BRUSSELS – An internal European Commission document has, for the first time, confirmed that Hungarian intelligence officers operated from Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the European Union in Brussels between 2013 and 2016, according to a report by Politico.
The findings stem from an internal investigation led by European Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud and Public Administration, Piotr Serafin. The inquiry concluded that Hungary’s intelligence services deployed several officers to its permanent mission in Brussels, where they allegedly used diplomatic cover to gather information from EU institutions.
According to the Commission’s report, the officers’ activities were initially discreet but became increasingly visible over time.
“The activities of these intelligence officers in Brussels were initially discreet, but from 2015 onwards became significantly more overt,” the document states.
The report says the Hungarian intelligence officers sought to establish contact with European Commission officials of Hungarian origin in an effort to obtain detailed information on the Commission’s internal work, particularly on issues of strategic interest to the government in Budapest.
Although formally assigned to Hungary’s diplomatic mission, the officers allegedly used their official positions to carry out activities that, according to the Commission, “went beyond the normal duties of diplomats serving in permanent representations.”
Despite confirming the intelligence operation, the investigation did not establish individual political or diplomatic responsibility. The Commission said that, based on the evidence available and the limited investigative powers at its disposal, it was unable to determine the accountability of officials beyond the intelligence officers directly involved.
The document also states that the Commission has “no information” indicating that the case resulted in any major security breaches within EU institutions.
The revelations have drawn renewed attention in Brussels because, during part of the period covered by the investigation, Hungary’s Permanent Representation to the EU was headed by Olivér Várhelyi, who now serves as a European Commissioner. Várhelyi has previously rejected claims that he was aware of the intelligence activities allegedly conducted from the mission.
The publication of the internal report is expected to reignite debate over the increasingly strained relationship between Budapest and Brussels, while raising fresh questions about political accountability for intelligence operations allegedly carried out from within the diplomatic structures of an EU member state.
Separately, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar previously stated that the European Commission had agreed to make a significant portion of previously withheld EU funding available to Hungary, including approximately €10 billion from EU cohesion funds.
