Hungary's former foreign minister has resigned his seat in parliament and taken an executive position with Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD, he announced in a social media post on Wednesday.
Peter Szijjarto, who served as Hungary's top diplomat for nearly 12 years in the government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban, wrote on Facebook that he had received "a highly prestigious offer" from the world's top electric carmaker "to fill an international position."
"BYD is one of the greatest success stories in the automotive industry over the past 20 years," Szijjarto wrote. "Starting today, I will continue to work as the executive responsible for the group’s external relations and the development of new business lines."
Szijjarto lost his position as foreign minister after Orban and his far-right Fidesz party lost a landslide election in April to the pro-European Tisza party and its leader, Prime Minister Peter Magyar.
Since then, Szijjarto had been absent for most parliamentary votes and rarely appeared in public or posted on social media. He has held a seat in Parliament since 2002.
