Hungary expels 10 Russian diplomats over espionage concerns
Hungary has ordered the expulsion of 10 Russian diplomats, citing the need to protect national security and sovereignty. The move follows earlier reports that nearly a third of embassy staff in Budapest had intelligence links.
Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Orbán announced Tuesday that the government has decided to expel 10 Russian diplomats in order to protect the country's "security and sovereignty." She said the diplomats had engaged in activities in Hungary that are unacceptable under the Vienna Convention, the treaty governing diplomatic relations, without specifying what those activities were.
Orbán is not related to former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Prime Minister Péter Magyar also confirmed that the diplomats had committed unacceptable activities in Hungary, but likewise gave no further details. The foreign ministry declined to comment further.
The decision follows a report published several months ago by Russian investigative outlet Agentstvo, which found that nearly a third of the 47 staff members at the Russian embassy in Budapest had links to Russian intelligence services.
Orbán stressed that the expulsions do not amount to a break in diplomatic relations with Russia. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Moscow's response would be "harsh and painful," according to state news agency Interfax.
Shift away from the Kremlin
Since taking over from Viktor Orbán in May, Magyar has pushed to distance Hungary from Moscow, a marked departure from his predecessor's close ties with the Kremlin. In July, an investigation was opened into former Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó over allegations he shared sensitive information with Russian officials. In August, Magyar's government described Russia as "a threat to Hungary, Europe and the global order" in instructions issued to Hungary's delegation at the U.N. General Assembly.
