FM Szijjarto said the fact a Hungarian journalist personally facilitated the transfer of his phone number to foreign intelligence services—and that this may have enabled a surveillance operation—clearly indicates an organized, foreign-directed attempt to interfere in Hungary’s internal affairs.
Mr. Szijjarto described it as particularly alarming that the journalist in question, Szabolcs Panyi, is linked to the innermost circles of the Tisza Party and has even suggested he could have influence over future personnel decisions at Hungary's foreign ministry. As he put it:
Just think about what kind of sovereign policy it would be if a journalist who cooperates with foreign intelligence services has a say in the staffing of the foreign ministry.
According to Peter Szijjarto, the developments raise serious questions about Hungary’s sovereignty and also prompt the question of whose will a potential new government structure would serve in such a situation.
The foreign minister also pointed out that
it's now beyond doubt that Brussels is also an active participant in this interference attempt.
Peter Szijjarto also explained whom he speaks with and why. He said that when decisions are made within the European Union that may affect Hungary’s relations with countries outside the bloc, consultations with those countries are necessary.
As Magyar Nemzet previously highlighted, an audio recording has been made public revealing that Szabolcs Panyi, a journalist for Direkt36 and VSquare, is in contact with foreign intelligence services and provided the foreign minister’s phone number to the intelligence service of an EU member state, thereby enabling the monitoring of the Hungarian foreign minister’s phone conversations.
In the leaked recording, the interlocutor also asks Mr. Panyi which specific country he is in contact with and to which he provided the phone numbers, but the journalist responds only: “I cannot say that.” He then asked his conversation partner not to tell anyone about it.
Mr. Panyi also said that he is not only a friend of Anita Orban, but also works with the Tisza politician. He claimed that he is currently assisting her with professional matters and had previously been part of her campaign team. Mr. Panyi continued describing his relationship with Anita Orban: “It’s a dark secret in my life that few people know about me, so you can’t pass this on. Anita was a Fidesz parliamentary candidate in 2010, then she withdrew. She was taken down in the internal fights of the District XI Fidesz ‘viper’s nest.’ But Anita had a campaign team that I was also part of, in early 2009–2010.” According to Mr. Panyi,
he remains on good terms with the Tisza politician and continues to help her “with certain things in professional matters."
The journalist, who is financed from abroad, acknowledged on his social media on Monday that it is indeed him speaking in the audio recording with one of his sources.
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