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Hungary Launches Investigation Into Former Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó Over Alleged Russia Ties
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Hungary's new government has launched an investigation into former Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó over his alleged ties to Russia, Hungarian outlet 444.hu reported on June 16.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar had pledged during his election campaign to open such an investigation if he came to power, accusing Szijjártó of treason.
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Speaking at a press conference, Magyar confirmed that the investigation is underway after being asked by journalists whether authorities had acted on the pledge.
He said the case is being handled by law enforcement authorities but declined to provide further details.
“There are classified documents, documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others. When information becomes available, we will inform you,” Magyar told reporters.
The announcement follows previous reports alleging close contacts between Szijjártó and Russian officials.
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In March, The Insider published leaked phone conversations between Szijjártó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that, according to the outlet, suggested the Hungarian foreign minister had shared information about confidential European Union discussions with Moscow.
The investigation, based on transcripts and audio recordings reviewed by a consortium of investigative journalists, alleged that Szijjártó provided the Kremlin with timely information on internal EU deliberations.
One recording from August 2024 reportedly captured Szijjártó asking Lavrov, “Did I say something wrong?” after a visit to St. Petersburg, expressing concern about how he was viewed in Moscow. Lavrov replied that Russian media had portrayed him as taking a “pragmatic” approach to defending Hungary's interests.
Concerns over Hungary's relationship with Russia have also prompted action within the European Union.
According to a March 23 report by Politico, EU leaders began restricting Hungary's access to classified information amid fears that former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government could be passing sensitive intelligence to the Kremlin.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed those concerns on March 22, saying reports that Budapest had shared details of EU Council meetings with Moscow “shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.”
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