Hungarian-Ukrainian politician accused of spying by Hungary denies wrongdoing

In an interview conducted in Ungvár (Uzhorod, Ukraine) with Atlatszo reporters, one of the central figures of the alleged Ukrainian spying scandal, Roland Ceber denied working for the Ukrainian intelligence. The Transcarpathia politician claims that ethnic Hungarians of Ukraine are the victims of the tense relations between Budapest and Kiyv.

“I knock on every door,” says Roland Ceber, who became nationally known earlier this year after he was subjected to a travel ban by a decision of the Hungarian government over spying allegations. Recently, he sent a letter to various organizations, including media, outlining his grievances. Ceber sees himself as a victim of the anti-Ukrainian campaign of the Budapest government, and he would like to enlist the help of unnamed international and Hungarian actors.

Dubious accusations

Roland Ceber (sometimes spelled Tseber) is a politician of Hungarian descent from Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region. He previously held a position in the Transcarpathian County Council and the Transcarpathian Military Administration. He came to national attention after the spying scandal that started earlier this year.

In May, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) arrested people who were allegedly conducting espionage for the Hungarian military intelligence. The SBU claims that the spy network was activated in late 2024 and was, among other things, collecting information about the position of Ukrainian air defences in Transparpathia – a region next to the Hungarian border with an approximately 12% Hungarian minority – and surveying locals how they would react to Hungarian military entering the region as peacekeepers.

As a response, Hungarian authorities quickly targeted two people accused of spying for Ukraine. One of them was a former Ukrainian diplomat, who was arrested and deported to Ukraine – however, the claim that he was a Ukrainian spy is weakened by the fact that according to court documents, he also holds a Russian passport and asked to be sent to Russia instead of Ukraine.

The other accused was Ceber, who was sanctioned with a travel ban. He however, may have been picked so that the Orbán government can also attack the opposition by proxy.

Just after the police action, pro-government media was flooded with stories claiming that Ceber developed ties with several opposition figures, including Budapest Mayor Gergely Karácsony, former prime ministerial candidate Péter Márki-Zay, members of Momentum and MSZP, and most notably, Péter Magyar, the leader of the rising Tisza Party.

Video of the interview in Hungarian

Diplomatic scandal serving domestic political goals

As Ceber explained to Átlátszó, he is a member of the faction of Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People Party in the Transcarpathian Regional Council, but not a member of the party itself. He is also a frequent visitor to the capital, an adviser to the Kyiv Rada (parliament), and has worked in the ombudsman’s office. He also knows Hungarian politicians and has met them on various occasions, including members of the ruling Fidesz party. Many of his casual acquaintances disappeared when the Budapest government started attacking him.

It is hard not to think that the identity of the Hungarian politician and public figure in Transcarpathia was revalued after he travelled to Kiyv with Péter Magyar. The chairman of the Tisza Party delivered aid to the children’s hospital in Kiyv after the facility was hit by Russian air strikes.

In our interview Ceber denied working for Ukrainian civil or military intelligence or other security services. He also does not consider himself a lobbyist, saying that he communicated with state officials of both countries, including officials of the Hungarian foreign affairs ministry, such as Deputy Foreign Minister Levente Magyar. He explained that he is open to help anyone regardless of party affiliation who want to bring humanitarian aid to Ukraine or facilitate Ukrainian-Hungarian dialogue.

“It is always the Hungarians in Transcarpathia who suffer the consequences of tensions between the Kiyv and Budapest governments”, Ceber told Átlátszó.

The spying affair started just before a planned high-level meeting between representatives of the two countries, which was cancelled due to the scandal – Ceber said that he does not know why and to whose benefit was the scandal kicked off at that crucial moment. He however considers the spying allegations made by Ukrainian security services credible.

Ceber contrasted his targeting to the arrest of alleged spies in Ukraine, saying that while no evidence was brought up against him or the former diplomat, the alleged Hungarian espionage case was reinforced with published messaging logs and video footage. By comparison, Ceber said that the Hungarian foreign ministry offered no explanation about his travel ban after the initial media statements accusing him of spying.

Ceber said that he is collecting documents and contacting lawyers for a lawsuit against the Hungarian government to clear himself of allegations and overturn his travel ban that bars him from the entire Schengen area.