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Von der Leyen will address the espionage suspicions by Budapest with her Hungarian commissioner

by AI | 10.Oct 2025 | Europe in brief AI

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will address the espionage accusations within EU institutions, made against Budapest, directly with her Hungarian Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

The European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Oliver Varhelyi, arrives at a meeting of the College of Commissioners at the EU headquarters in Brussels on June 4, 2025. (Photo: Nicolas TUCAT / AFP)

Brussels – An exchange between the President of the Commission and the Hungarian Commissioner regarding the espionage suspicions towards Budapest will take place “as soon as possible,” said the spokesperson for the European executive, Paula Pinho, during a press conference on Friday.

According to an investigation published by several European media, Viktor Orban’s Hungary attempted to exert pressure on its nationals working within European institutions to organize espionage operations between 2012 and 2018.

Budapest has rejected these claims, seeing them as a “smear campaign.”

Oliver Varhelyi’s role is particularly scrutinized in this matter. And for good reason: this official was leading the Hungarian representation in Brussels at the time of the events.

The European executive had already announced on Thursday that an “internal group” would be set up to “examine” these allegations.

The NGO Transparency International has, however, called on the European Parliament to conduct its own investigation. (October 10, 2025)