Hungary’s Foreign Minister Anita Orbán has revealed in an interview with Austria’s leading daily Der Standard that “quite a lot” of documents were shredded at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade before the new government took office.
Austrian interview touches on shredded files, Ukraine and energy dependence
Orbán gave a joint interview with Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger during her recent visit to Vienna, where the two ministers discussed regional cooperation, Hungary’s relations with the European Union, migration, Ukraine and energy security.
The Austrian newspaper noted that the two ministers appeared to have a constructive working relationship, while also highlighting that Hungary’s new government is attempting to rebuild international partnerships that had deteriorated in recent years.
One of the most striking moments of the interview came when Der Standard asked Orbán about reports that large quantities of documents had been destroyed at Hungary’s foreign ministry after the election but before the formal transfer of power. Her response was brief but unequivocal:
“Yes, quite a lot of things were shredded.”
The minister did not elaborate further on what types of documents were involved or whether any investigation is planned.
Vienna praises Hungary’s reform efforts
The interview also focused on Hungary’s efforts to unlock frozen EU funds. Meinl-Reisinger praised the pace of reforms being introduced by the new Hungarian government, describing the process as taking place at an “incredible speed.” She stressed that Hungary is an important partner within the European Union and underlined the significance of strengthening the rule of law.
According to Anita Orbán, Budapest faces a demanding deadline of 31 August to complete a package of reforms required for the release of suspended EU funding. She highlighted measures including the planned abolition of the Sovereignty Protection Office, new anti-corruption initiatives and Hungary’s application to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
New government seeks closer cooperation on migration
Migration was another key topic during the discussion. Orbán stated that Hungary continues to oppose illegal migration and intends to maintain strong border protection measures. However, she argued that the new government’s approach differs significantly from that of its predecessor.
“The big difference compared to the previous government is that we want to cooperate with our partners,” she said.
The Austrian foreign minister emphasised that migration remains a shared European challenge requiring common solutions, while also expressing hope that internal border controls within the EU can eventually be reduced.
Rebuilding regional partnerships
Orbán also outlined plans to revitalise regional cooperation, particularly within the Visegrád Group (V4), which brings together Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She confirmed that the Hungarian government intends to inject “new energy” into the alliance and pointed to an upcoming meeting of the four prime ministers as part of that effort.
Austria has recently emerged as one of Budapest’s closest diplomatic partners in the region. During her visit to Vienna, Anita Orbán and Beate Meinl-Reisinger discussed preparations for future regional initiatives and a new phase in Hungarian-Austrian relations.
Russian energy dependence remains a challenge
The ministers also addressed Hungary’s long-standing dependence on Russian energy.
Anita Orbán acknowledged that the new government inherited significant structural dependencies, including Russian nuclear technology at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and major oil and gas supply contracts.
She said the government is currently assessing these dependencies while remaining committed to ensuring secure and affordable energy supplies.
Meinl-Reisinger argued that Europe has learned the risks of relying too heavily on a single supplier and called for greater investment in domestic and diversified energy sources.
Hungary changes course on Ukraine
On Ukraine, Orbán said her government has already launched negotiations aimed at improving the situation of the Hungarian minority in Transcarpathia and claimed progress had been made on issues such as education and public administration rights.
She also confirmed that Hungary has lifted the veto that had previously blocked progress in Ukraine’s EU accession process. The Austrian minister went further, arguing that the previous Hungarian government had used minority rights concerns primarily as a political tool to obstruct Ukraine’s European integration rather than genuinely addressing the issue.
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Direct communication and disinformation
The interview concluded with a discussion about disinformation and political communication. Anita Orbán pointed to Prime Minister Péter Magyar’s nationwide campaign tour, saying direct contact with voters had been essential because of limited access to state media before the election.
Meinl-Reisinger described the fight against disinformation as one of Europe’s major political challenges and suggested Hungary’s recent experiences could contribute to European efforts to counter it.
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