Latest news with #ZoltanKovacs
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hungary says it has identified two more Ukrainian spies
BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungarian security services have identified two Ukrainian spies, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of mutual accusations of espionage between Budapest and Kyiv. One of two men identified built ties with opposition figures and organized meetings with political and military figures "to sway Hungary's stance on the Ukraine conflict", government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said in a post on X. The post, which quoted the head of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Mate Kocsis, did not say when the activity occurred, but said a travel ban had been imposed against the man in 2024. The second person sought military and energy intelligence and is under criminal investigation for espionage, Kovacs said. Ukraine's foreign intelligence service did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Earlier this month Ukraine and Hungary said they were each expelling two diplomats after the countries accused each other of engaging in espionage, a row that marked a new low in relations between the two neighbours. Hungary is part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Kyiv is closely allied in its war with Russia. But relations between Kyiv and Budapest have often been fraught over the rights of a large ethnic Hungarian minority living in western Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western military aid for Ukraine and said Hungary would not send weapons.
The Star
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Hungary says it has identified two more Ukrainian spies
BUDAPEST (Reuters) -Hungarian security services have identified two Ukrainian spies, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of mutual accusations of espionage between Budapest and Kyiv. One of two men identified built ties with opposition figures and organized meetings with political and military figures "to sway Hungary's stance on the Ukraine conflict", government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said in a post on X. The post, which quoted the head of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Mate Kocsis, did not say when the activity occurred, but said a travel ban had been imposed against the man in 2024. The second person sought military and energy intelligence and is under criminal investigation for espionage, Kovacs said. Ukraine's foreign intelligence service did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Earlier this month Ukraine and Hungary said they were each expelling two diplomats after the countries accused each other of engaging in espionage, a row that marked a new low in relations between the two neighbours. Hungary is part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Kyiv is closely allied in its war with Russia. But relations between Kyiv and Budapest have often been fraught over the rights of a large ethnic Hungarian minority living in western Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western military aid for Ukraine and said Hungary would not send weapons. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; additional reporting by Max Hunder in Kyiv; Editing by Conor Humphries)
Straits Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Hungary says it has identified two more Ukrainian spies
Hungary says it has identified two more Ukrainian spies BUDAPEST - Hungarian security services have identified two Ukrainian spies, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of mutual accusations of espionage between Budapest and Kyiv. One of two men identified built ties with opposition figures and organized meetings with political and military figures "to sway Hungary's stance on the Ukraine conflict", government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said in a post on X. The post, which quoted the head of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Mate Kocsis, did not say when the activity occurred, but said a travel ban had been imposed against the man in 2024. The second person sought military and energy intelligence and is under criminal investigation for espionage, Kovacs said. Ukraine's foreign intelligence service did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Earlier this month Ukraine and Hungary said they were each expelling two diplomats after the countries accused each other of engaging in espionage, a row that marked a new low in relations between the two neighbours. Hungary is part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Kyiv is closely allied in its war with Russia. But relations between Kyiv and Budapest have often been fraught over the rights of a large ethnic Hungarian minority living in western Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western military aid for Ukraine and said Hungary would not send weapons. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Hungary says it has identified two more Ukrainian spies
BUDAPEST, May 20 (Reuters) - Hungarian security services have identified two Ukrainian spies, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, the latest in a series of mutual accusations of espionage between Budapest and Kyiv. One of two men identified built ties with opposition figures and organized meetings with political and military figures "to sway Hungary's stance on the Ukraine conflict", government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said in a post on X. The post, which quoted the head of the ruling party's parliamentary group, Mate Kocsis, did not say when the activity occurred, but said a travel ban had been imposed against the man in 2024. The second person sought military and energy intelligence and is under criminal investigation for espionage, Kovacs said. Ukraine's foreign intelligence service did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment. Earlier this month Ukraine and Hungary said they were each expelling two diplomats after the countries accused each other of engaging in espionage, a row that marked a new low in relations between the two neighbours. Hungary is part of the European Union and NATO, two blocs with which Kyiv is closely allied in its war with Russia. But relations between Kyiv and Budapest have often been fraught over the rights of a large ethnic Hungarian minority living in western Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has been sceptical about Western military aid for Ukraine and said Hungary would not send weapons.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hungary amends constitution, bans public LGBTQ+ gatherings to 'prioritize children's rights'
April 14 (UPI) -- Hungary's parliament amended its constitution Monday to ban public LGBTQ+ gatherings, as it declared children's rights to "moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than the right to life." The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed by a vote of 140 to 21 along party lines. "Hungary's National Assembly has passed the 15th amendment to the Fundamental Law," announced government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs in a post on X. It is a "constitutional safeguard against ideological influences that they argue threaten the well-being of children, particularly in the context of events like Pride parades," he added. "The sweeping changes prioritize children's rights." While the new amendment alleges LGBTQ+ pride marches are harmful to children, critics call it another step toward authoritarianism. "This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children's rights," said Dániel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, who called it "pure propaganda." "It's not just about pride, it's about any assembly that is organized by the opposition," Momentum MP David Beto told the BBC. "This is only the first step they're taking in this one year campaign, and we are going to see many more laws enacted and passed in parliament that is very much against any democracy or any rule of law." The amendment, which comes after a law was passed last month to ban LGBTQ+ pride marches, will allow the Hungarian government to temporarily suspend the citizenship of any dual nationals who are determined to be a threat to the country's security. It also mandates two genders. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has been in office since 2010, praised the legislation after declaring last month, "We won't let woke ideology endanger our kids." "Hungary's constitutional amendment is now law," Orban wrote Monday in a post on X. "We're protecting children's development, affirming that a person is born either male or female and standing firm against drugs and foreign interference," he said. "In Hungary, common sense matters."
