Expert Discusses Possible Election Disruption by Orbán with Russian and Serbian Involvement: Operation Under False Flag

A renowned expert expressed his thoughts in a comment for Ukrinform, noting that the situation surrounding gas infrastructure could be leveraged by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to derail the scheduled elections. Orbán's statement regarding the discovery of powerful explosives at a site connecting Serbia and Hungary served as the catalyst for convening an extraordinary session of Hungary's Defense Council.

The expert recalled that just three days prior, he outlined a hypothetical scenario in which Russia might interfere in the elections in Hungary, collaborating with Orbán's regime. He believes that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić could also be involved in this process. He emphasized that for Orbán to postpone the elections, he would need to orchestrate 'something significant and strategic.'

"I predicted that some Russian intelligence operative would propose the idea of sabotage at an energy infrastructure site that would be substantial enough to provide the necessary impetus for the ruling party. Since Orbán has ordered the army to protect critical infrastructure in Hungary, no operation within the country is feasible—otherwise, the army and government would appear foolish. Therefore, I anticipated an attack on Hungary's strategic interests, but outside the country—specifically, an attack on the 'Turkish Stream' gas pipeline on Serbian territory," the expert stated.

He also explained that since Serbia is a friendly country to Hungary, Orbán could count on cooperation with President Vučić. Today, Orbán published a statement on social media platform X, saying: "I just spoke with President Vučić. Serbian authorities have found a powerful explosive device along with the equipment necessary for its detonation at a critically important gas facility connecting Serbia and Hungary. An investigation is ongoing. I have convened an emergency defense council for today afternoon."

The expert does not rule out that in the near future, the governments of Hungary or Serbia may accuse Ukraine of attempting to destroy this critical energy infrastructure. Orbán, in turn, could declare a state of emergency in the country, which would undoubtedly impact the elections scheduled for April 12. According to recent polls, his party, Fidesz, could face defeat, which poses a threat to Orbán's hold on power.

"Legally, they can do this according to the Hungarian Constitution," the expert emphasized, adding that this would provide Orbán with considerable maneuvering room, including the possibility of postponing the elections.

When asked whether Vučić was aware of a potential operation under a false flag, the expert replied that he "definitely knew what was going to happen." He also noted that it is crucial how far Vučić is willing to go in supporting Orbán, as international pressure in this situation is extremely important.

It is known that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced an agreement with Russia regarding gas imports for the next three months after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. The expert also pointed out the positive aspect that an explosion did not occur, as it could have had devastating consequences. However, he stressed that an operation "under a false flag" would be less effective since it would be more challenging to attribute the act of sabotage to Ukraine.

"It is currently very easy to blame Ukraine because Russia has seized a lot of Ukrainian weapons, and some weapons could have been easily transported to Serbia," the expert explained. He believes that regardless of the outcomes of today's Defense Council meeting and the statements that may be released afterward, an attack on energy infrastructure a week before the elections "serves only Orbán's interests and no one else's."

As reported by Ukrinform, on Thursday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán called for the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russian energy amid the global energy crisis. Meanwhile, due to numerous absurd statements from Hungarian officials regarding Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created a 24/7 online broadcast titled "Hungarian Radio Ukraine," which broadcasts statements in Hungarian, Ukrainian, and English, rejecting the manipulations regularly made by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his team.