EU rapporteur: Hungarian secret services have been leaking to the Russians for years – UPDATED

Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield is a French MEP sitting in the European Parliament’s Green group and also a rapporteur of the EP on Hungarian issues. Delbos-Corfield said that the Hungarian secret services leaked deliberatly some data to the Russians but shared no additional details. The EU rapporteur thinks Hungary poses a threat to the European Union because the Russians influence the country’s government significantly.

The MEP took part in a discussion in Brussels, where she talked about those issues together with, among others, Gergely Karácsony, Budapest’s mayor. Delbos-Corfield said that Hungary was troublesome not only because of the corruption or the rule of law but also because the Hungarian secret services and some government institutions leak to the Russians, which is a security threat, euronews.com wrote.

“I do not understand why no member states react in the European Council”, she added.

She highlighted that there were articles published daily emphasizing the threat of Russia on the region. But nobody mentions that they have an ally, Hungary. She added that the Hungarian government parties won the previous general elections because of manipulation and fake news.

She said the EU was late to react on that in the case of Hungary. But it is important to stop the spread of the process. She suggested that the situation is the same in Poland, where democratic elections were only a camouflage, just like in Hungary. She recalled that the European Parliament accepted a resolution last year saying that Hungary had no longer a real democracy but a hybrid regime.

Budapest, Óbuda, block of flats, Hungary
Read alsoApart from Russia, only Hungary is likely to sink into recession in Europe

UPDATE – Rule of law must be protected across all sectors

Democracy, the rule of law, equality and fundamental rights form the foundation of the European Union, and they must be protected across all sectors ranging from government to civil society, the EU justice commissioner told the conference organised by the Brussels and Budapest city councils on which Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield took part. The abandonment of the rule of law, which constitutes the legal foundations of the bloc and its member states, would mean the end of the European Union, Didier Reynders told the Cities for the Rule of Law conference in Brussels.

Guaranteeing the rule of law and justice along common values is the basis of trust among member states, the commissioner said. The principle of the rule of law is non-negotiable and must not be allowed to fall victim to political compromise, he added. Reynders noted that the European Commission had the means to protect the rule of law, such as its annual rule-of-law report in which the body offers recommendations with a view to encouraging member states. The report is also a tool used to address general problems and stop the deterioration of the rule of law, he said.

Mayor of Budapest: rule of law was “a matter of life and death”

The report forms the basis of dialogue on the state of the rule of law with the individual member states and on improving the situation with the participation of local councils and civil society, Reynders said. The EC plans to publish this year’s rule-of-law report in July, he said. Dialogue always comes first, although it is not always enough, the commissioner said. A firm approach is needed, he said, insisting that the rule of law was under attack. Reynders said the EC was prepared to use all the tools at its disposal to protect the rule of law. These, he noted, include the mechanism in the EU budget linking funding to the rule of law, which in Hungary’s case led to the suspension of cohesion funding for the country.

Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony said the state of the rule of law was “a matter of life and death”. He said Hungary was “very far” from meeting the requirements EU candidate countries were expected to meet. Karácsony said the tools established to protect the rule of law were “weak” and were being applied too slowly. He insisted this was a factor that had contributed to the emergence of a “hybrid regime” within the EU.

He said Budapest and most European cities were better at meeting the requirements for democracy and the rule of law than central governments. Capital cities can be considered “islands of the rule of law” in countries where the rule of law and democracy are lacking, he added. But cities are under attack by means that include EU funding being withheld from them, Karacsony said. He said European capitals needed to cooperate on the distribution of EU funds at the local level.

Source: euronews.com

9 Comments

  1. Comes as no surprise at all.

    A while back (a couple of years ago?), didn’t we read that Putin has most of Hungary’s Government departments hacked (for years now), and yet PM Orban was totally blasé about it, he seems to have ignored it as if “Who cares!”.

    This “deliberate” leaking by Hungary’s secret services just takes that to another level.

    The question that remains (in my mind) is why? Is it for “favours”? Is it because the Orban Government, and/or the secret service, is treating Putin’s Russia as a very important ally worthy of sharing inside info from the EU (and NATO?)?

  2. No surprise. After all Orbánistan is, de facto, a Russian quasi-colony, a protectorate. Since ten years at least.

  3. Bruce, what a shill you are. If you trust the ruling party to tell you the truth, than you are not a teacher, or pensioner, or an immigrant, or a Ukrainian, or . . . .So, who exactly ARE you?

  4. Well, if the E.U. says it, it MUST be true! After all, this is an organization that has failed every single financial audit in the past 20 years, whose officials have been caught red-handed taking bribes from Qatar, and which has been waging a war of vendetta against Mr. Orban’s government for years. Not to mention that, when it comes to “leaks,” the E.U. has deliberately allowed its external border to be virtually nonexistent. Oh, and the German government has been at least as friendly toward Putin as Mr. Orban’s… – But ol’ Olaf is dancing to the right tune so his government is left alone. No “leaks” identified there! Seriously, these people must think we have potatoes growing out of our ears. It is so, so transparent what they’re doing!

