Viktor Orbán’s rival Péter Magyar has accused Hungarian Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi of holding back information about his time as an ambassador during a period when a spy ring is alleged to have operated out of his office.
Reports last week by several media outlets alleged that Hungarian intelligence officials disguised as diplomats had tried to recruit European Union staffers as spies during Várhelyi’s time as Hungary’s envoy to Brussels.
EU Health Commissioner Várhelyi told European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen over the weekend that he was “not aware” of alleged efforts by Orbán’s government to recruit spies in Brussels, according to a Commission spokesperson. The Commission said last week it would probe the allegations.
But Magyar, who holds a sharp lead on Orbán in current polling ahead of April’s parliamentary election, wrote in a Facebook post: “In my opinion, Olivér Várhelyi, the current EU Commissioner and former EU Ambassador (and my former boss), did not reveal the whole truth when he denied this during the official investigation the other day.”
Várhelyi served as ambassador to Hungary’s permanent representation to the EU between 2015 and 2019, having previously worked as the deputy ambassador from 2011.
Magyar worked at the permanent representation office in Brussels between 2011 and 2015.
POLITICO contacted several members of Commissioner Várhelyi’s team about Magyar’s allegations, but did not receive a response.
Magyar also named Hungarian government minister János Lázár in his Facebook post, writing it was “a common fact” that secret service people were deployed to Brussels during Lázár’s time overseeing EU affairs from 2012 to 2018.
Lázár did not respond to POLITICO’s request for comment on Magyar’s post, but was quoted in the Hungarian press this week as saying: “I don’t recall the exact details — I’m not great at remembering — but my duty is to protect my country.”
“If Hungarian intelligence had gone to Brussels … I would honor them, not reprimand them,” he said, adding: “That is their role: to defend the nation’s interests. … Their job is to safeguard the country’s independence.”
Csongor Körömi contributed reporting.
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