Young Orbán was informant for secret services, his reports may be held in Moscow - Media
Photo: Viktor Orbán (Getty Images)
Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán may have cooperated with the secret services of the communist regime in his youth and written reports on his fellow soldiers. The original copies of these reports may be held in Moscow, according to an investigation by Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi.
Panyi cites testimony from former Hungarian Prime Minister Miklós Németh, who headed the government from 1988 to 1990.
In a statement dated March 30, 2026, Németh recalled a meeting that took place shortly before the first free elections to the National Assembly, in March 1990.
According to him, then-Defense Minister Ferenc Kárpáti handed him three original, handwritten and signed intelligence reports that were allegedly authored by Orbán.
The reports contained Orbán's observations about his fellow soldiers during his compulsory military service in Zalaegerszeg, including their behavior and political, sexual, and religious views.
However, Németh noted that he had no way of verifying the author's identity or the authenticity of the handwriting and signature, although he believed he recognized them. He returned the documents to Kárpáti and did not keep any copies.
The documents subsequently disappeared, and their current whereabouts are unknown. Orbán's spokesperson, whom the journalist contacted, dismissed the information as fake.
Miklós Németh shared this information after the change of power in Hungary, when amendments to the law made it possible to do so.
According to Németh, who has since retired, he had been waiting in recent years for legislative changes that would allow him to make public the materials in his possession.
In September, after the Hungarian government passed a law expanding access to state documents, he handed the materials over to the archives.
US President Donald Trump's administration is promoting former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the position of UN secretary-general. Washington expects Russia and China to support his candidacy as well.
Some European countries have opposed Orbán's possible appointment as UN secretary-general.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has reacted ironically to the possibility of Orbán being nominated, referring to his long record of blocking decisions and using his veto power in the European Union.
