Overview
- Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said the president intends to raise the allegations directly with Olivér Várhelyi at the earliest opportunity.
- The European Commission has formed an internal group to examine the reporting on alleged Hungarian intelligence activity targeting EU staff.
- Investigations by Der Spiegel, De Tijd and Direkt36 say Hungary’s foreign intelligence service built a Brussels network circa 2012–2018, with recruiters active in 2015–2017 including an agent posing as a diplomat linked to Várhelyi’s mission.
- A spokesperson for Várhelyi has denied wrongdoing, and the Commission noted the allegations were not flagged during his prior security vetting.
- Members of the European Parliament and Transparency International are urging independent scrutiny, while the media claims have not been confirmed by judicial or independent authorities.