BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� Hungary’s government will declassify a national security report that the populist prime minister says will prove his main political challenger received illegal financing from Ukraine, a minister said Thursday.
Prime Minister faces the biggest political challenge of his career in next month’s elections, where he is trailing in most polls behind his center-right opponent, .
As the April 12 vote approaches, Orb谩n 鈥� who maintains cordial relations with the Kremlin 鈥� has relied increasingly on an that alleges Kyiv, the European Union and Tisza are part of a conspiracy to oust his government and install one that makes decisions more favorable to Ukraine.
Orb谩n has that Ukraine is financing Tisza, without providing evidence for his accusations. In an interview on commercial broadcaster ATV last week, the nationalist leader said 鈥渟ignificant鈥� sums had been provided to Tisza by Ukraine for the development of IT applications and voter mobilization efforts.
Magyar denies the allegations.
Orb谩n added that his claims were 鈥渘ot assumptions, but facts鈥� he had seen in a national security committee report, and encouraged journalists to request the report be declassified.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think the state would withhold this information from you,鈥� Orb谩n said.
On Thursday, Orb谩n’s chief of staff, Gergely Guly谩s, told a news conference that 鈥渢he declassification process is underway,鈥� and that the report would be released 鈥漣n the foreseeable future.鈥�
Anti-Ukraine campaign
With only four weeks until the election and many voters dissatisfied with a chronically , crumbling social services and widespread allegations of corruption, Orb谩n has cast the stakes of the vote as existential for Hungary’s future.
The central message of Orb谩n’s pitch is that a new government would bankrupt Hungary by supporting Ukraine against , and send Hungary’s youth to their deaths on the front lines. The campaign, replete with disinformation, has relied heavily on pictures and videos generated by artificial intelligence.
Orb谩n鈥檚 government has also used public funds to cover the country in billboards featuring an AI-manipulated image of Ukrainian President Voldodymyr Zelenskyy flashing a sinister smile. The caption reads: 鈥淲e won鈥檛 let Zelenskyy have the last laugh!鈥�
Meanwhile Magyar, a 44-year-old lawyer and a former insider within Orb谩n’s Fidesz party, has warned of possible efforts by Russian intelligence services to influence the election outcome in Orb谩n’s favor.
The Tisza party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Orb谩n’s government has strongly opposed EU financial and military aid for Ukraine, and vowed that it would toward its accession into the bloc.
Hungary recently vetoed a new round of EU sanctions against Russia and for Kyiv in retaliation for an interruption in Russian oil shipments across Ukraine.
Orb谩n has also to key energy infrastructure sites across Hungary, accusing Ukraine of plotting disruptions.
Last week, masked commandos with Hungary’s Counter Terrorism Center and impounded two armored vehicles that were carrying 40 million U.S. dollars as well as 35 million euros and 9 kilograms (19.8 pounds) of gold.
The bank employees were deported to Ukraine after more than a day in detention, but the money and gold, worth some $82 million, stayed in Hungary.
The action outraged Ukraine, which said the shipment traveling from Austria to Ukraine across Hungary was part of regular services between state banks. Ukraine’s foreign minister accused Hungary of 鈥渟tate terrorism鈥� and 鈥渢aking hostages.鈥�
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