Key facts
- A Hungarian spy ring operated from the country's embassy in Brussels.
- The ring targeted EU officials, particularly those of Hungarian nationality, to collect information.
- Intelligence activities intensified from 2015 and reportedly ceased in 2016.
- A European Commission investigation confirmed the ring's existence but found no serious security breaches.
- The investigation could not attribute individual responsibility beyond the intelligence officers involved.
A European Commission investigation has confirmed the existence of a Hungarian spy ring that operated out of Hungary's permanent representation to the EU in Brussels, with activities intensifying from 2015. The probe, led by anti-fraud commissioner Piotr Serafin, found that Hungarian intelligence officers attempted to recruit officials from EU institutions, particularly those of Hungarian nationality, to gather information of interest to the Hungarian government.
The investigation, detailed in a document seen by POLITICO, indicated that the intelligence officers used their official positions beyond typical diplomatic tasks. The activities were initially discreet but became more overt from 2015, reportedly becoming known among Hungarian officials in Brussels, which apparently hampered their effectiveness. The document suggests these activities ceased in 2016.
Olivér Várhelyi, who was Hungary's EU ambassador and headed the office in 2015, has previously stated he was unaware of the alleged spy ring and had not been approached by intelligence services. The Commission's investigation, however, concluded that no serious security breaches were identified and that it was not possible to attribute individual responsibility beyond the intelligence officers themselves.
The Hungarian permanent representation and Várhelyi did not respond to requests for comment.