MEP Kovacs Rejects Espionage Charges

(MTI) – Jobbik MEP Bela Kovacs on Monday repeatedly said that he had not worked for any domestic or foreign secret services and had not got any assignment or remuneration from any of them.

Giving a press conference in Budapest, he called it evident that as a member of the joint committee of the EP and the Russian Parliament he had met Russian citizens, officials and diplomats.

“It is possible that beside their work they carried out other missions, too, but I had no information about that.”

Kovacs said that as an MEP he had no access to any secret or classified documents.

He said his efforts were aimed at maintaining smooth EU-Russia relations, which coincided with Hungary’s interests as well.

Kovacs was accused of spying for Russia against the European Union in an article in daily Magyar Nemzet in mid-May. The paper said the Constitution Protection Office had filed a case against him for regularly conspiring with Russian diplomats and travelling to Moscow on a monthly basis. Kovacs is married to a Russian-Austrian dual citizen, who is ex-KGB, the paper said.