Kocsis: Ukrainian state plans to launch smear campaign against the prime minister

The Ukrainian state’s smear campaign “expressly aims to undermine the international reputation of the head of government and weaken Hungary’s ability to enforce its interests,” Kocsis said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Máté Kocsis, Head of ruling Fidesz’s parliamentary group, said the secret services presented information at Tuesday’s meeting of parliament’s national security committee showing that the Ukrainian state was launching a smear campaign against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The Ukrainian state’s smear campaign “expressly aims to undermine the international reputation of the head of government and weaken Hungary’s ability to enforce its interests,” Kocsis said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

“The aim of the current operation is to use the press — Hungarian and international journalists — to publish articles and materials containing fake information serving to negatively influence international public opinion,” he added.

“The Ukrainians have allocated a significant sum to spread such reports,” Kocsis said, adding that certain members of the Hungarian press were involved in the Ukrainian smear operations.

“Some quarters of the press claiming to be independent are already willing to sell out the home country for Ukrainian money,” he said.