Hungary has accused neighbouring Ukraine of launching a smear campaign against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, “with the stated aim of undermining the prime minister’s international image and Hungary’s ability to defend its interests.”
Following a meeting of the Hungarian parliament’s national security committee on Tuesday, February 4th, the governing Fidesz party’s parliamentary group leader Máté Kocsis said on Facebook that the information had been obtained by Hungary’s intelligence services and passed on to MPs.
According to those intelligence sources, Kocsis said, Ukraine is paying Hungarian and foreign journalists to have articles published with the intent to negatively influence international public opinion on Hungary.
The collection of information and the fabrication of fake news by the Ukrainians has already begun, and some members of the Hungarian press have been involved. Part of the press, which claims to be independent, is now willing to sell the country for Ukrainian money.
In a post on Wednesday, February 5th, Kocsis stressed that Ukraine’s operation is a response to Hungary’s anti-war stance and a violation of Hungary’s sovereignty.
Hungary has been the only EU member state to oppose military aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion three years ago, and has consistently advocated a pro-peace policy, with Viktor Orbán even visiting Moscow to open the channels of communication to help stop the war.
The Budapest government is also in a dispute with Kyiv over the latter’s refusal to renew a transit agreement to carry Russian gas through Ukraine and into Central Europe. The Hungarian PM, who opposes Ukraine’s membership in NATO and the EU, said Ukraine should show “respect” for Hungary.
Hungary has also taken issue with the fact that—even before the war—Ukraine has been limiting the rights of Hungarian ethnic minorities. Attacks against Hungarian minority leaders and the intimidation of Hungarian communities by ultranationalist Ukrainian groups have been ongoing for many years. Despite this, Budapest has provided Kyiv with humanitarian aid during the war and welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees into the country.
Accusations similar to Hungary’s have been made in neighbouring Slovakia, where intelligence services have alleged that a coup is being planned. In light of this and the ongoing mass protests against his government, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has begun to speak of a “Maidan” scenario and accused Ukraine of involvement in efforts to destabilise his country.
He claims there is a group of unidentified experts in Slovakia that helped in protests against the then-pro-Russian leader of Ukraine in 2014, and against the sovereigntist government of Georgia last year.Slovakia, too, has been a thorn in the side of Ukraine ever since Fico was sworn in as prime minister in October 2023. The left-wing nationalist politician refuses to send military aid to Ukraine, and has harshly condemned the Kyiv government for cutting off Russian gas supplies to Slovakia via Ukraine. He said admitting Kyiv into NATO—a move that some Western leaders have suggested—would unleash World War III.
