Speaking about his leaked calls with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, Szijjarto said, according to a ministry statement, that "anyone still doubting foreign intelligence meddling in Hungary's parliamentary election got their proof this morning."

"I think it is a massive scandal … that foreign intelligence agencies were continuously tapping my phone calls, and these agencies released these calls a week and a half before the Hungarian parliamentary election," Szijjarto declared.

"What is this if not the most brazen, aggressive foreign intelligence interference in the Hungarian parliamentary election in history? What's more, it was all done with the active collusion of Hungarian journalists."

"As for the 'major discovery', the wiretap list is not complete. I have also regularly consulted with foreign ministers from several non-EU countries on sanctions-related matters," he said.

"And as for the contents of the calls, I say the same thing publicly as I do on the phone," Szijjarto said. "That sanctions are a failure, causing more harm to the European Union than to Russia. Soaring prices, runaway inflation, energy costs spiralling out of control. We have always opposed the EU's sanctions policy. We have made it crystal clear: we will not back sanctions that threaten Hungary's energy security, undermine peace efforts, or lack any legal basis whatsoever."

"The stakes, I believe, are clear to everyone now," he said: "Either the sovereign patriotic government will remain in power or a puppet government will be installed by foreign intelligence services. I say we must not let this happen."

FM Szijjarto Rejects Related Criticism by Czech President

The Hungarian Foreign Minister has sharply dismissed criticism from Czech President Petr Pavel, saying he "might want to choose his words more carefully" when commenting on wiretapping for Ukraine’s benefit, given he "would have ended up as a spy for communist Czechoslovakia in western Europe had the regime not collapsed".

Szijjarto branded the eavesdropping and pre-election release of his calls a "huge scandal" and a "flagrant, unacceptable foreign interference" in Hungary's parliamentary campaign. "It’s clear this was done to serve Ukraine’s interests," he said, according to a ministry statement.

"The funniest part is the Czech president's reaction, who in 1985 joined Czechoslovakia's Communist Party, trained as an intelligence officer, and, had the regime not fallen, would have been spying for them in western Europe," Szijjarto said.

"Given his past vehement defence of communism and Soviet allies, he might want to choose his words more carefully on this matter," Szijjarto added.

"We will not tolerate this," he said. "We will defend Hungary and its sovereignty, and we will ensure Hungary stays out of the war next door."


Szazadveg: 70 percent of Hungarians condemn Panyi, foreign intelligence interference

The Hungarian public strongly condemns "all forms of foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs" and holds an extremely negative view of "journalists and activists who serve foreign interests and collude with foreign intelligence services", according to the latest survey by pollster Szazadveg published on Tuesday.

"As this year’s parliamentary elections approach, Szabolcs Panyi, a staff member at Direct36 and VSquare, who calls himself an investigative journalist, has come forward with several reports purporting to confirm Russian interference, which several EU officials are already using to call for the exclusion of Hungarian government officials from certain negotiations," the report said.

Panyi also released a transcript of a previous phone conversation between the Hungarian and Russian foreign ministers, thought to be obtained through wiretapping, raising the question of how an investigative journalist could have legally obtained it, Szazadveg added.

According to the institute, references to Russian influence could be used to "manipulate and unsettle" voters, and "as a basis for governments opposed to the current Hungarian government to restrict Hungary's ability to assert its interests within Western alliance systems."

Concerning details of its survey, Szazadveg said that 70 percent of respondents believed it "unacceptable for a Hungarian journalist to collaborate with foreign intelligence services" while 19 percent found it acceptable and a further 11 percent were unable or unwilling to answer.

See related article below on Investigative Journalist Accused of Espionage in Hungary by Govt Seeks Public Support.

MTI Stock Photo.

Source: MTI – Hungary’s national news agency since 1881. While MTI articles are usually factual, some may contain political bias, and readers should be aware that such content does not reflect the position of XpatLoop, which is neutral and independent.

Since the goal of XpatLoop is to keep readers well briefed, right across the spectrum of opinions, MTI items are shared to ensure readers are aware of all narratives within the local media.

XpatLoop believes in empowering readers to form their own views through complete and comprehensive coverage. To facilitate this XpatLoop has a balanced range of news partners, as you can see when you surf around XpatLoop.com

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