On Tuesday, Fidesz group leader Lajos Kósa said the Kovács case was the biggest political corruption scandal of the post-communist era. Kovács’s immunity was lifted by the European Parliament last week. Kósa said Jobbik had been vocal in accusing Fidesz and the government of corruption, “yet the most important question marks regarding corruption have showed exactly on Jobbik’s playing field”.

The lifting of an MEP’s immunity for suspected spying is unprecedented, he said. Kovács allegedly passed on information to Russia, and Jobbik has received the bulk of its financial support with Kovács’s help, Kósa said. Vona said that the party had asked the Hungarian government and security services to provide evidence to back up their accusations but they had failed to do so.

The Jobbik leader has said that for a long time the party has sought the lifting of Kovács’s immunity so that he may defend himself against the allegations. Responding to Vona’s remarks, Kósa told M1 on Wednesday that it stands without precedent that the lifting of a Hungarian MEP’s immunity was requested.

Asked why Fidesz had referred to corruption rather than spying in connection with Kovács, Kósa said the gravest example of political corruption is if a foreign power buys a lawmaker and through him finances a party. He added that Jobbik accuses everyone in a bid to make it less conspicuous that Jobbik is at the centre of this concrete case.

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