Brussels, 10 October 2025
Transparency International EU (TI EU) is deeply alarmed at allegations, reported by a group of European media outlets, that Hungary set up a spying operation in Brussels, with the explicit aim of supplying information against the EU to the Hungarian government. Equally concerning in the reports are allegations that the operation was run out of the Hungarian Permanent Representation to the EU, headed at the time by none other than European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. This warrants a swift and strong institutional response.
Nick Aiossa, Director at TI EU, said:
“For over a decade, Viktor Orbán has sought to dismantle Hungarian democracy at home, while destabilising decision-making within the EU. If true, these disgraceful allegations that Hungary sought to spy on the EU itself further demonstrate Viktor Orbán’s flagrant disregard for the rule of law across the Union.”
Whereas the Commission has committed to establishing its own internal group to assess the allegations, it is also incumbent upon the European Parliament to investigate the scope of the alleged spying and any potential breaches of Union law. As the EU’s only directly elected body, the Parliament should immediately constitute a committee of inquiry, to determine the extent of these alleged attacks against democratic institutions.
