FACTOMETER
en
ру
հյ
Since June 27, a video has been circulating in the Armenian domain of Facebook, purporting to show Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar addressing European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a speech at the European Parliament, allegedly calling her a “cunning hypocrite who cold-bloodedly and deliberately squanders Europe.”
The video featuring the Hungarian Prime Minister was shared, among others, by the Facebook page of the media outlet Azg, as well as by a page titled “Voice of Truth,” and subsequently disseminated by hundreds of their followers and accounts.
Among those amplifying the video was also a political analyst, who based a commentary on the falsified content, even remarking that it was a nice way to start Sunday “on a cheerful note.”
An investigation by the Fact Investigation Platform (FIP.am) revealed that the Hungarian Prime Minister made no such statement, and that remarks attributed to the European official were fabricated.
What FIP.am Found
The issue had previously been addressed on May 18 by the Georgia-based fact-checking outlet Myth Detector, as the same video had also circulated within Georgian social media, shared by various actors.
The original footage of Péter Magyar’s speech dates back to an October 9, 2024 session of the European Parliament, during which the “Presentation of the Action Plan of the Hungarian Presidency” took place. Videos of the session are publicly available via the European Parliament’s Multimedia Centre.
During the session, several European lawmakers delivered remarks, including former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as well as Péter Magyar, who at the time was an opposition figure in Hungary and a Member of the European Parliament.
Magyar’s speech, which lasts 7 minutes and 26 seconds, consists of a pointed critique of Viktor Orbán. The address was republished on October 14, 2024, by the YouTube channel EU Debates under the title “Péter Magyar criticizes Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian government,” and has garnered approximately 60,000 views.
The manipulated video circulating online is generated from this speech. Throughout his remarks, Magyar repeatedly directs his gaze toward Viktor Orbán, who is seated in the chamber.
In his speech, Magyar addresses Hungary’s domestic challenges, including corruption, as well as issues in the economy, healthcare, and education sectors.
In other words, the circulating video presents Magyar’s remarks with a falsified translation. In the original speech, he does not refer to Ursula von der Leyen as a “cunning hypocrite,” nor does he use any similar language with respect to her.
Origins of the Manipulated Version
Monitoring conducted by FIP.am indicates that the falsified translation of Magyar’s speech was disseminated via a YouTube channel operating under the name “Saveliy Akrapovich.” A review of the channel shows that it regularly publishes sensationalist videos on international politics, often employing sharp, provocative, and manipulative language.
The video concerning Magyar and Ursula von der Leyen was uploaded to the channel on May 14. Its title and description create the impression that Magyar attacked von der Leyen and Brussels during a European Parliament session, whereas in reality, his remarks targeted Viktor Orbán’s government.
Notably, the same video has recently circulated within Moldovan social media domain as well, where it was shared by the Communist Party of Moldova. The party uploaded the identical video from the same source to its own YouTube channel and actively promoted it on Facebook.
The video circulating in the Armenian Facebook sphere does not reflect an authentic statement by Péter Magyar directed at Ursula von der Leyen. Rather, it is a manipulated translation built upon a genuine speech.
In his actual remarks, Magyar criticizes Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian government. The offensive statements attributed to him regarding the European Commission President do not appear in the original speech.
It is noteworthy that the video gained significant traction at a time when news had emerged of Ursula von der Leyen’s planned visit to Armenia. Regardless of whether this timing is coincidental, it is evident that the primary target of the manipulated content is von der Leyen being the subject of fabricated and offensive statements.
Hasmik Hambardzumyan
