Calls grow in European Parliament for Várhelyi’s resignation amid espionage probe
Some MEPs call for EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi’s suspension or resignation amid espionage allegations
The European Parliament had a heated debate over allegations that the Hungarian government spied on European Union institutions, with several MEPs demanding the suspension or resignation of EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.
The spying accusations came to light in reporting by Direkt36, De Tijd, Der Spiegel, and Der Standard, and date back to when Várhelyi served as Hungary’s top diplomat in Brussels, before becoming a member of the European Commission.
Catherine Feore
Opening the debate, EU Public Administration Commissioner Piotr Serafin confirmed that there was an ongoing internal investigation.
“To ensure the integrity of the investigation, we must maintain confidentiality. But I can assure you that the Commission services are closely examining the case, and the President is taking this matter very seriously,” Serafin told MEPs.
The Greens/EFA group called for a European Parliament committee of inquiry to be established to investigate the full scope of the alleged espionage.
“We need to clarify what role Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, formerly the head of the Hungarian EU delegation, may have played in this alleged network,” said Greens/EFA co-president Terry Reintke (Greens, NL).
Sophie Wilmès (Renew, BE) sharply criticized the Commission for failing to take immediate action.
“The Commission should have suspended Várhelyi. Their inaction is irresponsible,” Wilmès said. “In the absence of Commission action, Parliament must act. We support the immediate creation of a Committee of Inquiry.”
Going further, Co-Chair of The Left, Martin Schirdewan, demanded Várhelyi’s immediate resignation saying that as a sitting Commissioner, Várhelyi has access to the most sensitive information in the European Union. The Left want President von der Leyen to withdraw confidence in Commissioner Várhelyi (under Article 17(6) of the Treaty on European Union), and to take steps to protect the EU from the malign influence of the Orbán regime.
From the Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Spanish MEP Juan Fernando López Aguilar expressed disbelief that no provisional measures had yet been taken.
“I’m rather surprised that Mr Várhelyi hasn’t been relieved of his duties pending the outcome of the investigation,” Aguilar said. “That’s the least we could expect.”
The European People’s Party stopped short of calling for a committee of inquiry in the parliament and MEPs from the right used the debate to accuse the institutions of having a vendetta against Orban.
The European Commission is not known for its swift investigations, and it seems unlikely that the Health Commissioner needs to worry about suspension - yet; some quietly acknowledge that Hungary isn’t alone in having some intelligence presence in Brussels. Much will depend on whether direct links can be made to the Commissioner.