Hungarian secret service eavesdropped and spied on EU officials investigating Orban's son-in-law's company

Hungary's secret service (IH) spied on and eavesdropped on European officials who visited Hungary between 2015 and 2017, according to a report published in Belgian and Hungarian media.

The wiretapping was mainly directed at members of the European Parliament, with particular attention to investigators from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).

During this period, OLAF was investigating a Hungarian company owned by the son-in-law of the Hungarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, which caused concerns in Budapest.

According to the report, IH conducted illegal searches in hotel rooms and recorded telephone conversations of European delegations.

In some cases, the service has obtained data from their laptops, raising concerns about the violation of the privacy and security of European institutions.

Meanwhile, the Hungarian government has not commented on the allegations, while the prime minister's spokesman, Bertalan Havasi, has called the reports "fake news."

Hungary has been accused before of wiretapping journalists, activists and political opponents.

In 2021, a Hungarian lawmaker admitted that the government had purchased Israeli spy software known for its capabilities to intercept communications, Politico reported.

These new allegations emerge at a time when Hungary's relations with the European Union have further deteriorated due to controversial political decisions and criticism of democratic standards.