Hungary's intelligence agency's covert surveillance of EU officials has been exposed, revealing alarming espionage activities. Reports indicate that officials from the European Anti-Fraud Office were allegedly subjected to being followed, wiretapped, and even having their laptops hacked by Hungary's Information Office, the equivalent of the CIA in Budapest.

"We are not dealing with fake news reports," emphasized Bertalan Havasi, press chief of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's office, in response to the revelations uncovered by a joint investigation by Direkt36 and De Tijd. The investigation shed light on the targeting of EU investigators by Hungary's spy agency, particularly those from OLAF who were probing a Hungarian company linked to Orbán's son-in-law.

Shadows of Surveillance The disturbing practices exposed between 2015 and 2017 revealed instances where EU officials visiting Hungary were subjected to being physically followed during their travels and having their communications intercepted. The report highlighted the routine nature in which Hungary's intelligence agency would conduct searches of hotel rooms occupied by visiting EU delegations, extracting data from their electronic devices.

According to the investigative report, Budapest's history of phone hacking extends beyond EU officials, encompassing journalists, activists, and opposition figures. The acknowledgment of purchasing Israeli spyware by the government in 2021 further underscores the concerning surveillance tactics employed. Moreover, an incident earlier this year involving a cyberattack on a critical MEP accentuates the pervasive nature of Hungary's espionage activities.

Silent Response from OLAF In light of these revelations, a spokesperson for OLAF refrained from immediate comment when approached by POLITICO. The silence from the European Anti-Fraud Office, the primary target of Hungary's spying efforts, raises questions about the extent of the impact of these covert operations on EU institutions and their ability to conduct independent investigations.

As the implications of Hungary's clandestine surveillance activities continue to unravel, the need for transparency, accountability, and safeguards against such breaches of privacy becomes paramount. The exposure of these shocking spy claims serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by state-sponsored espionage within the European Union and the imperative for robust measures to safeguard the integrity of investigative processes.