Hungarian opposition leader alleges Russian intelligence services are meddling in election
Péter Magyar, Hungary's opposition Tisza party leader, has accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of inviting Russian military intelligence operatives into the country to influence the upcoming election.
Source: Péter Magyar on Facebook; European Pravda
Details: Magyar said Orbán is the first Hungarian leader since former prime minister János Kádár to invite Russians into Hungary.
Quote: "We demand an immediate end to foreign interference in Hungary's elections. According to information from several sources, representatives of Russian military intelligence arrived in Budapest a few weeks ago with the aim and task of influencing the result of the Hungarian election. They did the same earlier in Moldova."
More details: Magyar said it is "absolutely unprecedented" for a government "on the brink of collapse" to try to sway Hungary's election through external interference in its favour.
Quote: "I call on Viktor Orbán to stop these actions immediately and expel from Hungary the Russian secret agents who arrived under diplomatic cover."
More details: Magyar also called for the National Security Committee to be convened and briefed him on the matter.
Quote: "As the future head of government, I demand immediate information on what intelligence the Hungarian government has received from allied services about Russian interference and why it has still not taken steps in response to these unprecedented actions by Russia."
More details: Magyar said Hungary needs leadership that will not expose the country to threats from the East "whether from Kremlin leader Putin or from Zelenskyy".
Quote: "It is in Hungary's interest to remain a stable, predictable partner that allies see as reliable."
Background:
- Investigative journalists working with European security services have reported that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin instructed a group of political strategists and Russian military intelligence to interfere in the parliamentary elections in Hungary in April in order to ensure that incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wins.
- Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped Orbán's party would lose the upcoming elections, which could then make it possible to normalise relations between Ukraine and Hungary.
- Zelenskyy said earlier that he hopes "a certain person" in the EU (presumably Orbán) will stop blocking the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine, otherwise he might give that person's contact details to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
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