Péter Mátyás, leader of the Hungarian opposition party Tisza, has alleged that the ruling Fidesz party, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is set to launch a disinformation campaign in collaboration with Russian political consultants. This initiative is expected to focus on social media platforms, particularly TikTok.
Mátyás’s claims follow investigative reports indicating that a group of Russian political strategists has been dispatched to Hungary, operating from the Russian embassy in Budapest. Their objective is to conduct a disinformation campaign aimed at interfering in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
According to Mátyás, Fidesz has prepared 14 discrediting videos, allegedly created using artificial intelligence, targeting Tisza candidates and their families. These videos are expected to be disseminated through fake social media profiles, with the owners compensated with substantial sums in Hungarian forints.
Mátyás has called on Orbán to halt the planned disinformation efforts and expel the Russian agents from Hungary. He stated, “I urge Viktor Orbán to immediately stop the planned series of electoral fraud and expel Russian agents from Hungary. I declare that after April 12, all those involved in these crimes will face justice.”
Previously, Mátyás had reached out to Russia, urging it to refrain from any interference in Hungary’s parliamentary elections while promising balanced relations with Moscow.
Péter Mátyás has accused the ruling Fidesz party of preparing a disinformation campaign in collaboration with Russian political consultants ahead of Hungary's parliamentary elections. He has called for an immediate halt to these efforts and the expulsion of Russian agents from the country.