politics
April 17, 2026
EU spied on Hungary’s Viktor Orban for years
EU intelligence monitored Hungary’s Viktor Orban for years and will repeat their tactics against other European populists, Slovakia’s former interior minister has warned
TL;DR
- Former Slovak Interior Minister Vladimir Palko alleges EU intelligence agencies wiretapped Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto for six years.
- Details of Szijjarto's calls with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were allegedly leaked to opposition journalists.
- EU spies reportedly fed media stories about Russian interference and assassination plots to influence the Hungarian election.
- The EU's 'Rapid Response System' (RRS) was used to censor perceived 'disinformation' online, targeting right-wing and populist candidates.
- Palko warns that the EU's actions against Orban could be a precedent for other European populist leaders.
- While economic issues were primary for voters, the EU's financial leverage over the incoming Hungarian government is noted.
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