András Koltay

Law professor András Koltay was elected by parliament in December 2021 to a nine-year term as head of the National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) and its Media Council. A 2022 Media1 investigation found that transparency at the already low-transparency media authority declined dramatically under his presidency: the outlet went months without answers to basic public-interest questions, including about frequency-license decisions and concerns over the spread of Russian propaganda, whereas under his predecessor Mónika Karas the authority had at least eventually responded to press inquiries. In October 2025 the Koltay-led Media Council extended the licenses of the Mészáros Lőrinc-linked, government-aligned stations Best FM and Radio 1 for years – Best FM to 2033, and Radio 1 to 2035, with an option for Radio 1 to extend to 2042. The council thus plays a key role in keeping government-aligned broadcasters in a durable competitive advantage on the radio frequency market.