{"id":2023597,"date":"2026-07-02T15:24:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T12:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2023597"},"modified":"2026-07-02T15:24:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T12:24:19","slug":"leaked-eu-document-confirms-hungarian-spy-ring-renews-pressure-on-commissioner-varhelyi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2023597","title":{"rendered":"Leaked EU document confirms Hungarian spy ring, renews pressure on Commissioner V\u00e1rhelyi"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/24\/98\/1200x675_cmsv2_ed1ad413-1101-5cbf-b6c7-970a5b766d64-9822498.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2906845-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2906845\" data-cid=\"9823313\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906845-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/33\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_a111bc15-f3e3-53cd-b753-edcda9abb655-9823313.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rescue workers carry Hern\u00e1n Alberto Gil Flores Gil after he was pulled from the rubble eight days after he was trapped by twin earthquakes, 2 July, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Venezuela<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Venezuelan security guard pulled alive from rubble days after quakes\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906835-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2906835\" data-cid=\"9823230\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906835-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/32\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_b55e8cde-168c-556a-a2c0-a0b6cf24a126-9823230.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, 2 July 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Armenia<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;You can count on us,&#8217; von der Leyen says in strategic Armenia visit\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906831-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2906831\" data-cid=\"9823190\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906831-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/31\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_7fd1e55c-43d1-5b27-980a-3f135701c143-9823190.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The UN flag waves the International Court of Justice in The Hague, 23 May, 2024\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Burkina Faso<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UN to close Burkina Faso human rights office after junta suspension\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906774-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2906774\" data-cid=\"9822833\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906774-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/28\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_e9eaacaf-96c9-5661-ba53-612400e9d50d-9822833.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Irish Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pressure mounts on Ireland to stop alumina sales to Russia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906845-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2906845\" data-cid=\"9823313\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906845-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/33\/13\/189x106_cmsv2_a111bc15-f3e3-53cd-b753-edcda9abb655-9823313.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Rescue workers carry Hern\u00e1n Alberto Gil Flores Gil after he was pulled from the rubble eight days after he was trapped by twin earthquakes, 2 July, 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Venezuela<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Venezuelan security guard pulled alive from rubble days after quakes\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906835-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2906835\" data-cid=\"9823230\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906835-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/32\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_b55e8cde-168c-556a-a2c0-a0b6cf24a126-9823230.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, 2 July 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Armenia<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;You can count on us,&#8217; von der Leyen says in strategic Armenia visit\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906831-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2906831\" data-cid=\"9823190\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906831-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/31\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_7fd1e55c-43d1-5b27-980a-3f135701c143-9823190.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The UN flag waves the International Court of Justice in The Hague, 23 May, 2024\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Burkina Faso<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    UN to close Burkina Faso human rights office after junta suspension\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906774-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2906774\" data-cid=\"9822833\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906774-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/28\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_e9eaacaf-96c9-5661-ba53-612400e9d50d-9822833.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Irish Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Pressure mounts on Ireland to stop alumina sales to Russia\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Leaked EU document confirms Hungarian spy ring, renews pressure on Commissioner V\u00e1rhelyi<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/24\/98\/1536x864_cmsv2_ed1ad413-1101-5cbf-b6c7-970a5b766d64-9822498.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivier Varhelyi addresses a media conference after a meeting of EU agriculture ministers at EU headquarters in Brussels, W\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivier Varhelyi addresses a media conference after a meeting of EU agriculture ministers at EU headquarters in Brussels, W<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspSandor Zsiros\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1783005859\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-07-02 17:24:19 +02:00\">02\/07\/2026 &#8211; 17:24 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div 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width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        A leaked European Commission document indicates that Hungary operated a diplomatic intelligence network targeting EU staff from 2012 to 2018, reviving scrutiny of Commissioner Oliv\u00e9r V\u00e1rhelyi and calls for his resignation.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>EU Commissioner Oliv\u00e9r V\u00e1rhelyi is facing renewed scrutiny after a leaked European Commission document indicated that Hungary&#8217;s Permanent Representation operated a spy ring during his tenure as Hungary&#8217;s permanent representative.