BUDAPEST: Entities close to Hungarian premier Viktor Orban covertly took part in the buyout of the Euronews channel, according to a joint investigation by Hungarian, French and Portuguese media.

Portugal-based investment fund Alpac Capital bought a majority stake in the struggling media company in 2022, reportedly for about 170 million euros ($180 million). The sale was approved by the French government.

At least a third of the funds come from sources linked to Orban, Hungarian investigative website Direkt36, French daily newspaper Le Monde and Portuguese weekly magazine Expresso revealed late Thursday.