The European Union is restricting Hungary’s access to confidential materials, but due to the possible impact on the upcoming elections there, it does not plan to respond formally to accusations that Viktor Orbán’s government passed sensitive information to Russia. Citing five European representatives and diplomats, Politico magazine reported on this on Monday, writes TASR.
In short:
- The European Union restricts Hungary’s access to classified materials due to suspicions of espionage
- The Hungarian head of diplomacy Szijjártó was supposed to inform Lavrov by phone during the EU negotiations
- Concerns about information leaks have led to an increase in meetings of European leaders in smaller formats
- Some foreign ministers limited the sharing of information in the presence of the Hungarian representative Szijjártó
Citing a European security official, The Washington Post (WP) wrote on Saturday that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó regularly called the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, during breaks in the EU negotiations, to provide him with “live reports” on their progress and propose possible solutions. Szijjártó described the claims in the article as lies.
Reactions to allegations
“The news that Orbán’s people inform Moscow about the meetings of the European Council in the smallest detail should not surprise anyone,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in response on the X network.
Concerns that Hungary is sending information about EU negotiations directly to Moscow have led to an increase in the number of meetings in smaller formats instead of organizing meetings with all 27 EU member states, according to Politico.
Trust in smaller groups
“Overall, it is the less loyal member states that are the main reason why most of the important European diplomacy currently takes place in various smaller formats,” the magazine quoted one European representative, who referred to, for example, the E3 group (Britain, France, Germany), the Weimar Triangle (France, Germany, Poland) or the ND8 format (Nordic and Baltic states).
Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, who regularly attended meetings where Szijjártó was present, told Politico that he was warned as early as 2024 that the Hungarian side could provide information to Russia. He added that this is why he and his colleagues limited the exchange of information in the presence of the Hungarian minister.
Denial of accusations by the Hungarian side
Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs János Bóka also called the information in the WP article fabricated. He told Politico that it was a “desperate response to Orbán’s Fidesz party gaining momentum in the election campaign.” However, according to him, the Hungarians will not be fooled.
In light of the new allegations, the EU could limit Hungary’s access to additional information by marking it classified, according to one source. While not a panacea, according to the official, it could serve as a deterrent against leaks and the transfer of sensitive information to third parties, and it would also automate investigations.
At the same time, five European diplomats said that they were not surprised by the news that Szijjártó regularly informed Lavrov about the progress of EU meetings. However, according to them, the EU will not come up with any official reaction for now; it will depend on whether Orbán wins the elections held on April 12.
