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Polish and Irish leaders have called the Hungarian government’s actions “repulsive” and “sinister”, after leaked audio appeared to capture its foreign minister telling Moscow he would try to amend the EU sanctions list to its liking.
On Tuesday – days before an election in which Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is facing the toughest battle of his 16 years in power – a joint media investigation published a report that it said was based on leaked phone calls between Péter Szijjártó and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
In one, Szijjártó is alleged to have told Lavrov: “I am always at your disposal.” In another, he appears to offer help with other EU sanctions that have affected Russia.
The report, published by The Insider, an independent Russian media outlet, along with four regional media organisations – VSquare, Delfi, FrontStory and the Investigative Center of Ján Kuciak – has added to the growing sense that Hungary is working from within the bloc to carry out Russia’s bidding.
It prompted strong criticism from several EU leaders. The prime minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, described the audio as “disheartening”, and a confirmation of the “deeply disturbing” relationship between Budapest and Moscow.
“What these recordings have revealed is more than just the political dependency of the Budapest government on Moscow; it has exposed just how unacceptable and bizarre this relationship truly is,” he said.
A foreign minister of an EU country, noted Tusk, was facing accusations of reporting to the Russian foreign minister and asking for patience as he carried out tasks seemingly in Russia’s interest: “One could hardly imagine anything more repulsive.”
Ireland’s prime minister, Micheál Martin, said the investigation had reportedly confirmed what many had long suspected. “I think it is a very sinister development,” he said. “The deferential tone in the conversation was alarming … It’s unacceptable.”
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that European ministers should work for Europe, not Russia.
Szijjártó did not deny that the calls with Lavrov had taken place. Instead, he said his conversations had been intercepted.
“It is a huge scandal … that foreign secret services were continuously wiretapping my phone calls and that these foreign secret services have now made these phone calls public one-and-a-half weeks before the Hungarian parliamentary election,” he said in a video posted to social media.
The leaked audio comes as Orbán and his Fidesz party – whose 16-year rule has been plagued with criticism for weakening democratic institutions, eroding media freedom and undermining the rule of law – are facing a tough battle ahead of elections on 12 April.
Most polls suggest that Orbán and Fidesz are trailing behind Péter Magyar, a former top member of Fidesz, and his opposition Tisza party.
The election is being watched far beyond Hungary, as the result could shake up the EU and rattle the global far-right movements across the globe.
In the EU, Orbán has remained close to Vladimir Putin after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has repeatedly blocked efforts by Brussels to present a united front in support of Ukraine, leading some critics to refer to him as Putin’s Trojan horse in the EU.
Last week it was alleged that Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, had routinely called Lavrov to pass on the details of confidential EU meetings.
After initially dismissing the allegation, Szijjártó later acknowledged that he had conferred with Lavrov before and after EU foreign minister meetings about their agenda and decisions, describing such conversations as “diplomacy”.