  5. It is quite entertaining watching vassal states of the US that kick down peoples doors for mean tweets complain about foreign influence or “rule of law” whatever that means. There will soon be revolutions in the west, and hopefully all these rule of law types will be held to account

  6. It is HOPED whatever may have or did, possible continues on, that the European Union and NATO – the horrendous volatile uncertain and challenging times we ALL live in Hungary and throughout Europe, that there is a NEW dimensional GALVANIZATION relationship occur in the European Union & NATO.
    February 2020 on the arrival of the Noval Virus, has changed the Global world.
    Globally the world the cataclysmic impact of destruction that has occurred post February 2020, the world MEANDERS along, still distanced from readjusting to the impact effects of the post February 2020 arrival of the ongoing Virus.
    The Russian war on the Ukraine – is another SERIOUS “add on” – to the changing world post February 2020 – and FORCED again a dimensional direction change process to Europe & Globally from post February 2020.
    Europe & Globally – we are DISTANCE in time, returning to a STABLE world, that the core of country’s – there Economic & Financial positions – Trade & Currency, will again exhibit stability and sustainability.
    Country’s – in the complexities of there componentry need GROWTH, and history tells us, which never LIES, that without Stabilization in an economy, that is Sustaining its performance – you will NOT see GROWTH.
    Hungary – is without – stabilization, growth and has seen continues to function trending or collapsing rapidly downwards – in its Economics & Financial performance, with NO growth and NO investment.
    Hungary – the “Course” it is be driven, by its present Prime Minister – Victor Orban & his Government, the “DOGMA” of the WRONGFUL political ideas & philosophy of Victor Orban, that factually places Hungary, through its GROWING alignment relationship with Russia & China, in a position for its FUTURE, that is PERILOUS.
    Hungary – bought entirely to its current “Rubbery” position by the Orban “Creeds” – similar to that which the little Austrian corporal wrote imprisoned decades past, the Paths & Roads & Places – that Orban has taken Hungary wrongfully, not near the ZENITH of what possible is to come, has seen Hungary – isolated, removed pushed away and aside. disowned, disrespected and abandoned – not just by the European Union, NATO – but by the United Kingdom and this is of the GRAVEST concern – the ramifications that will come, by the “fall out” with the United States of America.
    Victor Orban – has continues to show his preferred colour being Red, that he has set Hungary, on a return, to be Governed under Communism, and removing DEMOCRACY from being practiced in Hungary.
    History – it NEVER Lies.
    Victor Orban, in August of 1989, stood at the microphone in Hero’s Square – and PONTIFICATED – to his fellow Hungarians – the rightful decision to cease COMMUNISTIC Governance of Hungary that had existed from 1945 through to 1989 – governed by Russia.
    Historically it is marked that the Berlin Wall – came down on the 9th November 1989.
    In the first half of 1989 – the Eastern bloc, had RENOUNCED its sole claim to power in Hungary & Poland.
    Orban – takes to the microphone – we must embrace DEMOCRACY – use to our advantage Freedom & Liberty – self Government under DEMOCRACY, for the way of the FUTURE for Hungary is to become a DEMOCRACY.
    Take time – YouTube and LISTEN to Orban – the Orban of 1989 and WHAT he has delivered our LIVES to live in, to Live with in 2023 in Hungary.
    Orban over the past 12 years has SHAPED & Moulded this return or TRANSFORMATION of Hungary – from a Democracy, that is propelling us back to be Ruled & Governed under Communism.
    History – never Lies, and through the Roads & Paths – direction we have been taken, by supporting WRONGFULLY in the millions as a country, being BLUFFED and Abused by Orban – that has FEED him, permitting, allowing or authorizing him to take Hungary into the ABYSS of a Future – that a return to be Ruled & Governed under Communism would take us.
    Those amongst us – fellow Hungarians, in our decreasing population of 9.5 million, that statistically over the term(s) – total years in office Victor Orban has been the Prime Minister of Hungary, that deaths of Hungarians outnumber babies being born – those amongst us, who THINK – we as a country can stand alone, aligned solely to Russia and China – Disillusioned.

  7. The degree of support any country gives to Russia is in direct proportion to how far that country has gone in becoming a dictatorship. All of Russia’s closest neighbours that support it the most are dictatorships. Russia ensures this because free democracies will not support Russia. Russia for years has been working to bring Hungary further along this path to support it by fostering dictatorial control in Hungary. You can judge a person or a country by the friends they keep.

  8. If Madam Gwendoline says, must be true, even without details, because the liberals are the sole friends of anyone around the world and everything they say is the most unconditional true.
    Unless you are a dictatorship’s supporter.

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