Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has officially called for a high-level investigation into allegations of espionage targeting Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó with the help of a Hungarian journalist.
“It’s a serious matter,” said Orbán. “The fact that the foreign minister of a sovereign country is being intercepted with the intervention of the authorities and secret services of another country, using Hungarian journalists, or at least one for sure, is very serious.”
Orbán went on to say that he believes it is clear the rival opposition party, the Tisza Party, was well aware of the wiretap.
“But the most serious thing is that it seems clear that all this was done with the knowledge of the Tisza Party, and I see that it was done for its benefit,” said Orbán.
Following a report by Mandiner, it was revealed that journalist Szabolcs Panyi, associated with anti-Orbán news outlets Direkt36 and VSquare, had reportedly worked with a foreign EU intelligence service to conduct wiretaps on Szijjártó.
Hungarian commentators have also pointed out that such an espionage case comes with potentially serious penalties for Panyi if he is tried and convicted. Máté Tóth, a lawyer, writes that “the historical facts are quite clear, so I will state the verdict here. (…) Panyi, as a Hungarian citizen, contacted or maintains contact with a foreign government or foreign organization for the purpose of violating Hungary’s independence, territorial integrity or constitutional order, which is punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison for a crime.”
He continued, writing: “The penalty is imprisonment from 10 to 20 years or life imprisonment if the treason is committed for a serious benefit, as there was a good chance here. The classified case includes the fact that Panyi is engaged in intelligence activities against Hungary for a foreign power or foreign organization, which is also punishable by two to eight years in prison in the basic case of a crime.”
He wrote that if all the charges were added up, Panyi faces life imprisonment for espionage coupled with treason.
Currently, it is not clear whether Panyi will be charged, but the allegations remain serious.
Leaked audio reveals Hungarian journalist reportedly helped wiretap Hungarian foreign minister Péter Szijjártó’s telephone.
The bombshell information has shaken Hungarian politics right before elections. The recording has journalist Szabolcs Panyi telling a female that he… pic.twitter.com/5DCpPVtLd8
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) March 23, 2026
Hungary may pursue criminal charges
Orbán announced via social media that he has “instructed the Minister of Justice to immediately investigate the information related to the wiretapping of Péter Szijjártó.” The scandal centers on claims that foreign intelligence services monitored the Foreign Minister’s communications.
According to a whistleblower identified as the “Fourth Power Branch,” an audio recording and email sent to Mandiner suggest a coordinated operation involving foreign entities and domestic political figures.
Panyi is accused of acting as a conduit for a foreign intelligence agency within the EU by providing the service with Szijjártó’s private phone number. On the leaked recording, Panyi reportedly describes the monitoring process, noting that “the way this works is they’re watching a number and they have who that number was talking to and they see who’s calling that number or who that number is calling.”
When asked by a female interlocutor which specific country was receiving this data, Panyi allegedly stated, “I can’t say that,” before requesting the woman keep the matter strictly confidential.
It remains unclear how the “Fourth Power Branch” obtained these recordings.
The Mandiner report further suggests a web of connections linking the journalism sector to the opposition.
The investigation reportedly points toward Anita Orbán and the Tisza Party. Mandiner claims that Panyi and Anita Orbán are collaborators, alleging that should Péter Magyar’s party take power, Panyi would gain access to sensitive Ministry of Foreign Affairs documents and influence staffing decisions under a potential Anita Orbán leadership.
In a follow-up video on Facebook, Viktor Orbán emphasized the gravity of the situation, indicating that he “considers further consultation necessary” to address the national security breach.
The post ‘It’s a serious matter’ – PM Viktor Orbán addresses bombshell claims Hungarian journalist helped wiretap foreign minister, analyst says journalist could face life in prison for treason appeared first on Remix News.
Remix NewsRead More
R1
T1
