Propaganda: Foreign-funded liberal media provided huge ammunition to the political data industry
Translated from Hungarian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- The article alleges that foreign-funded liberal media outlets provided intelligence materials to influence Hungary's elections.
- It specifically names Partizรกn, Direkt36, and VSquare as key players in spreading information that allegedly swayed voters against Fidesz.
- The piece claims these outlets, particularly VSquare and Direkt36, worked in coordination with Polish government interests and Western funding to promote narratives critical of the Orbรกn government.
The Hungarian media landscape is abuzz with revelations concerning the alleged foreign interference in our recent elections. Magyar Nemzet, a publication committed to presenting the Hungarian perspective, highlights how well-funded liberal media outlets, operating under the guise of independent journalism, have become potent tools for external political actors. These organizations, far from serving the public interest, appear to be conduits for intelligence gathered by foreign services, strategically deployed to destabilize our nation's political discourse.
The liberal media, funded from abroad, provided huge ammunition to the political data industry.
Our analysis focuses on the digital operations of entities like Partizรกn, Direkt36, and VSquare, which, according to a German analysis cited by Magyar Nemzet, played a crucial role in the downfall of the Orbรกn government. The article points to VSquare's Warsaw headquarters, its close ties to Western governments, and its funding sources as evidence of a coordinated effort to undermine Hungary's sovereignty. This network, it is argued, acted in concert with Polish state interests, demonstrating a clear pattern of foreign influence.
the VSquare media network, which has a Hungarian branch, may have played an important role in the ousting of the Orbรกn government in April.
Particular attention is given to Panyi Szabolcs, a figure associated with Direkt36 and VSquare, whose reporting is characterized as aligning with Brussels' long-standing accusations of Hungary pursuing pro-Russian foreign policy. The article recalls Panyi's reporting on alleged GRU operatives in Budapest and his admission of contact with foreign intelligence services, even sharing a minister's phone number. This raises serious questions about journalistic ethics and the true allegiances of those shaping public opinion in Hungary.
Panyi Szabolcs... had close ties to members of the democratic administration in America and participated in programs supported by the Soros network.
Furthermore, the publication of a phone conversation between Hungarian Foreign Minister Pรฉter Szijjรกrtรณ and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov by VSquare, which was then amplified by liberal media, is presented as another instance of coordinated efforts to damage the government's reputation. Magyar Nemzet asserts that these actions, alongside a documentary by Direkt36 targeting the Orbรกn family, represent a systematic campaign to manipulate public perception and interfere with Hungary's democratic processes. This narrative is crucial for understanding the internal political dynamics and the perceived external threats to Hungarian national interests.
Panyi Szabolcs himself admitted on a leaked audio recording that he is in contact with several foreign secret services and shared the phone number of then-Foreign Minister Pรฉter Szijjรกrtรณ with one of them.
Originally published by Magyar Nemzet in Hungarian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.