The Hungarian government has swiftly refuted claims from The Washington Post regarding a purported plot by Russian intelligence to stage an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Officials in Budapest labeled the report as entirely false and accused it of being part of a pro-Ukrainian propaganda campaign.
In a statement, the Hungarian government asserted, “The information from The Washington Post is completely untrue and serves as pro-Ukrainian propaganda. It is also a fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly threatened to kill the Prime Minister during the election campaign.” This response was part of a broader effort to counter the narrative presented by the American publication.
Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, a staunch ally of Orbán, criticized the article, alleging that both Ukraine and the Hungarian opposition were inflating concerns about potential terrorist acts. He accused the opposition party, Tisza, and its backers of fabricating “crazy conspiracy theories.” Szijjártó suggested that the claims of a Russian connection to the alleged assassination attempt were an attempt to destabilize the country ahead of the upcoming elections.
On March 21, The Washington Post reported that Russian foreign intelligence had devised a plan to simulate an attack on Orbán, aiming to alter the trajectory of an election campaign that Orbán was predicted to lose.
The Kremlin responded to the allegations with indignation, with spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissing the report as “disinformation.” However, given the context of Orbán’s campaign reportedly receiving support from the Kremlin, many found the Russian denial unconvincing.
Adding to the political tension, Péter Madyar, leader of the Hungarian opposition party Tisza, publicly accused Orbán of inviting Russian GRU agents to Hungary to interfere in the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 12. Madyar is calling for the immediate expulsion of Russian agents from the country.
The Hungarian government has denied claims of a Russian plot against Prime Minister Orbán, labeling the allegations as false and politically motivated. This development occurs amid escalating tensions between Hungary and Ukraine, as opposition leaders call for action against perceived Russian interference in upcoming elections.
Source: The Washington Post