Peter Szijjarto: A Smear Campaign Is Running Against Hungary

The fast-tracked accession of Ukraine would pose serious risks and cause damage to the European Union, and Hungary, as an immediate neighbor, is particularly exposed to these dangers, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on Tuesday. He also emphasized the importance of the consultative vote underway.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and Laszlo Horvath, MP of Fidesz (Photo: MTI/Janos Vajda)

Before a public forum held in Petervasara, northern Hungary, Peter Szijjarto stressed that the significance and stakes of the consultative vote Voks 2025 grow with each day. He appealed to people to participate in large numbers in the vote to collectively shape Hungary’s official stance on Ukraine’s accelerated EU membership.

Peter Szijjarto spoke about the dangers Ukraine's accession entails
Photo: MTI/Janos Vajda

Ukraine's Accession Carries Major Risks

Ukraine’s accession would bring enormous risks and damages to all of Europe, including Hungary, Peter Szijjarto stated, adding that being a direct neighbor, Hungary is especially exposed to economic and security threats. He highlighted that fast-tracked accession would open the EU labor market to Ukrainian workers, which could result in hundreds of thousands flooding neighboring Hungary, taking jobs from Hungarian citizens. In addition, accession could turn Hungary and the entire Central European region into a transit hub for the notorious Ukrainian mafia, he pointed out.

We want neither. We don't want to become exposed to economic or security risks,

the minister underscored. He criticized Ukraine for waging a "harsh smear campaign and propaganda war" against Hungary while seeking EU membership.

This is because Hungary is the only NATO member state that has not sent weapons to Ukraine, refuses to support the country with taxpayers’ money, and the government asked the Hungarian people’s opinion about Ukraine’s EU accession, he said.

The Ukrainians do not want the Hungarian people to voice their opinion on their EU membership, so a smear campaign is being waged against us, which – as you can see – is growing stronger with each day,

he said. He also noted that today in Brussels, hundreds of people are working to get Ukraine into the EU as quickly as possible, which raises serious questions about whose interests the European Commission actually represents – the member states' or someone else's.

And unfortunately, lately, the correct answer seems to be 'someone else's',

he added.

The most pressing issue now is to prevent Ukraine’s fast-tracked accession to the European Union, and for that, the will of the Hungarian people is essential. Hungarians can express that will during the consultative vote Voks 2025,

he stressed. In response to journalists’ questions, the minister said he has no information confirming that the individuals recently accused of espionage in Ukraine have any connection to Hungary. He said the smear campaign against Hungary is simply picking up new momentum as ballot papers for the consultative vote are being delivered to citizens.

He also noted that the sequence of events over the past week strongly suggests that there is a Ukrainian intelligence operation being conducted in collaboration with the Tisza Party against the Hungarian government.

If you look at the chronology of the past, say, five days, I think you’d have to be very naive to believe in such a series of fatal coincidences. I do not believe in such coincidences,

he said. He also noted that Hungary's defense council reviewed the situation and confirmed that every effort will be made to counter the operations  operations executed with the involvement of the Ukrainian state and its instruments.

We will do everything in our power to ensure this propaganda war and smear campaign against Hungary fails,

he underlined.

Cover photo: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto and Laszlo Horvath, MP of Fidesz (Photo: MTI)