Political storm grows as Hungarian FM rebukes Czech leader

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has rejected criticism from Czech President Petr Pavel, responding with sharp remarks about Pavel’s past ties to the Communist system.

According to Ceske Noviny, the exchange followed Pavel’s reaction to the publication of телефонные conversations between the foreign ministers of Hungary and Russia. In response, the Czech president called for a reassessment of relations with Hungary, including a review of intelligence-sharing arrangements between Prague and Budapest.

Szijjarto condemned the wiretapping and subsequent publication of the conversations, which emerged ahead of Hungary’s upcoming elections, describing the episode as a “huge scandal” and “blatant and unacceptable foreign interference” in Hungary’s parliamentary campaign, which he claimed was carried out “in favour of Ukraine.”

He also directly criticised Pavel, referencing his past. “The most amusing part was the reaction of the Czech president, who joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in 1985, received training as an intelligence officer and—if the regime had not fallen—would have spied for it in Western Europe,” Szijjarto said.

“Given his former ardent defence of communism and the Soviet ally, perhaps he should choose his words more carefully,” he added.

Szijjarto further stressed that Hungary’s current government, led by Viktor Orban, will continue to firmly defend the country’s national interests and sovereignty and will not allow Hungary to be drawn into military conflicts.

By Tamilla Hasanova