Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has reacted to the arrest of his younger brother, Áron Orbán, in a migrant smuggling case, claiming the investigation is a “dirty game” by political opponents to undermine him and distract from a government scandal. “I am the target; my brother is just a tool,” he stated on social media.
Viktor Orbán accused authorities of trying to divert attention from a scandal that should be discussed in the National Security Committee and asserted, “When something is embarrassing for the government, the AVH (State Security Administration) intervenes.”
“Today, the government should be held to account before the National Security Committee over its handling of the communist-era secret police archives. However, instead of facing scrutiny, it is using political persecution to divert attention. What is happening in Hungary is not accountability. It is a political witch hunt. Whenever the government finds itself in an embarrassing situation, it resorts to the tactics of the communist-era secret police. The aim of this dirty political game is to eliminate opponents and establish a one-party state. I am the real target. My younger brother is simply being used to get to me,” the former authoritarian prime minister posted on X today.
“According to information published in the press, Viktor Orbán’s brother, Áron Orbán, has been detained on suspicion of migrant smuggling. The NVVH and the National Bureau of Investigation are continuing the investigation,“ Prime Minister Péter Magyar wrote on his Facebook page.
Áron Orbán was detained during an operation by the National Office for Asset Recovery and Protection (NVVH) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NNI) in Budapest and surrounding areas. Authorities detained several individuals and conducted home searches as part of the investigation into suspected migrant smuggling related to Schengen visas.
Reports suggest that Áron Orbán’s company enrolled Vietnamese citizens in a two-day lifeguard course at the University of Pécs to help them obtain visas. He also allegedly intervened with a government commissioner to expedite visa applications. This issue gained attention in 2024 after an audio recording in which he discussed challenges in obtaining visas and the necessary documents for foreign workers. The investigation includes claims that individuals may have requested money in exchange for facilitating these processes.
