MEPs who are flying to Hungary must take into account the risk of surveillance – this is already an official instruction for delegations after similar incidents and even attempts to recruit EU officials by a foreign interview, they have already arrived in previous years. MEPs from Poland have participated in recent days in such a delegation in Budapest and confirm – there are special procedures. The mission was to assess the state of the rule of law in Hungary.
The fact that Russia and China are trying to spy on EU politicians should not surprise anyone, but it is shocking that similar attempts are to be made by the government of one of the EU Member States.
The delegation of the European Parliament, which flew to Hungary last Monday, was trained in the field of cybersecurity, got a special phone case, protecting against malware and spare, disposable mobile phones.
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These are procedures used during visits to countries recognized by the Union as hostile. It was decided on such security measures, because in the past the Hungarians were to search hotel rooms, hack computers and overheat MP phone calls to the European Parliament.
– Parliamentary services in Brussels advised us not to take our phones, let us take interchangeable phones from parliament due to simply the unbelievable degree of surveillance, with which we will definitely meet – says Michał Wawrykiewicz, MEP and member of the European People's Party.
Hungarian services are to spy on and persuade to cooperate
The fact that MEPs were better prepared for the visit this time was the first to write Politico. Hungarian services are to spy on and persuade EU employees of institutions to cooperate for several years.
The delegation came to Budapest to check the state of democracy, the rule of law and freedom of speech. It is in connection with the seventh article on the European Union Treaty launched in 2018 to Hungary. Two Poles were in the group of five MEPs: Krzysztof Śmiszek and Michał Wawrykiewicz.
Viktor Orban sent an anti -terrorist unit to Bosnia and Herzegovina to save the political allyJakub Loska/Facts about the world of TVN24 BIS
– If parliamentarians go to another European Union country and have to take special precautionary steps so as not to be overheard, recorded, so that our phones are not manipulated, it testifies to a large collapse of democracy in this country – comments Krzysztof Śmiszek, a levica MEP.
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The visit lasted three days. At that time, MEPs talked with non -governmental organizations fighting for human rights, with legal associations and the media. The meetings were refused by the Minister of Justice, the Minister of the Interior, judges of the Constitutional Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
Among the representatives of the central authorities, the delegation was adopted only by the deputy minister for European affairs and the head of the recently created Sovereignty Office.
The conclusions from the visit are depressing
– Many key figures on the government side did not want to meet us. This is very disturbing, because the European Union is a democratic organization and problem solving begins with dialogue and communication. We were not given a reason for refusal – informs Tineke Strik, chairwoman of the delegation, MEP from the green fraction. – They didn't really want our presence and our questions about democracy in Hungary – says Krzysztof Śmiszek.
You can already see that the conclusions from the visit are depressing. The state of democracy and the rule of law not only did not improve, but has yet deteriorated, because Hungary did not comply with the recommendations of the European Commission or the European Tribunal judgments. Moreover, the government of Wiktor Orban regularly changes the constitution and further systemically destroys the state of law.
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– This is really an unimaginably dramatic picture, bearing in mind that Hungary is still a member of the European Union – says Michał Wawrykiewicz.
– We have more and more serious concerns about, for example, pluralism in the media. 80 percent Income on the media market goes to pro -government entities, and this consequently strengthens the pro -government narrative – notes Sophie Wilmès, vice -chairman of the European Parliament, a member of the Fraction of Renewi Europe.
From its visit, the delegation will draw up a report and formulate recommendations that will be forwarded to the Commission and the European Council.
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Source of the main photo: EBS