The Foreign Minister of Hungary, caught in recordings telling his Russian counterpart that he is „at his disposal,” denies accusations of transmitting sensitive information to Moscow.
The scandal of the conversations between Péter Szijjártó and Sergey Lavrov has triggered harsh reactions in Europe, just a few days before the crucial elections in Hungary. The Hungarian foreign minister now denounces „foreign interference” in the elections in his own country.
According to an investigation conducted by several publications in Eastern Europe, Szijjártó allegedly offered Moscow direct access to sensitive information regarding positions and decisions within the European Union.
In one of the leaked conversations in the press, the Hungarian minister reportedly told Lavrov: "I am always at your disposal." Other recordings suggest discussions about the possibility of influencing the EU sanctions list in favor of Russia.
The revelations confirm previous information that the Hungarian official maintained a constant channel of communication with Moscow, including before and after the EU Foreign Ministers' meetings.
Szijjártó's Reaction: A huge scandal orchestrated from abroad
Szijjártó did not deny the authenticity of the conversations but shifted the focus on how they became public.
He denounced the "illegal interception" of his discussions by foreign intelligence services and argued that their publication, shortly before the parliamentary elections, aims to influence the vote "in the interest of Ukraine."
The Hungarian minister described the situation as "a very big scandal" and directly accused an operation of external interference in Hungary's internal politics, according to Kyiv Post.
Harsh Reactions in Europe: "Reprehensible," "sinister"
The reactions of European leaders were not delayed.
The Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, said that the recordings confirm an "extremely worrying" relationship between Budapest and Moscow. "I could hardly imagine anything more reprehensible," Tusk declared.
In turn, the Prime Minister of Ireland, Micheál Martin, described the revelations as "very sinister" and "unacceptable."
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, sent a clear message: European ministers should work for Europe, not for Russia.
Decisive Elections for Orbán
The scandal erupts at an extremely sensitive moment for the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, who is preparing for the parliamentary elections on April 12.
The nationalist leader, in power for 16 years, is facing one of the most challenging election campaigns in the last decade, as the Opposition accuses him of being too close to the Kremlin and blocking European support for Ukraine.
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