Hungary FM: Escalating Ukrainian Espionage Activity Seen in Hungary

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev assessed the informal summit held in Budapest at a press conference. In response to journalists' questions, Hungary's foreign minister also addressed the Ukrainian espionage and intelligence activities observed in Hungary.

Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: Arpad Kurucz) Fotó: Arpad Kurucz

As Magyar Nemzet reported earlier, on May 20–21 Budapest hosted the informal summit of the Organization of Turkic States with the theme Meeting Point of East and West. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto highlighted the importance of the summit at a press conference.

 Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)

The Organization of Turkic States has become an increasingly significant player in the political and economic relations of Central Asia and Eurasia, with Hungary’s role growing within the organization. Peter Szijjarto noted that,

this was the first time the summit was held within the territory of the European Union, in a member state with observer status. Hungary has been an observer in the Organization of Turkic States for seven years. Since then, the world has changed hugely, and these changes have only increased the relevance of the organization and Hungary's successful cooperation with the Turkic states. The organization’s European headquarters is located in Budapest, and on this day, member states confirmed the appointment of former Istanbul Consul General Balazs Hendrich as the director general of the European center.

We Are Living in an Age of Dangers

"It’s no exaggeration to say that we are living in an age of dangers. Europe is facing serious challenges in terms of security, the economy, and energy supply," he said.

Hungary has benefited greatly from its cooperation with the Turkic states in recent years, and this partnership helps us better address the challenges currently affecting Europe,

the minister said.

I would like to talk briefly about these three themes: economy, energy supply and security.

Despite global economic challenges, the Turkic states have grown stronger economically. Their GDP has increased by 20 percent in recent years, and trade among member states has grown by 50 percent. Hungary has doubled its trade with Turkic countries, and major infrastructure developments in the region are expected to shorten shipping times between Europe and China by about one week.

Hungary has taken advantage of the region’s continued economic growth. The largest railway construction firms of Turkiye and Hungary have formed a strategic alliance. Hungarian pharmaceutical companies will soon begin local production in Azerbaijan. A new airline route between Hungary and Kazakhstan will launch next week. In Uzbekistan, an industrial park specifically for Hungarian companies has been established, and in Kyrgyzstan, we are building a hydroelectric power plant in the framework of a Hungarian-Kyrgyz joint venture. Without any exaggeration, I can say that Hungary’s energy supply would not be secure without the Turkic states,

Peter Szijjarto said, adding that "this is not a political matter, but a physical one. We understand and see the unrealistic efforts to politicize the energy supply issue, but as long as homes cannot be heated with press briefings, it's clearly an absurd idea. The issue of energy supply is a physical one."

Currently, Hungary's natural gas supply is almost entirely dependent on transit through Turkiye. Without the TurkStream pipeline, Hungary would not be able to receive gas, since Ukraine shut down the pipeline that previously delivered gas from the East into Central Europe.

Peter Szijjarto pointed out.

In Azerbaijan, Hungarian energy companies have acquired ownership stakes in local oil and gas fields. This gives Hungary not only the role of buyer but also seller on international markets—a significant shift in positioning. In Kazakhstan, the Hungarian oil and gas company MOL has begun gas extraction for the first time in the country’s history. Both Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan plan to build nuclear power plants, and they intend to use technologies related to the Hungarian nuclear industry in these projects.

The region represented by the Organization of Turkic States has become the third most important oil and gas resource globally. Hungary’s good cooperation with these countries is therefore of enormous importance for our energy supply.  Finally, I would like to bring in the issue of security. The Organization of Turkic States is a true peace organization. The Organization of Turkic States is a true champion of peace. And before you call this a cheap political propaganda, I would like to tell you that regarding the three armed conflicts, security crises, which are currently seriously threatening global security, the Turkic states are the best placed to offer a solution

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto praised Turkiye’s successful mediation regarding the war at Hungary's neighbor. Not only because the Black Sea grain deal years ago was the first agreement between two warring parties, but also because last week in Istanbul, after three years, direct Russian-Ukrainian contacts resumed.  Similarly, an agreement was reached on the text of the peace agreement regarding the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They were able to finalize the text of the peace agreement, proving that there is a chance that countries that have been at war and hostile to each other for many years can agree on peace," the minister said. He also noted:

Today, a declaration was adopted that gives hope that, with the key involvement of Turkic countries, Afghanistan can be stabilized, removing a major source of global terrorist threats. The Turkic states have made significant and successful efforts for global security, and Hungary, through its pro-peace policy, intends to support these efforts. The Organization of Turkic States is a successful organization in every sense. Hungary has benefited greatly from our cooperation so far, and for the sake of our national success, we are interested in deepening these ties. The good news is that all member states of the Organization of Turkic States share this interest.

At Wednesday’s press briefing, Kubanychbek Omuraliev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States, emphasized that cooperation has been formalized cooperation, which includes a full roadmap for regional economic integration, enhanced trade, promotion of deepened customs procedures, modern infrastructure development along the  so-called Middle Corridor, and routes crossing the Caspian region.

