Orban criticizes EU over corruption amid probe

(MENAFN) According to recent reports, Hungary’s prime minister leveled sharp criticism at the European Union, asserting that the bloc is overwhelmed by corruption while a major fraud inquiry tied to EU-funded diplomatic training continues to unfold.

In a post on a major US social media platform, he stated that the European Union is "drowning in corruption. Commissioners face serious charges, the Commission and the Parliament are engulfed in scandal, yet Brussels still claims the moral high ground." His comments coincided with developments in a high-profile investigation involving suspected misconduct connected to the EU Diplomatic Academy program.

Authorities in Belgium recently detained the former EU foreign policy chief, a senior figure at an institution responsible for diplomatic training, as well as a high-ranking European Commission official. According to general reports, investigators are examining whether confidential criteria for selecting participants in the nine-month training course were improperly disclosed before the tender process officially began.

The Hungarian leader also argued that "Corruption in Ukraine should be called out by the EU, but once again it's the same old story: Brussels and Kyiv shielding each other instead of confronting the truth." His remarks follow revelations last month from Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies, which uncovered what they described as a major scheme in the energy sector involving at least $100 million and triggering the resignations of several senior officials.

Observers note that cleaning up systemic corruption remains a crucial requirement for Ukraine as it advances through the EU membership process, which formally began when accession talks were opened in mid-2024.

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