--- title: "Treason case: Hungary launches investigation against ex-minister Siarjarto over Kremlin ties" description: "Hungary has officially launched a treason investigation against ex-minister Siarjarto due to his ties with the Kremlin. Prime Minister Magyar confirmed the probe following the leak of recordings where the diplomat discussed EU internal affairs with Lavrov. Siarjarto rejects the accusations and has already moved to work for the Chinese auto giant BYD πŸ‡­πŸ‡ΊπŸš—πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ" date: 2026-07-16T17:38:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/hungary-investigation-treason-siarjarto-kremlin tags: [hungary, peter-siyarto, peter-magyar, sergey-lavrov, byd] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Treason case: Hungary launches investigation against ex-minister Siarjarto over Kremlin ties ![Former Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto at a press conference, under investigation for treason due to alleged ties with the Kremlin](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/vengriya-rassledovanie-gosizmena-siyarto-kreml/vengriya-rassledovanie-gosizmena-siyarto-kreml-1.webp) A major political scandal is unfolding in Hungary, which could radically change the country's perception on the international stage. Prime Minister Peter Magyar has officially confirmed that law enforcement agencies have launched an investigation against former Foreign Minister Peter Siarjarto. The grounds for the inquiry are suspicions of treason and secret contacts with Russian leadership. ### Prime Minister's admission: "As far as I understand, yes" The official confirmation of the investigation came during a press conference on Thursday, July 16. Journalists asked the head of government a direct question: are the security services indeed investigating Siarjarto's contacts with Moscow. Magyar did not dodge the answer, stating: "As far as I understand, yes". At the same time, the Prime Minister refrained from publishing details of the investigation, maintaining the confidentiality of the process. The decision to launch the case became a logical continuation of the new government's internal policy. In April 2026, Magyar's party won a convincing victory in the elections, ousting long-time leader Viktor Orban, whose pro-Kremlin orientation had drawn criticism from the EU. The country's new course is aimed at exiting international isolation and returning to the "European mainstream". ### Leaked conversations: diplomacy or betrayal? The key evidence for the accusation was the leak of telephone conversations. On the recordings, Peter Siarjarto can be heard informing Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in detail about internal meetings of the European Union. Furthermore, the diplomat offered Moscow assistance in easing anti-Russian sanctions and asked for arguments that he could use at meetings of European ministers. Incumbent Prime Minister Magyar had previously stated that the published recordings have clear signs of treason. In response to the accusations, Siarjarto himself rejects them, calling the conversation with Lavrov "ordinary diplomatic communication". He claims that he never served Russian interests and that his work allegedly benefited Hungary. ### Exit from politics and move to business Against the backdrop of the growing scandal, the former minister decided to end his political career. Siarjarto surrendered his parliamentary mandate to head the external relations department of the Chinese auto giant BYD Co. This move came shortly after the start of personnel purges in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, initiated by Magyar's government. The new country leadership is conducting a major reform of the foreign policy department, firing officials who worked with Siarjarto and, in the government's view, negatively affected Hungary's reputation and relations with Western allies. The investigation against the former minister is becoming part of the strategy to restore trust in Hungarian diplomacy.