to do was merely acknowledge our sponsors at the end of the episodes,' he said.

Bayer's remarks came amid a broader discourse on foreign funding and influence within Hungary, reignited by recent statements from Kásler Máté, the leader of the Fidesz parliamentary group, who announced the establishment of a government commissioner role to investigate U.S. funding that has reached Hungary.

Kásler alleged that various civil organizations, media outlets, activists, and political figures in Hungary have received American financial support to facilitate foreign intervention within the country.

The government has mandated that the commissioner must request U.S. documents relating to financial support provided over the past decade to media, civil organizations, and other institutions operating in Hungary.