Hungary to declassify security report as PM claims Ukraine illegally funds opposition

Budapest, Hungary — Hungary’s popular prime minister says his government will declassify a national security report that proves his main political challenger received illegal financing from Ukraine, ministers said Thursday.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces the biggest political challenge of his career in next month’s elections, where he is lagging behind his center-right opponent Peter Magyar and his Tisza party in most polls.

As the April 12 vote approaches, Orban – who has cordial relations with the Kremlin – has relied heavily on an aggressive anti-Ukraine campaign that Kyiv, the European Union and Tisza accuse of being part of a conspiracy to oust his government and install decisions more favorable to Ukraine.

Orban has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine is financing Tisza without providing evidence for his allegations. In an interview with commercial broadcaster ATV last week, the nationalist leader said Tisza had been provided “significant” sums by Ukraine for the development of IT applications and voter mobilization efforts.

Magyar has denied the allegations.

Orbán said what he saw in the National Security Committee report were “not assumptions, but facts” and encouraged journalists to request that the report be declassified.

“I don’t think the state will withhold this information from you,” Orban said.

On Thursday, Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, told a news conference that “the declassification process is ongoing” and that the report “will be released in the foreseeable future.”

With just four weeks to the election and many voters disaffected by a chronically stagnant economy, crumbling social services and widespread allegations of corruption, Orban has staked out an existential vote for Hungary’s future.

The central message of Orbán’s pitch was that the new government would bankrupt Hungary by supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression and send Hungary’s youth to their deaths on the front lines. The campaign is full of misinformation and relies heavily on images and videos created by artificial intelligence.

Orban’s government has used public funds to blanket the country in billboards featuring an AI-manipulated image of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flashing a sinister smile. The headline reads: “We won’t let Zelensky have the last laugh!”

Meanwhile, Magyar, a 44-year-old lawyer and former insider of Orbán’s Fidesz party, warned of possible attempts by Russian intelligence services to influence the election outcome in Orbán’s favor.

Tisza’s party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Orbán’s government has strongly opposed EU financial and military aid to Ukraine and has vowed to veto any EU steps towards its accession to the bloc.

Hungary recently vetoed a new round of EU sanctions against Russia and blocked a major, 90-billion-euro ($104-billion) loan to Kyiv in retaliation for disruptions in Russian oil shipments across Ukraine.

Orban has deployed military forces to key energy infrastructure sites across Hungary, which Ukraine has accused of disrupting.

Last week, masked commandos with Hungary’s counterterrorism center arrested seven Ukrainian state bank employees and seized two armored vehicles carrying 40 million US dollars and 35 million euros and 9 kilograms (19.8 pounds) of gold.

The bank employees were deported to Ukraine after being detained for more than a day, but about $82 million worth of cash and gold remained in Hungary.

The move angered Ukraine, which said the transit from Austria to Ukraine via Hungary was part of regular services between state banks. Ukraine’s foreign minister accused Hungary of “state terrorism” and “hostage taking”.