- Stay updated on the latest news from Hungary by signing up for the free InsightHungary newsletter.
Russian intelligence targets Hungary’s main opposition leader
A statement appeared on the Hungarian State News Agency's MTI site about a statement by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) echoing Fidesz's main accusations against Hungary's leading opposition figure, Péter Magyar.
The content and language of the statement are reminiscent of Soviet times, and this is reflected in MTI's translation:
"According to the SVR, Brussels was angered by Hungary's attempts to influence collective decision-making, primarily concerning Russia and Ukraine. The final straw for the European bureaucracy was Hungary's decision to block the European Union's new draft budget. The Russian intelligence service claims that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, seriously considered scenarios for a "regime change" in Hungary," the statement reads. "The European Commission views the current Hungarian leadership as an increasingly serious obstacle to a united Europe." The SVR believes that the President of the European Commission considers Magyar, leader of the Tisza Party, to be the most likely candidate for the post of prime minister, and that significant financial, administrative, media, and lobbying resources have already been mobilized to support him. According to the service, "German party funds, several Norwegian human rights NGOs, and the European People's Party are ready to provide the means to do so. "
The last paragraph of the SVR's post says: "According to the SVR, Kiev has actively joined the campaign to 'bring down' the Hungarian government because it is blocking Ukraine's European integration process. According to the authors of the document, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's regime is destabilizing the situation in Hungary by exploiting the potential of the Ukrainian secret services and the diaspora living in Hungary."
According to a new US human rights report, there are no issues with Hungary's Sovereignty Protection Office
The United States' new human rights report has been significantly pared down: entire sections have been removed compared to previous years, such as government corruption and LGBTQ+ issues, according to the BBC.
According to the US State Department, the report was revised to "remove unnecessary sections and increase readability." "There have been no significant changes in the human rights situation in Hungary during the year. No credible reports of significant human rights abuses have been received. The government has taken credible steps to identify and sanction officials who have committed human rights abuses and has identified areas where improvement is needed," according to the section on Hungary.
The chapter on freedom of the press, which, according to the report, is guaranteed in Hungary, also mentions the establishment of the Office for the Protection of Sovereignty without mentioning any concerns.
According to the report, the agency "targeted organizations associated with foreign actors with the help of law enforcement agencies." They also mention last year's investigation by the Sovereignty Protection Agency against Átlátszó and Transparency International. In this regard, they write that the report produced at the end of the investigation concluded that "Átlátszó accepted foreign funding and participated in activities aimed at influencing state and social decision-making processes, and was part of an international network representing the interests of financiers, causing significant political, economic, and social damage to the country."
Hungary’s healthcare crisis leaves millions without immediate urgent care access
Three-quarters of Hungary’s population, more than seven million people, live more than a 15-minute drive from a hospital equipped with all the main services needed for active inpatient care, according to investigative outlet Átlátszó. Out of 155 hospitals currently operating in the country, only 44 have internal medicine, surgical, obstetrics, and emergency departments. The number of hospitals in Hungary has fallen from 175 in 2010 to 155 in 2024.
Opposition leader Péter Magyar has condemned the state of the country’s healthcare system, accusing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government of “systematically underfunding and dismantling public healthcare.” He pointed to the abolition of the health ministry shortly after Fidesz returned to power in 2010 as part of this decline.