EU expects explanations from Hungary over allegations its foreign minister shared information with Russia

Tetyana Vysotska, STANISLAV POHORILOV - 23 March, 15:21

Péter Szijjártó. Photo: Sputnik

The European Commission is deeply concerned by reports that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó passed on the substance of discussions at meetings of EU foreign ministers to Russia and is awaiting clarification from the Hungarian government.

Source: European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper, as reported by a European Pravda journalist in Brussels

Details: The European Union expects Hungary to provide explanations regarding the allegations that Szijjártó shared information with Russia.

"So the reports regarding the Hungarian foreign minister allegedly disclosing to his Russian counterpart the closed-door ministerial-level discussion in the council are greatly concerning," Hipper said.

Hipper noted that "a relationship of trust between member states and between them and the institution is fundamental for the work of the EU".

"We expect the Hungarian government to provide the clarifications," she said.

Hipper did not answer questions about what further steps the EU plans to take, including measures to ensure the security of confidential discussions at summits of heads of state and ministers.

"First we need to establish and receive the clarifications, and this is where we are now," she pointed out.

Background:

As previously reported by European Pravda, The Washington Post wrote that Péter Szijjártó had regularly provided his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with real-time reports on what was being discussed at EU meetings, as well as information about possible decisions.
The WP has also reported, citing European intelligence, that Russian secret services have proposed staging an assassination attempt on Orbán in an effort to drum up greater public support as the ruling Fidesz party's ratings continue to fall.
On 23 March, Hungarian opposition journalist Szabolcs Panyi published a transcript of a 2020 conversation between Péter Szijjártó and Sergei Lavrov, which included a request to help ensure the victory of social democrats in elections in Slovakia.
Media outlets have also reported that the European Union is excluding Hungary from sensitive negotiations over fears of information leaks to Russia.

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