Scandal in OSCE: Putin’s former interpreter joins Hungary election observer mission
Illustrative photo: the OSCE said the concerns are "unfounded" (flickr.com)
Hungarian human rights activists have called on the OSCE to change the composition of the delegation monitoring the elections in Hungary. The delegation includes Russian national Darya Boyarskaya, who is under sanctions and linked to the Kremlin, reports Reuters.
Boyarskaya, a senior adviser to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and a former interpreter for Russian President Vladimir Putin, is under sanctions in Poland. In 2022, Poland placed Boyarskaya on its sanctions list and banned her from entering the country, stating that her activities pose a risk of provocations that could harm the country's international standing.
However, this did not prevent OSCE officials from including her in the delegation that will observe the elections in Hungary. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) has already stated that the participation of a person who worked for Putin for years undermines the atmosphere of trust and confidentiality during election monitoring.
For its part, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly described the concerns of human rights activists as "unfounded." Organization spokesperson Nat Parry said that Boyarskaya is a professional official who adheres to the code of conduct and confidentiality requirements. At the moment, the organization does not plan to remove her from her duties in Hungary.
Elections in Hungary: What is happening
A friend of Putin, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, is facing a real prospect of losing power — for the first time in many years. Although the ratings do not reflect the real picture — the advantage of the opposition Tisza party is visible nationwide, but elections are decided in single-member districts — the threat to Orbán is very significant.
To save his power, Orbán is actively using the topic of Ukraine in the election campaign. In fact, he is "portraying" Ukraine as an "enemy of Hungary." Meanwhile, Russia has secretly launched a disinformation campaign in Hungary — to strengthen Orbán's position ahead of the April 12 elections and undermine his main rival, opposition leader Péter Magyar.
More about the elections can be read in the RBC-Ukraine material Spies, GRU and kompromat: Shadow battle behind Orbán's push to stay in power.
