Fidesz accuses rival Tisza Party of being involved with Ukrainian secret services

It has become clear that the opposition Tisza Party is “colluding” with the Ukrainian secret services and that they are involved in a joint campaign to discredit Hungary, the communications director of ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats said on Saturday.

Tamás Menczer said in a video message on Facebook that Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi, Tisza’s defence expert who was formerly Hungary’s chief of staff, had admitted earlier to having important Ukrainian connections, including “Ukrainian leaders’ phone numbers”, which he was ready to use if he needed to.

Menczer cited a report released by the Hungarian Armed Forces on Thursday saying that Ruszin-Szendi had praised Ukraine at NATO meetings. “He represented Ukraine, not Hungary,” Menczer said. “That is why [Prime Minister] Viktor Orban sacked him.”

He also said that on the same day, Tisza leader Péter Magyar had “attacked Hungary’s military upgrade” and wanted to weaken Hungary. “And then after all this, on Friday, the Ukrainian secret services launched a campaign to discredit Hungary,” the communications director said.

“It’s unfathomable and unacceptable that Peter Magyar is attacking Hungary together with the Ukrainian secret services,” Menczer said. “This is unprecedented,” he said, adding that this was the first time since the change of regime that “a Hungarian party leader launches an attack on Hungary with a foreign secret service”.

Menczer vowed that the government would defend Hungary against any attack. “The Hungarian authorities have thrown the Ukrainian spies out of the country,” he added.

Read more about Ukraine-Hungary relations HERE. Read more about the Tisza Party HERE.

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