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Last October, several media outlets reported that Hungary&#8217;s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels had allegedly run a network of intelligence officers posing as diplomats, who targeted Hungarian nationals working at the Commission between 2012 and 2018.<\/p>\n<p>V\u00e1rhelyi was drawn into the investigation because he served as Hungary&#8217;s ambassador to the EU between 2015 and 2019, which overlapped with part of the period under scrutiny. He was later nominated as EU Commissioner by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n.<\/p>\n<p>V\u00e1rhelyi has denied any knowledge of the spy network.<\/p>\n<p>The document, seen by Euronews, is signed by Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin and informs members of the European Parliament of the findings of an internal investigation into the spying allegations.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The intelligence officers used their official position to fulfil a specific mission that appears to have gone beyond the tasks usually associated with diplomats at Permanent Representations,&#8221; the letter states.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This involved, in particular, approaching Commission officials of Hungarian nationality and attempting to collect detailed information from them regarding work within the Commission on topics of specific interest to the Hungarian government.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Serafin&#8217;s letter states that no serious security breaches were intercepted.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Renewed criticism of V\u00e1rhelyi<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The Commission announced its findings at a press briefing in early May, weeks after Hungary\u2019s elections, which resulted in Orb\u00e1n leaving power.<\/p>\n<p>The statement largely cleared V\u00e1rhelyi, allowing him to continue in his role. However, P\u00e9ter Magyar, Hungary\u2019s new prime minister, who previously worked under V\u00e1rhelyi as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation, said the Commissioner was not telling the full truth about the matter.<\/p>\n<p>In the event of a serious breach of trust, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could ask V\u00e1rhelyi to resign. Should he refuse, she could ask the European Court of Justice to remove him, Alberto Alemanno, an EU law professor at HEC Paris, told Euronews. <\/p>\n<p>Alemanno argues that the confirmation of the spy ring indicates V\u00e1rhelyi was not fit for the role when he was appointed as European Commissioner in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>He said commissioners must be independent, experienced, and adhere to European values, adding that there was a clear lack of independence in this case. V\u00e1rhelyi, in his role as Permanent Representative, breached the principles of loyal cooperation, and therefore \u201cwas not fit for the job and continues not to be fit for the job,&#8221; Alemanno said. <\/p>\n<p>For German Green MEP Daniel Freund, the leaked Commission document \u2014 and its confirmation of the spy ring \u2014 means V\u00e1rhelyi is no longer suitable for the role. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Either he was directly involved, or, as head of the Representation, he had no control over his own staff. Either scenario disqualifies V\u00e1rhelyi from serving as a European Commissioner. The European Parliament sharply criticised him weeks ago and declared him unfit for the role. It is long overdue for him to face the consequences and resign,&#8221; Freund told Euronews.<\/p>\n<p>In April, the European Parliament&#8217;s Budgetary Control Committee criticised V\u00e1rhelyi in a report, saying he failed to meet expected standards.<\/p>\n<p>Last October, dozens of MEPs called for V\u00e1rhelyi&#8217;s resignation. In November, a move to establish a parliamentary inquiry committee into the spy affair was blocked by the centre-right European People&#8217;s Party (EPP), to which both von der Leyen and Magyar belong.<\/p>\n<p>At the time, the EPP said that attacking V\u00e1rhelyi could play into Orb\u00e1n&#8217;s hands during the Hungarian election campaign.<\/p>\n<h2>Removing V\u00e1rhelyi would be a precedent that Brussels does not want<\/h2>\n<p>Since the April elections, Magyar has been pushing to remove officials appointed by his predecessor, including Hungarian President Tam\u00e1s S\u00f3lyom.<\/p>\n<p>V\u00e1rhelyi, however, appears to have escaped scrutiny \u2014 largely because Brussels is wary of setting a precedent for revoking Commissioners following a change of government in a member state.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBrussels is afraid of setting a precedent \u2014 they do not dare to remove someone who deserves it,\u201d one EU diplomat familiar with the matter told Euronews, speaking on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;By doing so, they are emboldening populists,&#8221; the diplomat added.<\/p>\n<p>The removal of a Commissioner could prove a delicate matter for the commission ahead of the forthcoming French and Spanish elections. Once a Commissioner is removed following a political change in their home country, other member states could follow suit. <\/p>\n<p>Under the law, Commissioners are required to represent the broader European interest and act independently of their country of origin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  EU clears Hungary\u2019s V\u00e1rhelyi in Brussels spying probe<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Thirty-five MEPs urge European Commission president to push for V\u00e1rhelyi&#8217;s resignation<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  European Commission probes alleged Hungarian spy network in Brussels<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Commission<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Hungary<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Oliver Varhelyi<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Ursula von der Leyen<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2906812-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906812\" data-cid=\"9823101\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906812-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/31\/01\/320x180_cmsv2_3c715f8f-0599-5fb9-8079-8b54c6d852e7-9823101.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Smoke rises over the city center after a Russian attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 2, 2026.\" height=\"9\" 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class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906812-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906812\" data-cid=\"9823101\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906812-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/32\/30\/320x180_cmsv2_b55e8cde-168c-556a-a2c0-a0b6cf24a126-9823230.