FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
No evidence of systems compromise; case raises concerns about interference in journalism
Politico launched a security review after a private phone conversation between one of its reporters and a European Union official on matters related to Hungary and Ukraine appeared to have been tapped and the recording was published online. The 9-minute audio recording, from a call on March 3, was uploaded to YouTube on March 16. It has been viewed 5,100 times, according to YouTube data.
“Our internal reviews have found no evidence that any devices, networks or systems were compromised,” Kate Day, Politico’s senior executive editor in Europe, and Carrie Budoff Brown, executive editor and executive vice president, said in an email to staff on Wednesday.
“We will not be intimidated by an apparent attempt to interfere with independent reporting — nor will we be deterred from the important work we do,” they wrote, adding “we have always been and will remain vigilant in protecting our sources, supporting the work of our journalists, and maintaining the accuracy of our independent and nonpartisan reporting.”
The issue comes at a time when leaks of confidential EU information are in the spotlight, ahead of Hungary's general election on April 12. In a report on Saturday, the Washington Post wrote that Viktor Orbán's government has maintained close contact with Moscow during the war in Ukraine and that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó has used breaks during meetings with other member states to update his Russian counterpart.
A spokesperson for the EU institution where the official works declined to comment on “recordings produced by unknown and anonymous actors.” Politico is not identifying the EU official because the conversation was not for publication.
Politico has not been able to determine how the recording may have been obtained and who was responsible for publishing it on YouTube.
"Frightening message"
Several news sites in Slovakia and Hungary have written articles about the recording and published partial transcripts.
“Cyberattacks and the publication of journalists’ materials strike at the heart of press freedom and the protections we must rely on as reporters,” said Dafydd ab Iago, president of the International Press Association in Brussels.
“This is illegal under Belgian law and sends an intimidating message not only to journalists in Brussels but also to our sources here… The more difficult question is how to pursue these state actors, whether within the EU or from a third country like Russia.”
On Monday, the Hungarian newspaper Mandiner, close to the Orbán government, one of the first outlets to report on the conversation, published an exclusive exchange between Hungarian freelance journalist Szabolcs Panyi and a contact. According to the article’s author, the material was obtained via a “mysterious email” from an individual identifying himself as the “fourth branch of power.”
“We have important stories to tell and work to do, and we remain focused on maintaining the rigor, independence, and purpose that our public expects from us,” Day and Budoff Brown concluded in their email. /Adapted from Pamphlet/
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