European Commission probes alleged Hungarian spy network in Brussels

Published connected 09/10/2025 - 14:44 GMT+2 •Updated 14:49

The European Commission launched an probe aft respective paper reports alleged that the Hungarian concealed services were trying to enlistee EU employees successful Brussels arsenic informants.

The spies, covered arsenic diplomats of the Hungarian Permanent Representation, were targeting, particularly the European Commission, wherever delicate files related to Hungary were prepared and discussed.

The Commission takes the allegations earnestly and does its utmost to support the Commission's unit and accusation from illicit quality gathering actions.

"We volition beryllium mounting up an interior radical to look into those allegations," spokesperson Balázs Ujvári said.

Earlier, Hungary's Direct36, unneurotic with the German Paper Trail Media and with De Tijd successful Belgium, reported that the Hungarian Intelligence services were trying to enlistee Hungarians moving successful EU institutions, successful bid to physique a network.

The precocious 2010s were a play erstwhile the conflicts betwixt Hungary and the EU escalated implicit the topics of regularisation of law, democracy, and media freedom.

According to the property reports, 1 undercover Hungarian cause was besides seconded to the European Commission, wherever helium worked connected information files and had entree to delicate data.

Questions originate astir the relation of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi

According to the investigation, the web operated nether the diplomatic screen of Hungary's Permanent Representation to the EU successful Brussels.

Most of those activities happened betwixt 2012 and 2018. Between 2015 and 2019, the imperishable practice was led by Ambassador Olivér Várhelyi, who is present the European Commissioner for Health.

The spokesperson of the Commission said, answering the question of Euronews, the spy ringing allegations were not known yet successful 2019, erstwhile Olivér Várhelyi got his information clearance to beryllium an EU Commissioner.

"I don't deliberation we had this benignant of accusation astatine that moment," the spokesperson said.

He added, each EU Commissioners person information screening and hearings astatine the Parliament.

"When it comes to Commissioners, it's their work to guarantee that they comply with the pact provisions and the codification of conduct. And erstwhile assuming their duties, they acquisition a thorough scrutiny process, including the European Parliament hearing."

According to the spokespersons, the President of the European Commission is alert of the incident.

The European Parliament refused to comment

The property services of the European Parliament refused to remark connected the matter. They highlighted that they perpetually show information and cybersecurity threats and deploy each the indispensable measures to forestall them.

As portion of the wide prevention strategy, measures person been taken successful caller years to mitigate imaginable information risks, including enhanced guidance for Members and staff.

Reactions from Hungary

Euronews reached retired to the Permanent Representation of Hungary successful Brussels to spot their reaction.

Bence Tordai, absorption Member of the Hungarian Parliament, wrote connected societal media and denounced the allegations: "Hungary spied connected the EU: mister Orbán, erstwhile bash you state warfare connected Brussels?" helium wrote.

István Szent-Iványi, overseas argumentation adept and erstwhile lawman Foreign Affairs Minister, said the contented was scandalous. He added that this proves that Hungary considers the EU Commission and the Parliament arsenic enemies.

"It is concerning that they wanted to enlistee Hungarian EU staff. As a result, determination is simply a distrust towards Hungarian employees, arsenic they are seen arsenic imaginable spies and enemies," Szent-Iványi wrote connected Facebook.