Hungary’s MEP Kovács Rejects Espionage Charges

  • 4 Jun 2014 9:00 AM
Hungary’s MEP Kovács Rejects Espionage Charges
Jobbik MEP Béla Kovács on Monday repeatedly said that he had not worked for any domestic or foreign secret services and had not got any assignment or remuneration from any of them. Giving a press conference in Budapest, he called it evident that as a member of the joint committee of the EP and the Russian Parliament he had met Russian citizens, officials and diplomats.

“It is possible that beside their work they carried out other missions, too, but I had no information about that,” he said. Kovács said that as an MEP he had no access to any secret or classified documents and his efforts were aimed at maintaining smooth EURussia relations, which coincided with Hungary’s interests as well. Kovács was accused of spying for Russia against the European Union in an article in daily Magyar Nemzet in mid- May.

The paper said the Constitution Protection Office had filed a case against him for regularly conspiring with Russian diplomats and travelling to Moscow on a monthly basis. Kovács said that he would sue the media outlets that ignored the presumption of his innocence and made serious espionage allegations against him.

Ruling Fidesz spokesman Péter Hoppál, however, said that Kovács should return his mandate to the EP. “Kovács should take responsibility for what he did in the past,” Hoppál said.

Source www.hungarymatters.hu

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