Report: Orbán's advisers helped Smer and Hlas before this year's election

Investigative journalists from the VSquare project claim that advisers to Hungary's pro-Russian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, were directly engaged in the election campaign that preceded Slovakia's September 30 general election, the Denník N daily reports.

According to VSquare, Árpád Habony, an unofficial personal adviser to the Hungarian prime minister, and a pro-government think tank, Századvég, provided assistance to both Smer and Hlas. These parties came first and third, respectively, in the September general election and went on to form the current governing coalition, along with the far-right Slovak National Party (SNS).

At first, the advisers approached Hlas, with Matúš Šutaj Eštok as their contact. He now serves as interior minister. When Smer, led by Robert Fico – who has since become prime minister – took the lead in the polls, the Hungarian advisers started working for Smer as well. The advisers remained in contact with Fico's party even after the election, providing him with opinion polls and further data.

The journalists report that Orbán's people also helped a party representing the Hungarian minority in Serbia's elections last week, and were involved in the campaign of Law and Justice in Poland's recent general election.

An informant of the Hungarian secret service was previously reported to have been in a position of close proximity to Prime Minister Robert Fico.

The reported informant, Levente Magyar, is now the husband of Viera Teťáková, who worked at the Government Office during the first two Fico governments as head of the protocol department.