“That’s when they took all the material they had on me, edited it, spun it around, and released it as a type of kompromat,” Panyi remarked, referencing the Russian term for compromising material.
Szijjártó has admitted to speaking with Russian counterparts before and after EU meetings, as reported by The Washington Post, revealing that he shared reports with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on what was discussed and proposed during EU meetings.
On Thursday, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás announced that the government had filed a criminal complaint against Panyi, accusing him of espionage and collusion with Ukrainian intelligence services. The complaint claims he shared sensitive information about Szijjártó but lacks specific details or evidence. Prosecutors must now decide whether to open an investigation.
Orbán and Szijjártó have maintained a close relationship with the Kremlin, including several visits to meet with high-ranking officials in Moscow, even after the EU ostracized Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This has continued to strain relations between Budapest and Kyiv, which remains resistant to Russian aggression.
‘Betrayed’
Panyi noted that it was an “open secret” among European security services that communication between Szijjártó and Lavrov was routine. He stated that these communications were monitored by multiple intelligence agencies, yet EU governments took no action.
“I kind of feel betrayed. I’ve always felt betrayed by the EU … how they let Orbán build his own small Russia,” he expressed. But this time “they had evidence that something almost criminal was taking place and they didn’t act. As a Hungarian journalist and citizen, my mission was to make it public.” The European Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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