Hungary to continue blocking Ukraine's EU accession over espionage scandals

Hungary currently has no intention of approving the opening of negotiation clusters in Ukraine's EU accession talks due to tense bilateral political relations.

Source: Hungarian EU Affairs Minister János Bóka, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Bóka, speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of the EU General Affairs Council in Brussels on 27 May, accused Ukraine of conducting espionage activities on Hungarian territory.

"At this moment, Ukraine is conducting numerous informational and intelligence operations in Hungary aimed at influencing democratic decision-making processes. In such a political context, it is extremely difficult to conduct constructive negotiations," he said.

Background:

• On 20 May, Hungarian intelligence services claimed to have uncovered two Ukrainian "spies": Roland Tseber and István Holló.
• A Hungarian court stated there were grounds to suspect that Holló, acting on behalf of Ukrainian military intelligence, had been conducting activities in Hungary which, if proven, would constitute the crime of espionage.
• Tensions in Ukraine-Hungary relations escalated after Ukraine's Security Service announced on the morning of 9 May that it had uncovered a Hungarian military intelligence network operating in Zakarpattia Oblast and conducting espionage.
• Following this, Budapest expelled two Ukrainian diplomats, accusing them of spying.
• Ukraine responded by expelling two Hungarian diplomats.

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