Summary
Highlights
Allegations surfaced, particularly from the Washington Post, that Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto leaked classified EU council meeting documents to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and also sought Russian interference in Slovakian elections. Further phone calls were leaked indicating he was lobbying to lift sanctions on Russian oligarchs. Szijjarto dismissed these as 'fake news' but then claimed consulting non-EU countries is part of his job, ironically after years of complaining about Brussels interfering in EU elections. The journalist who uncovered this is now charged with treason and spying for Ukraine. There were also allegations of a Russian plan to stage a fake assassination attempt on Orban for political gain.
Since Peter Magyar entered the political scene, Fidesz has relentlessly slandered him, accusing him of being a Ukrainian puppet, a fake cell, and even having an affair. The party has been trying to delegitimize Magyar and his TISZA party.
An article by Harmon exposed Fidesz's attempts to 'Watergate' their opposition by trying to groom two IT professionals within TISZA to sabotage their systems. When they refused, a house search was ordered against them, accusing them of possessing child pornography. Hungarian secret services searched for this 'alleged kitty-diddling material' on the party's servers, but found nothing. The chief detective, Ben Szabo, came out publicly about Fidesz's misuse of secret services, leading to a retaliatory house search against him.
As the situation worsened, top Fidesz members reportedly began to flee the country. The former governor of Hungary's national bank, Gyorgy Matolcsy, was caught secretly shipping his wealth to Dubai. He was also accused of spending exorbitant amounts on personal renovations, such as 77,000 euros on a bathroom and allegedly purchasing 71 golden toilet brushes, all while regular Hungarians struggled. Orban's children also left to study in the US, a country with high tuition fees.
At a campaign rally, Orban yelled at and accused his detractors and Peter Magyar of being 'traitors' and 'Ukrainian agents.' This is despite Orban and Fidesz previously being pro-Ukraine. The term 'Ukraine' has become a derogatory slur for Fidesz, used to delegitimize anything they perceive as a threat, similar to how they previously demonized migrants, George Soros, and Brussels. Fidesz also uses AI deepfake videos to spread disinformation, accusing Magyar of threatening children and promoting absurd claims.
Interrogation footage of one of the IT professionals involved in the 'Watergate' scandal was published by the government, despite promises of confidentiality. The government's top tabloid then claimed the interrogator was part of the Ukrainian secret services. The IT professional, Gundalf, later stated he deliberately misled investigators, providing false information that the government then used as 'proof of Ukrainian meddling.' Concerns about electoral integrity were also raised, with allegations of Fidesz-affiliated activists in territories with Hungarian populations tampering with ballots and openly campaigning for Fidesz, even for those who did not register to vote.
The video argues that Fidesz's only ideology is corruption. They campaign on a platform of peace but actively support Russia's war in Ukraine, despite cheaper energy alternatives being available. Orban, once a charismatic Democrat and anti-Russia, transformed after closed-door meetings with Putin in 2009 and his 2010 election victory, becoming 'Putin's obedient little dog' at the cost of Hungary's relationship with the EU. The video concludes by acknowledging that while Peter Magyar offers change and accountability, if he wins, it's crucial to hold him and TISZA accountable to prevent a repeat of Fidesz's unchecked power.