Leftist DK demands information on reports of Israeli spy software used in Hungary

The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) has asked the government in writing about press reports suggesting that an Israeli spy software had been used in Hungary to collect information on opposition politicians and journalists.

As we wrote before, an Israeli cyberweapon was used to hack the phones of over 300 Hungarian targets, among whom were journalists and critical voices of the Orbán government, details HERE.

“We want to know whom the government had wiretapped illegally,” Ágnes Vadai, DK’s deputy leader, asked at a press conference on Monday.

Vadai, who is also deputy head of parliament’s defence and law enforcement committee, has proposed that the committee should hear Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Justice Minister Judit Varga, as well as Sándor Pintér, the interior minister.

Vadai said that the software, developed to monitor the activities of criminals and terrorists, was only available to governments upon approval by the Israeli defence ministry.

“It follows that the Hungarian government has used state agencies for illegal surveillance,” she said.

Ruling Fidesz’s parliamentary group said in a statement that

convening a committee hearing was “not justified” because Hungary’s national security agencies “fully abide by the law”.

János Halász, the deputy head of the national security committee, delegated by Fidesz, said that “the reports published in the leftist press are unfounded and aimed solely at stirring up political sentiments”.

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