Warsaw: Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Monday expressed skepticism over the timing of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's decision to convene Hungary's security council. This came after Serbian authorities reported the discovery of explosives near gas infrastructure that supplies Hungary.
According to Anadolu Agency, the incident occurred less than a week before Hungary's April 12 parliamentary election, in which Orban's ruling Fidesz party is facing a significant challenge. Sikorski described the timing as "suspiciously opportune" in a post on the U.S. social media platform X. Orban stated that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic informed him about the explosives found near the TurkStream pipeline extension in northern Serbia, close to the Hungarian border. In response, Orban convened an emergency meeting of Hungary's defense council, labeling the incident as a potential act of sabotage.
The Hungarian government refrained from directly accusing Ukraine but insinuated possible Ukrainian involvement, citing past disputes over Russian oil and gas transit through Ukraine. Both Orban and Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto suggested a connection to Kyiv.
Polish officials, however, were skeptical of these claims. Sikorski's comments echoed broader concerns in Warsaw that the incident might serve as a political advantage for Orban ahead of the April 12 election, especially following recent tensions between the Polish and Hungarian governments over Budapest's ties to Moscow.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk last week criticized Orban's administration for being politically reliant on Russia, following reports of contact between Szijjarto and Russian officials. Tusk accused Hungary of effectively distancing itself from the EU and described its relationship with Moscow as "repulsive."
Senior Polish officials have consistently warned about Russia's potential to exploit security scares and disinformation campaigns in Central Europe. Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski had previously accused Russia of attempting election interference and destabilizing neighboring countries through hybrid operations.
The incident highlights the widening gap between Warsaw and Budapest since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While Poland has emerged as a strong supporter of Kyiv, Hungary maintains close relations with Moscow and has repeatedly obstructed EU measures supporting Ukraine.
Hungary's opposition leader Peter Magyar also cast doubt on the timing of the pipeline incident, claiming prior warnings about potential disturbances near the Serbian gas pipeline before the election. He accused Orban of spreading fear and suggested the episode could be a staged "false flag" operation. Ukraine denied any involvement and proposed the possibility of Russian orchestration to influence the Hungarian election campaign.