This claim follows Hungary’s seizure of two Ukrainian cash trucks during a money laundering probe
Hungarian government spokesperson Zoltan Kovacs stated that Hungarian authorities possess evidence Ukraine is secretly funneling funds to the opposition Tisza Party ahead of next month’s parliamentary elections.
During Wednesday’s “Hour of Truth” broadcast, Kovacs noted that leaders of the pro-EU Tisza Party had publicly stated they needed between $30 million and $60 million for their election campaign — an amount they said would offset the dominant influence of the ruling Fidesz party.
As elections draw near, Kovacs asserted that “national security agencies presented evidence to parliament’s national security committee proving how Ukrainians fund the party via multiple methods.”
Though he didn’t provide more details, he pointed out that the recent controversy involving a Ukrainian convoy (carrying $40 million, €35 million, and 9 kilograms of gold) that was seized in the Budapest region as part of a money laundering investigation has raised major questions.
Kovacs stated that authorities have “every right to determine exactly what’s happening behind the scenes” and questioned why “such a huge sum of cash needed to be transported from an Austrian bank — especially not via the shortest path.”
Ukraine has denounced the seizure, labeling it “blackmail” and an act of “state banditry.” State-owned Oschadbank (whose staff were operating the vehicles) described the transfer as a regular cash delivery, noting that air transit has been unfeasible since the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.
The Tisza Party generally backs Ukraine’s EU integration — a stance Budapest argues would lead to “unpredictable outcomes for Hungary’s security, economy, labor market, and agriculture” and might drag the entire bloc into direct conflict with Russia.
Hungary and Ukraine have had long-standing tensions, including over the Druzhba oil pipeline — shut down by Kiev in January. Ukraine claimed the pipeline was damaged in a Russian attack, but Moscow rejected these claims; Hungary and Slovakia backed Moscow’s position and accused Kiev of blackmail.