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Hungarian spy story: did the former MEP really give confidential information to Russia?
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A Hungarian journalist says that, based on sources of the Constitution Protection Office, the intelligence operation stopped too early against former Jobbik MEP Béla Kovács. Otherwise, the ruling of the court could have been different.
According to hvg.hu, the court said that the Russian intelligence recruited and trained Béla Kovács. As we reported before, Béla Kovács is a former member of the European Parliament who got his mandate from Jobbik. He was accused of spying for Russia and budgetary fraud in 2014 but denied both. In 2017, Kovács told journalists in front of the prosecution headquarters that he would ask for the case to be concluded as quickly as possible. “If they think they have the appropriate quantity of evidence, then they should raise charges against me, and I would like to clear myself in court,” he said. “But if there is not enough evidence, then I would like to ask them to end the procedure…” he added.
- EP committee hears MEP Bela Kovacs to assess suspending immunity
- Vona to ‘make appropriate decision’ on Kovács if evidence comes to light
- Jobbik’s Kovács says in own interest to end spy, fraud cases soon – UPDATE
The Hungarian National Assembly modified the relevant criminal code at the beginning of 2014 and, after that, it became punishable if somebody does intelligence activity against the European Parliament, the European Committee, or the Council of the European Union. Sources who know Kovács’s case state that he provided information to the agents of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. In February 2014, he met a new agent in Szentendre, but
the Hungarian Constitution Protection Office already observed it.
