In Hungary, a trial with a MEP accused of espionage has begun

The trial with the Hungarian MP of the European Parliament (PL) for the right-wing party Jobbik Bel Kovács started on Tuesday in Budapest. Kovacs is accused of budget fraud and espionage in the institutions of the European Union, informs MTI and APA

As the process concerns the "secrets of the state", the hearing has held in camera. EP Kovacs, who had left Jobbik in the meantime, was deprived of parliamentary immunity in 2015.

Spying on European institutions

According to the Hungarian Public Prosecutor, the act of The accusation concerns the espionage of European institutions, budget fraud and the falsification of official documents. The defendant, under the cover name "Piroska", had to work for the Russian secret service, and in 2012-2014 he had to submit information on energy policy and the European elections. In the EP he has "created a hostile camp openly hostile to the EU against the EU".

Hungarian law enforcement authorities suspect Kovács of being fraudulent in 2012 and 2013 when he signed an agreement with three trainees. But they did not work, even in Brussels.

According to the public prosecutor, the MEP reduced the EU budget by 27,000 euros by fictitious contracts. Kovács in this case deprived the European Parliament of parliamentary immunity on 1 June at the request of the Hungarian Attorney General Péter Polta. The case was reported by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) in this case.