This cooperation places a strong emphasis on digital transformation, critical raw materials, joint research and innovation. Environmental sustainability remains central to our efforts,

the secretary general of the Organization of Turkic States.

He also announced that Uzbekistan’s application to join the cultural heritage foundations has been approved, describing it as a milestone in strengthening cultural ties and preserving the rich, diverse heritage of the Turkic world. Additionally, the Council of Foreign Ministers confirmed the appointment of the director general of the Budapest regional office, which will play a vital role in coordination and in strengthening ties with European partners.

We adopted a declaration on Afghanistan as well. This is in line with the Turkic states’ efforts help Afghanistan and their commitment to regional peace, stability, and humanitarian support,

he underlined.

The overarching theme of the informal summit was the meeting of East and West, a topic that was central to all discussions.

Every member of the Organization of Turkic States is in a unique position to act as a bridge between civilizations. In today’s fast-changing geopolitical climate, this is more important than ever,

said Kubanychbek Omuraliev.

The Budapest summit reaffirmed unity and solidarity among member states and observers, and provided an opportunity to outline the next steps, he said, underlining that:

We remain committed to peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the region and the world. We are determined and committed to contributing to a more connected, balanced, and fairer world through our cooperation.

Anti-Hungarian Actions by Ukraine

Responding to journalists' questions at the pres briefing, the Hungarian minister of foreign affairs and trade addressed Ukraine:

 Recently, we have seen increasingly active Ukrainian intelligence operations and espionage in Hungary. This has come alongside an increasingly aggressive anti-Hungarian and anti-Hungary propaganda campaign by Ukraine—within Ukraine, in Hungary, and internationally.

“Naturally, using our own tools, we are taking action against both the anti-Hungarian propaganda and the espionage and intelligence operations we are observing in Hungary. We will protect Hungary’s sovereignty and Hungary’s honor," Peter Szijjarto added.

The disgraceful social media post by a Ukrainian man who the leader of the Tisza Party called his brother is part of thee espionage and secret service activities. It is a threat and should be treated seriously. It's a shame that the Tisza Party, a member of the European People's Party, and its president are working closely with such a man,

the minister stressed.
Regarding Hungary’s transparency bill, Peter Szijjarto said that members of the European Parliament should not be concerned about this law, but rather about the serious attempts at foreign interference in the internal affairs of an EU member state.

There have been serious attempts to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs in recent times. We will not tolerate actions that violate our sovereignty—foreign-funded operations or foreign-backed individuals trying to influence Hungarian public opinion, voters' will, or even the outcome of elections. Such external interference also occurred during the 2022 parliamentary elections, and it is clear that those who intervened then have begun to mobilize again, and clearly want to discredit the Hungarian people's opinion on Ukraine's EU accession, and clearly want to influence the Hungarian voters' will in the next elections,

he stated.

“I want to reassure everyone: we will protect our sovereignty. We will pass the transparency law and stop foreign-funded agents and organizations from influencing Hungarian public opinion or the voters' will.  There is a simple reason why my signature was not on this proposal yesterday, as unfortunately I was unable to attend the parliamentary group meeting, but I hope it has been done since then, because I issued the necessary instructions. On Monday, my signature was a little late, but please don’t let that mislead you,” Peter Szijjarto said.

We Are Ready to Cooperate

Commenting on the Romanian presidential election, Peter Szijjarto commented said:

It’s no secret that Bela Marko [former president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania] does not sympathize with the Hungarian government. His significant opposition to our government has been widely known for quite some time. So, his statements should be interpreted in this context. I believe we made the right decision by not interfering in Romania’s electoral process. We correctly expressed our readiness to cooperate with the winner for the sake of good neighborly relations and the Hungarian communities in Transylvania and Szeklerland. I would simply ask every highly respected expert: Should we have declared that we are unwilling to cooperate with Romania depending on the election result?

The minister posed the question: Would that really have benefited our bilateral relations? Would it serve the interests of Hungarian minority communities if Hungary and the country in question were unwilling or unable to cooperate?

I believe this situation is absolutely clear. We made the right decision by staying out of the election process, and we also made the right decision in expressing our willingness to work with the winner for the sake of good neighborly relations and the local Hungarian community. We congratulate the winner and are ready to work together,

Peter Szijjarto stated.

"Our national policy pursued over the past fifteen years has clearly shown where we stand when it comes to Hungarians living beyond the borders, what we think of their support them, and what think of the nation. These fifteen years have also revealed the stance of the political left—how it constantly stirs up resentment against Hungarians living beyond the borders, refused to grant dual citizenship, and wanted to prevent them from voicing their opinions in parliamentary elections about Hungary’s future,” he added.

Addressing the decision to convene the Hungarian parliament's national security committee, the minister said it was fully justified and necessary, underlining that: 

A foreign state is conducting increasingly active intelligence and espionage operations on Hungarian territory. These activities must be uncovered down to the last detail. Anyone involved in this must either be expelled or prosecuted. We must ensure that such intelligence operations do not threaten Hungary’s sovereignty. It must be made clear that anyone who participates in actions that go against Hungary’s sovereignty and interests will face the severest consequences.

Cover photo: Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto (Photo: Arpad Kurucz)