The use of spyware was illegal in Hungary and everything points to abuses when resorting to software like Pegasus and others to monitor dissidents and journalistssaid a delegation from the European Parliament in Budapest on Tuesday.
“Everything indicates that there are abuses” spy programs“He told the press MEP Jeroen Lenaers, the leader of the delegation, who regrets the refusal of Hungarian Minister of Justice Judit Varga to cooperate with the commission of the European Parliament.
The PEGA commission conducting the European Parliament’s investigation into the use of the Israeli spying program Pegasus and other similar products in the Community countries, d.ie MEPs and conducted interviews in Hungary for two days.
In July 2021, independent media published information that Pegasus is used by the governments of many European countries. against journalists, activists and others.
According to Hungarian investigation portal Direkt36, the ultranationalist Viktor Orbán government in Hungary could use Pegasus against 300 people, including journalists, opposition politicians, activists and businessmen.
European delegation I did not receive any response justifying the use of spyware. According to Lenaers, it is against journalists, politicians, activists and businessmen.
“They told us it was for national security reasons, but this is not a statement,” the Dutch parliamentarian said, announcing that the commission will present a report with concrete proposals in the coming months.
Sophia In’T Veld, also a Dutch MP, stated that the illegitimate use of these programs poses a real threat to democracy.
The fact that the authorities have not officially charged anyone with security crimes shows that: the use of these programs was exaggerated and not legitimateaforementioned.
“Many governments tell us this not our competenceBut that is not true, this is an issue that affects the entire European Union,” he said.
The European Parliament delegation visited Greece, Cyprus and Poland and is expected to go to Spain in a month.
Hungarian Minister of Justice Judit Varga announced this Monday that the commission’s mission “it’s a farce of the left” and that it only serves the political purposes of the European left and therefore does not want to cooperate with it.