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan, 2 July 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    &#8216;You can count on us,&#8217; von der Leyen says in strategic Armenia visit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906845-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906845\" data-cid=\"9823313\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2906845-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" 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id=\"abe-2905837-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2905837\" data-cid=\"9819253\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    New venomous spider species discovered in Portugal<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906339-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906339\" data-cid=\"9820431\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Russia closes railway borders with Finland, Estonia and Latvia<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906381-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906381\" data-cid=\"9820618\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Did The Simpsons really predict the final of the 2026 World Cup?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2906295-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2906295\" data-cid=\"9820269\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Heat kills 900 in Spain&#8217;s second-hottest June on record<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">EU Commissioner Oliv\u00e9r V\u00e1rhelyi is facing renewed scrutiny after a leaked European Commission document indicated that Hungary&#8217;s Permanent Representation operated a spy ring during his tenure as Hungary&#8217;s permanent representative.Last October, several media outlets reported that Hungary&#8217;s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels had allegedly run a network of intelligence officers posing as diplomats, who targeted Hungarian nationals working at the Commission between 2012 and 2018.V\u00e1rhelyi was drawn into the investigation because he served as Hungary&#8217;s ambassador to the EU between 2015 and 2019, which overlapped with part of the period under scrutiny. He was later nominated as EU Commissioner by then-Prime Minister Viktor Orb\u00e1n.V\u00e1rhelyi has denied any knowledge of the spy network.The document, seen by Euronews, is signed by Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin and informs members of the European Parliament of the findings of an internal investigation into the spying allegations.&#8221;The intelligence officers used their official position to fulfil a specific mission that appears to have gone beyond the tasks usually associated with diplomats at Permanent Representations,&#8221; the letter states.&#8221;This involved, in particular, approaching Commission officials of Hungarian nationality and attempting to collect detailed information from them regarding work within the Commission on topics of specific interest to the Hungarian government.&#8221;Serafin&#8217;s letter states that no serious security breaches were intercepted.Renewed criticism of V\u00e1rhelyiThe Commission announced its findings at a press briefing in early May, weeks after Hungary\u2019s elections, which resulted in Orb\u00e1n leaving power.The statement largely cleared V\u00e1rhelyi, allowing him to continue in his role. However, P\u00e9ter Magyar, Hungary\u2019s new prime minister, who previously worked under V\u00e1rhelyi as a diplomat at the Permanent Representation, said the Commissioner was not telling the full truth about the matter.In the event of a serious breach of trust, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen could ask V\u00e1rhelyi to resign. Should he refuse, she could ask the European Court of Justice to remove him, Alberto Alemanno, an EU law professor at HEC Paris, told Euronews.Alemanno argues that the confirmation of the spy ring indicates V\u00e1rhelyi was not fit for the role when he was appointed as European Commissioner in 2019.He said commissioners must be independent, experienced, and adhere to European values, adding that there was a clear lack of independence in this case. V\u00e1rhelyi, in his role as Permanent Representative, breached the principles of loyal cooperation, and therefore \u201cwas not fit for the job and continues not to be fit for the job,&#8221; Alemanno said.For German Green MEP Daniel Freund, the leaked Commission document \u2014 and its confirmation of the spy ring \u2014 means V\u00e1rhelyi is no longer suitable for the role.&#8221;Either he was directly involved, or, as head of the Representation, he had no control over his own staff. Either scenario disqualifies V\u00e1rhelyi from serving as a European Commissioner. The European Parliament sharply criticised him weeks ago and declared him unfit for the role. It is long overdue for him to face the consequences and resign,&#8221; Freund told Euronews.In April, the European Parliament&#8217;s Budgetary Control Committee criticised V\u00e1rhelyi in a report, saying he failed to meet expected standards.Last October, dozens of MEPs called for V\u00e1rhelyi&#8217;s resignation. In November, a move to establish a parliamentary inquiry committee into the spy affair was blocked by the centre-right European People&#8217;s Party (EPP), to which both von der Leyen and Magyar belong.At the time, the EPP said that attacking V\u00e1rhelyi could play into Orb\u00e1n&#8217;s hands during the Hungarian election campaign.Removing V\u00e1rhelyi would be a precedent that Brussels does not wantSince the April elections, Magyar has been pushing to remove officials appointed by his predecessor, including Hungarian President Tam\u00e1s S\u00f3lyom.V\u00e1rhelyi, however, appears to have escaped scrutiny \u2014 largely because Brussels is wary of setting a precedent for revoking Commissioners following a change of government in a member state.\u201cBrussels is afraid of setting a precedent \u2014 they do not dare to remove someone who deserves it,\u201d one EU diplomat familiar with the matter told Euronews, speaking on condition of anonymity.&#8221;By doing so, they are emboldening populists,&#8221; the diplomat added.The removal of a Commissioner could prove a delicate matter for the commission ahead of the forthcoming French and Spanish elections. Once a Commissioner is removed following a political change in their home country, other member states could follow suit.Under the law, Commissioners are required to represent the broader European interest and act independently of their country of origin.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/07\/02\/leaked-eu-document-confirms-hungarian-spy-ring-renews-pressure-on-commissioner-varhelyi&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/82\/24\/98\/1200x675_cmsv2_ed1ad413-1101-5cbf-b6c7-970a5b766d64-9822498.jpg&#8221;] Venezuela Venezuelan security guard pulled alive from rubble days after quakes Armenia &#8216;You can count on us,&#8217; von der Leyen says in strategic Armenia visit Burkina Faso UN to close Burkina Faso human rights office after junta suspension Europe News Pressure mounts on Ireland to stop alumina sales to Russia Venezuela Venezuelan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2023597","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2023597"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2023597\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2023597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2023597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2023597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}