The Brussels crisis isn't over; resignation demanded

MEPs will question the European Commission on Wednesday regarding allegations that intelligence officers from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government attempted to recruit EU officials for espionage between 2012 and 2018.

Hungarian officials working within EU institutions described the network to Politico as a “public secret” in the Belgian capital. The alleged espionage raises questions about whether Oliver Varhelyi, who led the embassy during the years the spying allegedly took place, should serve as a European Commissioner.

The Commission has confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation into the allegations. Belgian intelligence services will cooperate with the Commission in the investigation, according to a source familiar with the matter who requested anonymity.

Some Members of the European Parliament believe Varhelyi should resign if links to the alleged network are confirmed. One NGO has called for his immediate resignation.

Varhelyi “was not aware”

Last week, Oliver Varhelyi told Ursula von der Leyen that he “was not aware” of the alleged Hungarian attempts to recruit spies in Brussels, according to a Commission spokesperson.

Some Members of the European Parliament argue that the Commission had already received warning signals at the time.

“There were already red flags earlier. The Commission now really needs to do its job, carry out the investigation, and then, if confirmed, requesting Varhelyi’s resignation and removal would be the logical next step,” said Green co-chair Terry Reintke.

If the Commission knew about the alleged Hungarian espionage, questions arise about what measures, if any, were taken at the time.

“There are indications that people who raised the issue, who worked within the Commission, informed Commission services about it. However, nothing happened,” said Green MEP Daniel Freund.

Freund is among several MEPs from different groups, including the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and the centrist Renew party, calling for a political inquiry by a special European Parliament committee into the alleged Hungarian spying within EU institutions.

The committee would also seek answers from senior Commission officials about whether staff had warned them a decade ago.

MEPs demand accountability

S&D group chair Iratxe García told Politico that the group supports finding a “mechanism to ensure accountability and follow-up on this espionage issue.”

However, the right-leaning European People’s Party (EPP) will oppose the creation of such a committee, said its spokesperson Daniel Koster to Politico, making it unlikely that the instrument will be used. The initiative would require EPP support—the largest political group—for it to pass.

Criticism is not coming only from parliamentarians. Von der Leyen is also under pressure from civil society groups to dismiss Varhelyi.

The NGO “Good Lobby Profs” stated that new revelations this week, including admissions by a former head of Hungarian intelligence about the existence of a spy network, “significantly strengthen the credibility of previous allegations” and justify Varhelyi’s resignation.

Several people who worked with Varhelyi in Brussels told Politico that it was widely known that the spy network operated out of Hungary’s permanent EU mission.

One person said a staff member from the permanent mission approached them to become a spy, and that their colleagues informed their superiors within EU institutions, raising questions about how much the Commission knew at the time.

Hungarian: Varhelyi did not tell the truth

Orban’s political rival, Péter Magyar, who also worked at Hungary’s permanent EU mission under Varhelyi, accused him last week of concealing information during his ambassadorial tenure.

“In my opinion, Oliver Varhelyi, current European Commissioner and former EU ambassador (and my former boss), did not tell the whole truth when he denied it during an official investigation a few days ago,” Magyar wrote in a Facebook post.

He added that the existence of this network was widely known, though not officially confirmed.

“At the EU embassy in Brussels, it was well-known that during János Lazar’s ministerial period, from 2015 to 2018, secret services were deployed in Brussels,” he added.

Hungarian Minister Lazar, who oversaw intelligence while Varhelyi was ambassador, said last week that he “does not recall the exact details” and that it was “his duty to protect the country.”

“If the Hungarian intelligence service went to Brussels, I would respect them, not punish them,” he added.

The espionage allegations also raise questions about why von der Leyen insisted that Varhelyi remain in office.

Several people familiar with her support for him said the European Commission president pressured MEPs to approve Varhelyi as commissioner in 2024, after he had to answer written questions again from skeptical MEPs.

Varhelyi is currently Commissioner for Health. In von der Leyen’s first term, he was responsible for EU enlargement.