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Fidesz committee member László Horváth said no information had emerged to suggest that Szijjártó’s role posed a national security risk to Hungary.
Following the two-and-a-half-hour hearing, Horváth described the scrutiny as “an unfounded political maneuver aimed at stirring up emotions, whipping up public sentiment, discrediting an individual.”
Fellow Fidesz committee member Barbara Hegedűs said this was the third committee meeting at which the matter had been raised, with no indication of a national security risk.
She also questioned the government’s criticism, noting that several ministers had previously worked in the international corporate sector. Hegedűs said one government member still held a significant shareholding connected to a former employer, which she described as a competitor of a Hungarian company. She argued that this raised conflict-of-interest questions.
Tisza committee member Pál Czakó Czirbus said Szijjártó had told the hearing that his conscience was clear on every issue.
Czirbus nevertheless argued that someone who had served as foreign minister for nearly 12 years taking the knowledge and information acquired in that position to a private company constituted a national security risk.
He said Monday’s session was the first in a series of hearings that would also include the heads of Hungary’s intelligence services.
The committee is expected to reach a concluding phase within a month, when it will assess the testimony and disclose whatever information it can to the public, Czirbus added.
The committee decided on Sept. 16 to investigate Szijjártó’s position at BYD. The former minister announced in July that he was resigning from Parliament to become the automaker’s head of external relations and new business development.
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