Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán maintains close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban has repeatedly blocked EU sanctions against Russia, and in his country, Russian agents continue to let loose their hands, writes Deutsche Welle.

At the end of November, Ukrainian special forces detained a suspected Russian agent on the border with Hungary. The man wanted to smuggle into the EU country classified information stored on a USB drive, which he hid in his anus. The stolen personal information was aimed at the leadership and personnel of the Ukrainian internal intelligence of the SBU and the military intelligence of the GUR, as well as confidential information about the bases, weapons and logistical support of the Ukrainian military. As it turned out later, the spy intended to deliver the device to the Russian embassy in Budapest, the capital of Hungary.

Journalist Sabolch Panyi, who reported on this case for the Balkan Insight portal, has been investigating Russian espionage activities in Hungary for a long time. He fears that Budapest may become the center of Russian espionage in the European Union. Currently, there are more than 50 accredited diplomats working in the capital of Hungary, while there are hardly more than 20 in Prague, Warsaw and Bratislava combined. by the authorities of the host country,” the journalist explains.

Immunity for the bank

In addition to employees of the Russian embassy, ​​employees of the International Investment Bank (IIB) in Hungary, which was created in Soviet times, also enjoy immunity. Three years ago, the bank’s headquarters were moved from Moscow to Budapest. This means that the bank does not have to fear the Hungarian Financial Supervisory Authority, criminal investigations or courts.

When the move was announced, the Hungarian opposition already suspected that the government in Budapest supported the creation of the KBG network. And for good reason, because the head of the MIB, Mykola Kosov, comes from a family of newborn spies. His father was once a resident of the KGB in Budapest, and his mother was called “one of the greatest spies of the 20th century” by the Russian news agency TASS.

Russian spies have their hands free

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the EU and NATO countries previously involved in the MIB – Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia – announced their withdrawal from the bank. Hungary remained. In addition, since the beginning of Russian aggression, all EU countries were ready to expel Russian spies operating under diplomatic cover. And in this case, Hungary made an exception.

Investigative journalist Sabolch Panyi says he can list many cases where Russian intelligence is active in Hungary, and the Hungarian authorities take note without protest. An example is the former MEP from the conservative right-wing party Jobbik Bela Kovacs, nicknamed “KGBela”. He was convicted by the Hungarian Department for the Protection of the Constitution back in April 2014, but was accused of spying for Russia only in April 2017. Eight years passed before a final verdict was handed down. During this time, Kovach managed to escape to Moscow, Panyi reported in an interview with DW.

Hackers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Hungary

His and his investigative journalism colleagues also show that Russian hackers have repeatedly penetrated the Hungarian Foreign Ministry’s IT networks and internal communications since at least 2012, and have been doing so since the war against Ukraine began. The government in Budapest never confirmed the incidents, but Hungary’s Western allies were well aware that the ministry’s computer systems were infected. This is also the reason why the Allies are very careful about sharing classified information with Hungary.

In addition, the naturalization of ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine and the “golden visa rule” have also created significant security risks. This meant that foreigners could get five-year Schengen visas by buying so-called residence bonds worth €300,000, plus a €60,000 application fee. The program started in 2013 and was stopped four years later under pressure from the EU.

In cooperation with the Ukrainian research group “Molfar”, which is engaged in military investigations and “fact-checking” for Eastern Europe, “Paniy & Co” revealed the case of Andriy Naryshkin, the son of the head of the Russian foreign intelligence agency SWR, Serhiy Naryshkin. he came to Budapest with his family on a “golden visa” and was able to live freely in the capital of Hungary.

Contacts up to the level of the prime minister

Naryshkin’s apartment was registered as the property of the trading company of a businessman who has been friends with Antal Rohan, the chief of staff of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, for more than ten years. It should be noted that Rogan was responsible for the commercialization of golden visas until 2017. According to Transparency International, companies close to Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party earned an estimated 411 million euros from the commercialization of golden visas.

Naturalization procedures for representatives of the Hungarian minority in Ukraine have also raised security concerns. Because the verification was weak, many citizens of Ukraine, who do not even speak Hungarian, managed to obtain Hungarian citizenship, and therefore freedom of movement without restrictions in the Schengen area. In the official information of the government, you can repeatedly read about the deprivation of Hungarian citizenship of citizens who also have the citizenship of Ukraine, who allegedly cheated when obtaining a Hungarian passport. Among other things, it could be a way by which agents of the Russian special services got free access to the Schengen countries.

Dependent on Russia

Panyi and his colleagues also explored the background to the Orbán government’s close relationship with Putin. The journalists concluded that Moscow made the Hungarian government vulnerable to blackmail, for example by relying on Russian fossil fuels and joint energy deals, and by expanding the Paks nuclear power plant with Russian technology and funding.

“Cooperation in the energy sector, as well as the activities of Russian special services in Hungary, have historical roots,” explains Panyi. Since cheap energy is systemically relevant in the Hungarian economic model and European supply chains, this cooperation has never been questioned. On the contrary, it was perceived as beneficial for Hungary as a business center and made all the ruling parties in Budapest wish for good relations with Russia. In addition, representatives of the political and economic elite often studied in Russia and married Russians. This is another aspect that led to the strengthening of Russian influence in Hungary, writes Deutsche Welle