The presence of sanctions did not prevent the OSCE from including Putin’s former translator in the observer delegation
Hungarian human rights activists have urged the OSCE to change the composition of the delegation monitoring the elections in Hungary. Among the delegation is Russian national Darya Boyarskaya, who is under sanctions and has ties to the Kremlin.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Reuters.
Also read: Hungary against Ukraine: Orban accused Kyiv of interfering in the elections
Boyarskaya, a senior advisor to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and former translator for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, is under sanctions in Poland. In 2022, Poland added Boyarskaya to its sanctions list and banned her entry, stating that her activities pose a risk of provocations that harm the country’s international standing.
However, this did not prevent OSCE officials from including her in the delegation that will observe the elections in Hungary. The Hungarian Helsinki Committee (HHC) has already stated that the participation of someone who has worked for Putin for years undermines the atmosphere of trust and confidentiality during the election monitoring.
For its part, the OSCE PA called the human rights activists’ concerns “unfounded.” Organization representative Nate Perry stated that Boyarskaya is a professional civil servant who adheres to the code of conduct and confidentiality requirements. The organization currently does not plan to remove her from her duties in Hungary.
Elections in Hungary: what is happening
Putin’s ally, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, faces a real prospect of losing power for the first time in many years. Although the ratings do not reflect the real picture— the opposition “Tisza” has an advantage at the national level, but elections are decided in single-member districts— the threat to Orban is very significant.
To save his power, Orban is actively using the theme of Ukraine in the elections. In fact, he is “casting” Ukraine as “Hungary’s enemy.” Meanwhile, Russia has secretly launched a disinformation campaign in Hungary to strengthen Orban’s position ahead of the April 12 elections and undermine his main opponent, opposition leader Peter Magyar.
Read more about the elections in the RBC-Ukraine article: “Special Forces, GRU, and compromising materials. How Orban clings to power a month before the elections in Hungary.”
